The difference between cranberries and lingonberries. What is healthier than lingonberries or cranberries? Characteristics of the taste of berries

Any resident of the northern regions of our country knows these berries, which contain a storehouse of vitamins and nutrients. Cranberries and lingonberries are berries of the same family, widely used both in home preparations and in medicine.

Characteristics of berries

cranberries and lingonberries photo

Cranberries and lingonberries differ in taste and composition.

Cranberries have delicious sour fruits. Grows in swampy, mossy areas, river banks. It contains 3.4% acids and up to 6% sugar. Berries are picked in autumn and spring. The spring harvest tastes sweeter, but there is more vitamin C and nutrients in the autumn.

Lingonberry is a similar berry, but it is sweeter than cranberries and in no way inferior to it in terms of vitamin content. Acids in fruits contain less (2%), and sugar up to 8.7%. A shrub grows in coniferous and mixed forests, and fruits from a coniferous forest are tastier. This is a perennial plant that can grow and bear fruit for up to three hundred years. Cowberries ripen in August-September.

How to distinguish lingonberries from cranberries visually? Cranberries are larger in size, with a glossy surface. Lingonberries are smaller than cranberries, the fruit is more dense, slightly flattened.

Chemical composition

cranberries and lingonberries are rich in vitamin C

What is the difference between cranberries and lingonberries in terms of the content of nutrients

The chemical composition of cranberries is very rich: it is a real herbal pharmacy. The composition of the berries contains vitamins of group B, K, nicotinic acid. Especially a lot of vitamin C in them. From minerals there are iodine, iron, boron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, silver, manganese and other elements.

Lingonberries are in no way inferior to cranberries. It contains in its composition vitamins of group B, A, nicotinic acid, E, C. Berries are rich in micro and macro elements, such as manganese, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and iron. In addition, the fruits contain benzoic, tartaric, salicylic, ursolic and a number of other organic acids, pectin and tannins, catechins, mineral salts.

Beneficial features

tea with cranberries and lingonberries has an antipyretic effect

The beneficial properties of lingonberries and cranberries have been known since ancient times. They were used as wound healing agents, as medicines for coughs, headaches, and kidney stones. So, how useful are cranberries and lingonberries really?

Lingonberry has an effect:

• antiscorbutic thanks to great content vitamin C;
• antiviral and antipyretic, therefore it helps well with colds and flu;
• diuretic, prevents kidney stones, great for infections urinary tract;
• antioxidant, strengthens cell membranes and vessels;
• antirheumatic;
• antihypertensive, that is, reduces arterial pressure;
• choleretic and hepatoprotective, prevents the deposition of fat in the liver and helps to reduce cholesterol in the blood.
• antiviral, antipyretic;
• enhances the action of antibiotics;
• antimicrobial;
• has a diuretic effect, helps with urinary tract infections;
• lowers blood pressure;
• stimulates the secretory activity of the digestive organs;
• lowers blood cholesterol, promotes the synthesis of high-density lipoproteins (the so-called good cholesterol).
• With colds, flu, tonsillitis, cranberry and lingonberry juice helps well.
• With constipation, lingonberries have a laxative effect.
• For diseases of the stomach with low acidity berries stimulate the production gastric juice and enzymes.
• With cystitis and pyelonephritis, cranberries and lingonberries have antimicrobial action. Due to the diuretic property, infectious agents are quickly washed out of the body, and acids create an acidic reaction in the kidneys and bladder, which is unfavorable for the reproduction and development of microorganisms.
• In diabetes mellitus, doctors strongly recommend using a decoction of lingonberry leaves, fruit juice, fruit drinks. This significantly improves the quality of life of diabetic patients and is the prevention of complications.
• Cranberries and cranberries are very useful during pregnancy. Firstly, it is a large supply of vitamins for the mother and the unborn child. Secondly, pregnant women often suffer from inflammation of the urinary tract. The fact is that during pregnancy, the uterus squeezes the bladder and ureters, which prevents the full discharge of urine. As a result, stagnation occurs, and microbes begin to multiply actively. The antimicrobial and diuretic effects of berries have already been mentioned above.
• To prepare the ointment, mix 20 ml. freshly squeezed juice of berries with 40 gr. lanolin and 40 gr. vaseline. The ointment is stored in the refrigerator.
• freshly prepared gruel from berries is applied to the affected areas and left for 10-20 minutes, after which you can apply an ointment or cream.
• antihistamine, anti-inflammatory;
• wound healing, antiviral;
• hemostatic, diuretic;
• antipyretic, antimicrobial;
• anticancer, antiseptic;
• helps to increase immunity;
• lowers sugar levels.

