When you’re a small child, the adults around you tell you to finish your fruit and veggies to grow big, strong, and fit. You follow their advice and fall in love with health and nutrition.
You eat bananas, kale, and all things green, but your usual diet becomes tiresome after a while. You want something new, fresh, different. Lingonberries enter the picture.
Table of Contents
1. Antioxidant Properties
2. Healthier Gut Microbe
3. Improved Heart Health
4. Weight Management
5. Brain Function Boost
6. Metabolic Health Promotion
7. Higher Immune Function
8. Stable Oral Health
9. Healthy Eyes
10. A Natural Health Boost
These native Scandinavian berries go by many names, including bearberry and redberry. People also call it a superfood, and it deserves every ounce of that praise.
Here’s how they compare to their colour and taste cranberry counterpart:
| (per 100g serving) | Cranberry | Lingonberry |
| Dietary fibre | 3.7 g | 4.6 g |
| Vitamin C | 11 mg | 13.4 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.05 mg | 0.02 mg |
| Niacin | 0.5 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.12 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Calcium | 20 mg | 8 mg |
| Iron | 0.4 mg | 0.24 mg |
| Magnesium | 9 mg | 6 mg |
Why not mix up your traditional berry cup with another wellness booster? Shop with us to get organic lingonberries whole or in powder form.
#1: Antioxidant Properties
Lingonberries are high in manganese, an element responsible for the antioxidant functions of your system.
A single 100-gram serving contains 139% of your recommended daily manganese intake. Your system gets more than enough to produce its most significant antioxidant enzymes.
The same single serving supplies 10% of daily vitamin E and 25% of vitamin C, which serve as inflammation-modulating agents in the body.
A further benefit stems from the plant compound anthocyanin, which makes the berry red and holds the potential for anti-oxidation.
A serving of lingonberries a day can reduce your chances of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, and age-related cell decay.
Expert Tip: Antioxidants don’t prevent diseases by themselves. Follow a wholesome diet and live a well-rounded lifestyle to keep your cells happy and healthy.
#2: Healthier Gut Microbe
Microbes in your digestive tract influence your overall health. What you eat plays a major role in what thrives in your belly. Promoting healthy microorganism life in the gut reduces your chances of developing chronic illness.
While much research is still underway, what we do know suggests that eating lingonberries could change your gut microbiota makeup to protect against low-grade inflammation.
Moreover, these berries help the body produce a particularly useful component of the gut lining, called A. muciniphila. A deficiency of this bacteria is associated with excessive adiposity and glucose intolerance.
Expert tip: One animal study of these benefits involved mice on high-fat diets. What was discovered was that if your diet contains plenty of fat, it could be useful to introduce antioxidants to shield yourself from metabolic changes that lead to chronic disease.
#3: Improved Heart Health
Lingonberries contain plenty of fibre and polyphenols, both of which do wonders for heart health. As such, they:
- Relax the arteries to support healthy blood flow
- Lower your triglyceride count (fat in your blood)
- Protect your heart from age damage
Research on animals showed that mice had lower levels of triglycerides after three months of a high-fat diet that included berries.
The high dietary fibre content in lingonberries helps cardiovascular health by controlling cholesterol levels.
Expert tip: Lingonberries, or any berries for that matter, are only the first step towards heart health. An overall wholesome diet is essential as well.
#4: Weight Management
Lingonberries are double trouble when it comes to weight loss and weight management.
For one, like any other berry, they’re low-calorie and high-density. Having them as a snack adds very little to your overall calorie count for the day.
What’s more, healthy gut bacteria lowers body fat when no other aspect of the diet changes. The shifts in your gut favour leanness.
Expert tip: Berries are a great snack, but they won’t leave you satiated for long. Combine them with a source of lean protein and fat, such as Greek yoghurt, for optimal nutritional value and satiety.
#5: Brain Function Boost
Lingonberries are iron and potassium powerhouses, boosting brain function and helping with mental well-being.
Regular doses of iron improve the red blood cell count in the body. In turn, you see an increased supply of oxygenated blood to the brain.
Potassium deficiency has been linked to mental health issues. Potassium deficiency can be solved easily with a daily intake of mineral-rich foods such as lingonberries.
Moreover, the high vitamin C amounts in wild lingonberries prevent oxidative damage to brain cells.
Test tube and animal studies show that berries can help prevent damage caused by stress, especially in regard to memory retention.
Expert tip: Healthy nutrition causes improved brain function. High-sugar diets, on the other hand, reduce it. Replace some sweet snacks with berries for optimal functioning of the mind and body.
#6: Metabolic Health Promotion
Lingonberries exhibit properties that support healthy blood sugar levels in the body.
The hypoglycemic properties of lingonberries promote the production of insulin, slowing down sugar absorption. In addition, their high amount of dietary fibre regulates blood sugar.
It gets better, too. The inflammation-reducing properties of lingonberries combat chronic inflammation.This means that a diet rich in these compounds can lower the risk of metabolic health issues down the line.
Expert tip: These berries have a low glycemic index. Consumption doesn’t cause a high blood sugar spike, making them an excellent snack for those who have metabolic health issues.
#7: Higher Immune Function
Your immune system requires proper support to combat pathogens and bacteria entering your body. Vitamin A and C are recognized for their ability to support immune function
A serving of lingonberries has 20% of your recommended daily vitamin C intake. Vitamin C boosts white blood cell production, essential for fending off foreign invaders.
Vitamin A goes by the name of ‘anti-pathogen vitamin’ for its assistance in repelling viral and bacterial pathogens.
Having a rich daily dose of both these vitamins makes you a healthier, stronger human.
Expert tip: ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ still applies. Get your fruits and veggies from varied sources to get enough of everything.
#8: Stable Oral Health
A serving of lingonberries prevents gum inflammation and chronic conditions
Gum disease occurs after chronic oral issues. It’s dangerous itself and plays into other diseases too, including metabolic health issues and cardiovascular issues.
Lingonberries have inflammation-modulating properties, and their microorganism-fighting activity helps combat the bacteria that cause gum diseases in the first place.
Moreover, a study on humans found that fermented lingonberry juice acts as effective oral health care at home. When used as a mouthwash, it balances out the microbial flora and reduces inflammation in the mouth.
Expert tip: Although it has many potential benefits for oral cavity health, lingonberry is still full of natural sugars that can harm your teeth and gums without regular oral care maintenance.
#9: Healthy Eyes
Lingonberries are rich in anthocyanins and resveratrol, which are both beneficial for vision.
Anthocyanins protect the retina. This eye layer is continually exposed to UV light from the sun and blue light emanating from the screens we use daily.
Excessive exposure to these light sources leads to the accumulation of free radicals and oxidative damage. Your eyes then become more vulnerable to age-related issues.
Eating foods rich in eye health-boosting elements will protect against vision problems, glaucoma, and chronic eye conditions.
Expert tip: Even without human studies to support these specific claims, we know that a diet rich in antioxidants is beneficial to your eyes. A serving of lingonberries can only do your eyes good in the long run.
A Natural Health Boost
Don’t forget, healthy nutrition is essential for a healthy life. Now that you’re aware of the long list of benefits of lingonberries, the only logical step is to give them a try.
The following quick and easy serving options are our favourites:
- Add them to your morning oatmeal
- Drop a handful onto your yoghurt or smoothie
- Sprinkle them in powder form over of a savoury meal for a taste boost
- Make muffins with powder or berries that your children and coworkers will love
- Thaw frozen berries and eat as snacks throughout the day
Thanks to our organic, accessible products, healthy eating has never been easier.
Try our Organic Wild Lingonberry Powder to experience the full scope of these gorgeous berries.
