Lingonberry is a small shrub. However, it is distinguished by a strong root system that reaches up to 4 meters. Lingonberry plant has a weakly branched above-ground shoot and small green leaves, about 1 cm long and about 0.6 cm wide.
The lingonberry fruit is initially a white and later a red berry. It ripens from July to August and also in October. Previously, the shrub is decorated with white or light pink flowers, which are gathered in clusters.
Lingonberry copes well even on less fertile soils. It is more resistant to drought and frost than other species.
Lingonberry usually grows in coniferous forests, heathlands and thickets. Lingonberry grows in Eastern Europe and can also be found in the Northern Hemisphere, in Scandinavia, including Sweden, and also in Russia.
The Latin name of the plant is Vaccinium vitis idaea L. However, there are no mentions of the lingonberry known under this name in ancient writings. This expression first appears only in the works of Gesner and Dodoneus in the 16th century.
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Berries, leaves.
It is worth appreciating the properties of lingonberry tincture, which can be used in case of colds and urinary tract problems. Juice from this fruit has a similar effect on the body.
Cowberries contain almost no fats and are low in calories. There are about 47 calories in 100 g of its fruit.
The properties of lingonberry leaves are also appreciated and are used in the pharmaceutical industry. They have diuretic and antiseptic properties.
Lingonberry is used in folk medicine. About its use, e.g. in Russian medicine. In their country, decoctions of fruits and lingonberry leaves were used to treat diseases of the urogenital system, cystitis, infections of the urogenital system and urethral inflammation.
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Eating cowberries strengthens the capillaries in the eyes, which is why cowberries are great for vision. Cowberries also contain anthocyanins, which are strong antioxidants that protect healthy cells against free radicals.
In addition, the traditional use of lingonberry leaves as a means to reduce shortness of breath and urinary tract disorders is noteworthy. This raw material also has astringent, antiseptic, diuretic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Fruits and leaves of lingonberry may have metabolite, antipyretic, analgesic, sedative and detoxifying activity. A decoction of the leaves can be used as an antirheumatic agent.
The presence of benzoic acid in cowberries acts as a natural preservative, thanks to which the fruits stay fresh for a long time. Lingonberry medicines are usually prepared for cystitis problems.
The fruit of lingonberry contains tannins, which is why cowberries are used in cosmetics for oily and acne-prone skin. Polyphenols, on the other hand, protect the skin against the harmful effects of UV radiation, which prevents it from aging prematurely.
Lingonberry has diuretic, antidiarrheal, antiseptic and astringent properties. Fruits regulate digestive function and are used as a dietary supplement.
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Lingonberry leaves are used as a bactericidal agent in catarrh and inflammation of the urinary tract, and also as an aid in urolithiasis accompanied by infection. In combination with other herbs, it is used for gastrointestinal catarrh, flatulence, and mild diarrhea.
Lingonberry leaves also have anti-diarrheal properties. The tannins contained in them have a strong astringent effect on the mucous membranes of the digestive system, reducing the fluidity of stools, and also have a bactericidal effect on the bacterial flora of the stomach and intestines, inactivating bacterial toxins.
Lingonberry can prevent ulcers and stomach cancer. Aqueous extracts from lingonberry leaves have antibacterial effects against certain bacterial strains, including Helicobacter pylori.
All thanks to the content of tannic acid, argue Estonian scientists from the University of Tartu. Helicobacter pylori is closely related to the occurrence of approximately 80% stomach and duodenal ulcers. H. pylori can also lead to stomach cancer.
Arbutin contained in lingonberry leaves not only has a positive effect on the urinary system, but also on the skin, as it lightens pigmentation lesions and the skin.
The depigmenting effect of arbutin results from its inhibition of the synthesis of melanin - a pigment found mainly in the cells of the dermis and epidermis, the content of which determines the color of the skin.
This action was confirmed, among others, by: Japanese scientists from Kobe University School of Medicine. Arbutin, as a pure substance or ingredient of plant extracts, is used in dermocosmetics as a skin lightening agent, and the effect of pure arbutin is much stronger.
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Cowberries with the addition of pears are used to make jellies, usually used for dark meats and game.
Lingonberry jelly is the basis of real Cumberland sauce. Mixed with horseradish, orange peel and pears from varieties with a high number of stone cells (giving a rough taste), it is a basic English accompaniment to game. Commercially available sauces generally contain currant jelly as a base, which is a substitute for lingonberry jelly.
Traditionally, lingonberry twigs are used to decorate Easter baskets and the food contained in them.
Lingonberry fruits are also used as the basis for many preserves. You can mention here such delicacies as:
To slightly diversify the bittersweet taste of cowberries, it is worth combining them with other fruits, e.g. pears or cranberries. Lingonberry leaves are suitable for making an infusion to drink. Such teas can be found in many herbal stores.
It's also easy to prepare lingonberry juice - the recipe says to crush the fruit, pour a little water over it, sprinkle with sugar and leave for a few hours. After this time, bring everything to a boil and leave to simmer for 10 minutes, and then pour it through a strainer.
If you want to extend the freshness of cowberries, the solution is not only to preserve them, but also to use another method of storing them, namely freezing. Frozen cowberries will last for many months and you can eat them even when the season is over.
You can plant cowberries in your garden. The lingonberry site should be protected from the sun. In such conditions, it bears much better fruit and is not exposed to soil drying out. If the crop is in a sunny place, cowberries require frequent watering.
Lingonberry seedlings should be biennial plants. After planting, sprinkle the plant well with sawdust from conifers or pine bark. This solution allows you to maintain the acidic reaction.
To propagate cowberries, non-lignified cuttings with a piece of an older shoot are used. Then they should be rooted in soil with peat added. It is worth remembering that the plant should be watered and weeded regularly.
When it comes to the soil requirements of cowberries, it is worth taking care of humus, fertile, acidic soil with a pH of 3.5-4.5.
The plant blooms from May to July, but bears fruit a little later. Its fruits should be picked when they are red. Plants are cut in early spring, but not every year, so as not to weaken fruiting. The treatment only needs to be repeated every few years.
In the garden, cowberries can grow in a border with ericaceous plants, e.g. azaleas, heathers or rhododendrons. Growing cowberries on the balcony will also look great.
Cowberries are a source of many valuable nutrients. These include: tannins, organic acids, including malic acid and benzoic acid, flavonoids, mineral salts, including iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium.
Lingonberry fruits are also a treasure trove of vitamins, including: vitamins C, A and vitamin PP. In addition, they also contain anthocyanins, sugars and pectins. Noteworthy is the presence of a red pigment in the fruit, ideane, which does not occur in other fruit plants, but occurs, for example, in red cabbage.
The National Public Health Institute of Finland indicates that the average fiber content in cowberries is 2.6 g/100 g.
Lingonberry leaves contain glycosides: arbutin, methylarbutin, ericoline; organic acids, catechin tannins, vitamins: B1, B2.
Although cowberries are a valuable source of vitamin C, they should not be eaten in large quantities because they may cause side effects. The side effects of cowberries are primarily related to the content of tannins, which lead to stomach irritation and constipation.
Due to the presence of hydroquinone in the composition, an excessive portion of cowberries may lead to poisoning with this ingredient, which results in constipation, nausea, stomach pain, agitation, and hemolytic anemia.
It is worth knowing that it is not recommended to eat cowberries during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Some of its ingredients have a mutagenic effect that may disturb fetal development.
Eating cowberries is also contraindicated for children less than 12 years of age, people allergic to the ingredients contained in the fruit, and in the case of liver diseases.
However, lingonberry leaves in herbal mixtures are completely safe.