These properties are useful in most diseases. It is important to know: how to take medicines correctly and how many days to drink a decoction or infusion from the leaves of a miraculous shrub.

Read! Find out how lingonberries differ from cranberries in our article -

A decoction for the kidneys

A decoction prepared on the basis of lingonberry leaves can be used as a diuretic. It helps with kidney stones.

To prepare a decoction, you need 1 tbsp. l. leaves of the plant pour 250 ml of boiling water in an enamel or glass bowl. Put the container with the contents on a slow fire and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Then you need to wait until the broth cools slightly and strain it. To make the volume of the drug again 250 ml, add boiling water to it. Store the resulting broth under the lid, no more than 48 hours in the refrigerator.

Take for kidney stones finished product after eating in half an hour, 1/3 cup.

Important! The same decoction recipe can be used to prevent kidney disease. In this case, the dosage is reduced to 1 dose per day, 50 ml warm.

Infusion of lingonberry leaves

The infusion will help with pyelonephritis. For its preparation, 10 g of leaves must be poured? cups of boiling water. Then let it brew for 2 hours and strain it. The resulting drug is taken four times a day before meals, 2 tbsp. l.

For arthritis

To cure arthritis, you need 100 g of leaves to pour 2.5 liters of boiling water. Let the infusion stand for 2 hours, and after the time has elapsed, add 250 ml of vodka. To complete, all contents are placed in a quarter of an hour of a water bath. The resulting tincture is taken three times a day for? glass half an hour before meals. The course of treatment is long, but effective. It will take six months to achieve the result.

leaf benefits for type 2 diabetes

The leaves of lingonberries themselves are able to lower the level of sugar. Plus, they have a positive effect on the pancreas, restoring damaged cells. Therefore, in diabetes mellitus, it is often used various recipes, which include the leaves of this plant.

To alleviate the course of diabetes, it is recommended to take a decoction of the leaves, 1 tbsp. l. three times a day.

For its preparation 1 tbsp. l. pre-dried and crushed raw materials are placed in 200 ml of boiling water, mixed thoroughly and put on medium heat. Let it boil for 20-30 minutes. Then strain and drink before eating for 10 minutes.

The value of lingonberry leaves for men

For each representative of the stronger sex, it is important to have good male health. Many men are concerned about the issue of potency. Some suffer from sexual impotence. Men cannot enjoy a full life, for this reason they become more irritable, insecure and fall into despair.

According to statistics, this disease gradually begins to manifest itself after 40 years. Its appearance is influenced by bad habits and the presence of diseases. One of these ailments is prostatitis, which affects most of male population. In addition, this disease has become chronic in many.

Fortunately, both traditional and traditional medicine are moving forward. Thanks to their development, today there are effective recipes for the treatment of many diseases.

With prostatitis

For the treatment of prostatitis, the most effective is an infusion of the leaves of the plant.

To start, 4 tsp. prepared raw materials are poured into 250 ml of boiling water, then put in a water bath for 15 minutes, allowed to brew until completely cooled and filtered. It is necessary to take the infusion daily 4 times a day, 50 ml each. To achieve maximum results, you can add St. John's wort (40 drops) or echinacea (25 drops) tincture to the medicinal extract.

