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Lingonberry

In Finland, lingonberry grows on dry ground, typically in pine forests and lichen grounds where the undergrowth is not dense. Lingonberry also grows on fells in Lapland. The dark red berries grow on low twigs close to the ground. The thick wax-covered leaves are dark green. Lingonberries ripen late in August and the season continues till the end of September.

It is possible to conserve lingonberries in their own juice, since the berry contains a lot of acids and sugars necessary for conservation. Lingonberries actually contain more sugars than bilberries although the latter taste sweeter. In lingonberry, the sweetness is covered by the acids. Lingonberry is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as magnesium.

Lingonberry contains a lot of flavonoids and lignans; it can particularly be pointed out that it contains more lignans than other berries. The effect of the lignans is seen as prevention of cancer and osteoporosis and it has been seen that lignans also act as phytoestrogenes.

Berries of the 'vaccinium' family may have an effect on the coliformic bacteria which cause the infection of urinary tracts. It has been studied that juice concentrate of cranberry-lingonberry reduces the urinary tract infection which shows symptoms repeatedly.

Nutritive content of fresh lingonberry / 100 g:

Energy, kj	141,5
Energy, Kcal	33,8
Protein, g	0,4
Fat, g	0,3
Carbon hydrate, g	6,8
Nutritional fiber, g	2,6
Vitamin A, ug	1,5
Vitamin E, mg	1,6
Tiamine, (B1), mg	0,05
Riboflavin (B2), mg	0,04
Niasine, mg	0,6
Pyridoxine (B6), mg	0,01
Vitamine C, mg	5
Natrium, mg	0,2
Potassium, mg	<0,1
Calcium, mg	22
Magnesium, mg	9

 

Nutritive content data: FINELI / and Ruoka-aineiden ravintosisältö, Kansaneläkelaitos, Helsinki, 1989