Important! While taking medicines prepared from lingonberries, it is necessary to drink mineral alkaline water.

Benefits for children

Many parents are worried about urinary incontinence and their baby. Although this is normal. According to statistics, this disease is more typical for boys. Enuresis is called urinary incontinence in older children. three years. The older the child becomes, the more it occurs with this pathology. Therefore, it is important to treat enuresis in a timely manner, like many other diseases.

Enuresis remedy

I would like to immediately warn parents that the prescription should be used only after consulting a doctor. To prepare the medicine, it is necessary to mix the following components in equal proportions: lingonberry leaves, dill seed, chamomile inflorescences, thyme, St. John's wort, yarrow, shepherd's purse and arnica flowers. Then 1 tsp. vegetable mixture pour 250 ml of boiling water and let it brew for half an hour. After the time has elapsed, strain the infusion and take it throughout the day in small sips.

Cowberry leaves for babies with diathesis

With diathesis, the child is watered 3 times a day for? tsp decoction prepared on the basis of lingonberry leaves and other components. The course of treatment is recommended to take place in autumn and spring for 1.5 months. The rest of the decoction is useful to add to the baby when bathing in the water.

For cooking you need:

prepare a collection of dried and chopped leaves of lingonberries, plantain, St. John's wort and nettles (all ingredients are taken in equal proportions); 1 tsp mix pour 250 ml of boiling water; let it brew for 30 minutes and strain.

Important! Consult your doctor first! If the child does not have hypersensitivity to the constituent components, then this method will serve as the prevention of allergies.

Benefits for women

Lingonberry leaf is a real source of health and beauty for women. Its use will help during pregnancy and after it. And with its proper use, you can get rid of many female diseases. In addition, the leaves of this plant are widely used in cosmetology.

During pregnancy

If a future mommy will use lingonberry leaf in the form of a decoction or infusion, then she will be able to solve the problem with the stool, which often occurs during this period. Medicinal drinks are useful for pregnant women who have found diabetes. Taking lingonberry liquid will solve the problem with nephropathy and urinary tract. If the doctor does not identify contraindications for you, and explains how to brew a decoction during pregnancy, then this will help to avoid discomfort from swelling in the last months of pregnancy.

Decoction during pregnancy from edema:

1 tsp lingonberry leaves pour 250 ml of boiling water; put in a water bath for 5 minutes; take 2 times a day, 100 ml.

With lactation

When breastfeeding, the leaves of the plant will also bring many benefits. It is used to increase the amount of milk in the form of tea. But only after consultation with a specialist. Since the properties that a lingonberry leaf possesses are transmitted with mother's milk to the baby.

1. To make tea from lingonberry leaves, you need to grind the dry leaves of the plant into a powder.
2. Then take 1 tsp. raw materials and pour hot boiled water.
3. Warm the teapot with a blanket and leave for 40 minutes.
4. In the finished tea, you can add jam to taste.
5. Then 1 tbsp. l. the mixture is poured into 250 ml of boiling water and put in a water bath for a quarter of an hour. After that, the broth must be infused for 2 hours.
6. After the time has passed, it is filtered. The decoction is taken twice a day, 100 ml, adding to it by? tsp apple cider vinegar. The course of treatment is a month.
7. 2 tbsp. l. dry and crushed leaves pour 400 ml of boiling water;
8. the mixture is placed in a water bath for 15 minutes;
9. the infusion is removed from the fire and infused for 45 minutes;
10. then the drink is filtered and boiled water is added (to get 400 ml).
11. beriberi
12. anemia
13. metabolic disorders
14. weakened immune system
15. diabetes
16. high blood pressure
17. malaria
18. kidney disease
19. liver diseases
20. atherosclerosis
21. rheumatism
22. gynecological diseases
23. Cranberry, unlike lingonberries, grows on swampy soils, the berries themselves are large, dark red in color, their taste is sour, due to the record content of ascorbic acid. According to its composition, cranberries are rich in such vitamins and microelements as: B, C, there is a lot of iodine, iron, magnesium, potassium and other mineral compounds in it.
24. Cowberry, in turn, is much smaller and sweeter, but in terms of mineral and vitamin composition it is in no way inferior to cranberries. Berries taste not only sweeter, but also have a slightly flat appearance - this is their main distinguishing feature from cranberries. Lingonberry in its composition does not lag behind cranberries. It also contains a large amount of vitamins B, C, nicotinic acid. The composition contains phosphorus, potassium, iodine, mineral salts and tannins.

Modern trends in many areas of life are increasingly gravitating towards everything natural. Becoming fashionable healthy lifestyle life, play sports, healthy nutrition becomes especially relevant. Adherents of a healthy lifestyle try to use as much as possible less medication. In the season of colds, they are replaced by natural products saturated with vitamins.

Lingonberries and cranberries are a real storehouse of useful trace elements that can be collected throughout most of Russia, one has only to go into the forest. But it is important to remember that their composition is different, and if one berry helps with a certain ailment, then the other in the same situation can be harmful.

What is the difference?

Cranberries and lingonberries are forest dwellers, but they choose different places for growth. Cranberries prefer to grow on peatlands, acidic and swampy soil, and lingonberries love coniferous forests, where the earth is darkened, and even better - damp lowlands. It can be found in the tundra and in the Subarctic. No wonder it is called the northern berry. Cranberries can be found not only in the North, but also in the Volga region, Crimea and the Carpathians.

Characteristics

It is very difficult to confuse these two berries, since in appearance they are similar only in color, but differ in size, shape and the bush on which they grow. The size of lingonberries is much smaller than cranberries, it can also be distinguished by the fact that it grows on tassels located on thin stems. This is a herbaceous plant that does not reach a height of 30 centimeters. In winter, lingonberries sit firmly on the branches and serve as food for forest birds.

After frost, in spring, the berries acquire a special taste and aroma, during this period they contain the maximum concentration of vitamins and nutrients.

Lingonberries do not grow near large cities and industrial centers, as they prefer an ecologically clean area, so you have to leave the city for a decent distance to collect it.

Cranberries can be visually compared to a pomegranate, it looks like this southern fruit, only in miniature. Unlike cranberries, herbaceous plant, it grows on a shrub, which, due to climatic conditions, spreads along the ground. She gains color in late spring - early summer (depending on the latitude of growth). Cranberry buds are very beautiful and resemble pink bells.

The fruits begin to ripen by mid-autumn. The ripe berry has a rich red color and a tart aroma. Each bush is literally strewn with berries - you can collect several liters of fruits from one plant. Cranberries are spread by birds that eat them, but do not digest the seeds, and they naturally leave their bodies.

Compound

Both cranberries and lingonberries have a very rich composition; in terms of the content of vitamins and microelements, they can give odds to many recognized medicines. For example, cranberries have more vitamin C than lemons, and more vitamin K than cabbages. Cranberries are also rich in B and PP vitamins. Of the acids, it contains oleic, quinic, citric oxalic and some others, but in smaller quantities. Among the trace elements in the composition, iron, copper, manganese, chromium, zinc, and aluminum can be found.

Lingonberries hold the record for magnesium content. It is often recommended to pregnant women with late preeclampsia and the development of edema, since the berry has a pronounced diuretic effect. Lingonberries are also rich in other microelements - potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and iron can be found in its composition. It also contains vitamins A, B2, C, E.

Beneficial features

It is noteworthy that lingonberries in medicinal purposes all parts of the plant are used, while cranberries have only fruits. Thus, the leaves and shoots of lingonberries have a pronounced diuretic and antiseptic effect. Their infusion is used during epidemics as prophylactic, and in case of viral and bacterial infections - as a means of maintaining immunity.

When taken regularly, this infusion has a therapeutic effect in diseases of the joints, gout and arthritis. This property is due to the ability of such tea to remove toxins and salts of heavy metals from the body.

For kidney disease and urolithiasis it is useful to eat fresh cranberries. They contain tannins that help support kidney function by helping to break down stones and remove sand from them. Also, berries in fresh or soaked form have an antiseptic effect in inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system, help relieve inflammation and fight pathogens, prevent their spread and act as a natural antibiotic.

Inflammatory diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract are also an indication for the appointment of lingonberries as an aid in drug therapy. Bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis and pharyngitis - this healing berry will help to cope with all this.

Cranberry is wonderful natural medicine for hypertensive patients. Thanks to the contained trace elements, it is able to influence the level of cholesterol in the blood and strengthen the walls of blood vessels. In addition, it is able to increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood, as it contains enough iron, which is absorbed almost completely due to its unique composition.

A set of vitamins of this berry has an immunostimulating and supporting effect on the body during the period of infectious diseases. With SARS and influenza, it is recommended to eat a handful of cranberries daily to prevent beriberi.

It is best to consume this berry in fresh, so it retains the maximum amount of useful substances.

A large amount of fiber in the composition has a positive effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, in particular, on intestinal motility. With constipation, the regular use of this berry in food can normalize the stool and facilitate the passage of gases during bloating. Also, cranberries can speed up metabolism and accelerate the burning of carbohydrates, thereby contributing to faster weight loss. In terms of usefulness in weight loss, the berry gives odds to many popular dietary supplements that are so actively advertised.

Contraindications

So, lingonberries and medicines based on this plant should not be taken if there are diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Increased content acids in it can provide Negative influence on the level of stomach acidity and provoke an exacerbation chronic diseases or such unpleasant phenomenon like heartburn.

Moreover, it should be noted that this does not apply to cranberries, since, on the contrary, it positively affects the functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract (with the exception of ulcers).

Also, only on the recommendation of a doctor, lingonberries should be consumed by people suffering from kidney diseases, because the increased separation of urine that this berry provokes can not only benefit, but also harm in certain situations. Arterial hypertension is a contraindication for the use of lingonberry infusions and fruit drinks, as it can provoke a sharp decrease in blood pressure and a hypotensive crisis or, in severe cases, fainting.

When buying a ready-made collection of lingonberry berries in a pharmacy, you should definitely check for a mark on the package stating that the raw materials have been tested for radiation and are not harmful. This is due to the fact that this part of the plant tends to accumulate radium, which remains in it even after harvesting and drying. It goes without saying that the regular use of such drugs will only harm the body.

Cranberries also have a number of contraindications for taking. The main ones are stomach ulcers and duodenum. It is connected with increased activity some components contained in the composition of the berry, which can cause an exacerbation of these diseases. Also, do not use cranberries during exacerbations of gastritis and oral ulcers.

An increased content of vitamin C in the body can adversely affect dental health, since an excess of this substance contributes to the destruction of enamel. Because of this, it is necessary to control the amount of berries eaten and, at the first signs of caries or increased sensitivity of the teeth, stop using it.

You should be very careful when taking cranberry-based medicines while breastfeeding. You should start introducing it into the diet of a nursing mother no earlier than 4 months after childbirth and from one berry, gradually increasing the dose and observing the reaction of the crumbs to mother's milk after introducing the berry into her diet.

Such caution is due to the fact that some substances contained in cranberries penetrate into breast milk and can cause strong allergic reaction at the baby.

Berry treatment

When treating with berries, it is important not to engage in amateur activities. You should start taking them only on the advice of a doctor, since both lingonberries and cranberries have a number of contraindications. The doctor will assess your condition and, if necessary, prescribe optimal dose and the form of their reception.

It is worth noting that the berries can be taken not only fresh, but also as teas, infusions, jams. For medicinal purposes, not only fruits are used, but also leaves, shoots and even roots of plants. During treatment, it is important to properly process medicinal raw materials in order to preserve as many useful substances as possible in it.

For example, when preparing tea, you should not brew the leaves with boiling water. It is necessary to let the liquid cool down to 80 degrees, and only then pour the raw materials. This will keep the maximum amount of vitamins in the drink.

The same goes for jam. For example, if cranberries are not boiled, but simply ground with sugar in a 1: 1 ratio, then such a mixture will not only stand for at least a year in a dark place in a sterilized dish, but there will also be a lot of vitamins in it. Such a “jam” will be a very valuable product on the table in early spring, when there is a deficiency of vitamins in the body.

How to prepare cranberries with sugar for the winter, see the next video.

Cranberries and lingonberries are very similar red berries. Both of them have a truly miraculous effect on the human body, because they contain a large amount of vitamins. Their usefulness is expressed in the ability to resist many diseases, especially viral ones. But, despite the strong similarity between the berries, there are also differences between cranberries and lingonberries. Let's consider them in more detail.

Names of berries

Cranberry is a shrub whose branches spread along the ground, it looks like a beautiful rug covered with berries and leaves. At the same time, the favorite place of this berry is a swamp. From what the name of the plant came from, people think differently: some say that the word is from the word klyuchina, that is, a swamp; others - from a characteristic sound during squeezing cranberry juice. At this time, a "knock" sound is heard. In addition, in translation from the languages ​​​​of other countries, the berry has completely unexpected names. For example, in Latin, ohusossos means “sour ball”, and Europeans called cranberry cranberry, which means “crane-of-the-year” in Russian. The name was given because the flowers are very similar to the head of a crane. In England, cranberries are called "bear mountain" (bearberries), this name was given to the plant because it is very fond of bears.

The lingonberry bush also spreads along the ground and bears fruit with red sour berries. Its leaves are constantly green, and the berries, after ripening, easily fall off the branches and fall. It is thanks to this feature that the berry was named after the Old Slavonic verb "brusiti", which means to stroke, sharpen. Lingonberry in Latin sounds like viccinium vitis-idaea, which means "vine from Mount Ida."

lingonberry bush

Taste qualities

Cranberry is most often found in the northern part of Russia, less often in the middle regions. This plant is not at all afraid of the cold, while after the first frost it acquires a sweetish taste. The berries of this shrub are perfectly stored in water or frozen. sour berry because it contains 3.4% acids, but at the same time no less sugars - 6%.

If cranberries are harvested not in the autumn, but in the spring, after they overwinter on the bush, then the berry becomes sweeter, while the content of ascorbic acid in it will decrease, but the harvest in this case will be full.

The peculiarity of cranberries is that it perfectly quenches thirst. Therefore, fruit drinks for children are most often prepared from it. Cranberry juice is also given to sick people, because it is rich in vitamins, which is necessary for diseases. In addition, cranberries are suitable for vegetable preparations for the winter. First of all, it is added to sauerkraut. Thanks to this, the cabbage gets an additional taste and aroma. Soaked cranberries are especially popular with Russians. It is added as a condiment to meat dishes. Cranberry jelly is also popular.

A favorite place for lingonberries is the tundra.

In order for her to feel good, she needs the neighborhood with coniferous trees. At the same time, the shrub is able to grow and bear fruit in one place for up to three hundred years. Berries can be stored for a long time. And this is very important factor in the conditions of long Russian winters. The taste of the berry is slightly sweeter than cranberries, since it contains only 2% acids, but much more sugars - 8.7%.

Cowberry berries are also used during the harvesting of vegetables for the winter. She's great for sauerkraut, gives it a special aroma and taste. Soaked lingonberries are an excellent seasoning for poultry and meat dishes. They come out of it delicious drinks, as well as filling for pies. Jam from these berries is especially tasty and fragrant. You can add apples to them.

cranberry bush

External differences between cranberries and lingonberries

Cranberries, like lingonberries, belong to the Heather family and have evergreen shrubs. But the difference between cranberries and lingonberries is observed in the way the shrubs themselves grow. Despite the fact that lingonberries are also creeping plants, their branches still grow upwards by about twenty-five centimeters. There are times when a plant grows on a rotten stump, then its height reaches up to a meter. At this time, cranberry branches spread along the ground in a length of 15 to 30 centimeters.

Cowberry bushes like drier soil, while cranberries, on the contrary, prefer swampy areas.

Which of the bushes grows in front of you can be determined by the flowers. The flowering period of cranberries falls in May and lasts until mid-July. But it will be possible to try the first berries only in September. Lingonberries bloom during May and June, but the first fruits ripen in August.

The fruits of these shrubs can also be distinguished by taste. The taste of cranberries is very sour with bitterness, while lingonberries have a sweet and sour taste. Externally, the berries also have differences. Cranberries have large fruits with tender juicy pulp, which release juice when pressed. Lingonberries are slightly darker in color than cranberries, their size is much smaller, and the pulp is much denser. The juice is more difficult to squeeze out. Also, while cranberries are round, lingonberries are slightly flattened.

Cranberries and lingonberries

There is a difference between shrubs. They can be distinguished by the size of the sheets. The leaves of the cranberry bush are small in size, no more than one and a half centimeters long, up to half a centimeter wide. At the same time, the lingonberry leaf reaches up to two or even three centimeters in length and up to one and a half centimeters in width. The leaves of both shrubs are similar in shape, which proves their relationship.

Chemical composition

Berries can be distinguished by the content of nutrients. But this is already done in the laboratory.

According to the chemical composition, cranberries are rich in:

• vitamins of groups B, K, C;
• nicotinic acid;
• folic acid;
• iron;
• magnesium;
• potassium;
• calcium;
• silver;
• phosphorus;
• manganese.

If we consider the chemical composition of lingonberries, then it is no less rich in useful trace elements. There is:

• Vitamins of groups B, A, E, C;
• A nicotinic acid;
• Wine acid;
• Benzoic acid;
• Ursolic acid;
• Salicylic acid.

In addition, lingonberries contain a number of useful trace elements, mineral salts, pectins and tannins necessary for the body.

Regardless of the fact that the chemical composition of some berries is significantly different from others, it is impossible to judge that one of them is less useful, since both are useful and widely used in medicine.

Cranberries and lingonberries have their own beneficial properties

Berries are great for diet food, because with the help of the acids contained in them, fat is burned.

Useful plants: cranberries and lingonberries

These plants are strong natural antiseptics and antibiotics. Both cranberries and lingonberries have properties to relieve fever, treat inflammation, and help fight viruses. Tea from these plants is used for colds, severe coughs, is very useful for headaches, helps to get rid of kidney stones.

By grinding these berries into a pulp, you can treat wounds, even if they become inflamed and festering begins.

Cranberries can be treated:

• Infections in the urinary system;
• hypertension;
• Problems with the stomach and intestines;
• Cholesterol in the blood returns to normal, which improves the condition of a person with diabetes varying degrees difficulties.

Lingonberries have always been used to treat scurvy in northern regions Russia.

It is also effective in diseases such as:

• Bronchitis;
• Angina.

In addition, lingonberries are useful in diseases of the urinary tract and act as a diuretic. Helps with rheumatism, improves liver function, acting as cholagogue. With the help of lingonberries, kidney function improves. Among other things, lingonberry juice is consumed during hangover syndrome. In order to remove alcohol from the body, it will be enough to eat only two tablespoons of fresh or soaked berries.

Lingonberries are a good cure for scurvy

For women who are preparing to become a mother, both berries bring great benefit. However, their differences in this case are completely irrelevant. By consuming both types of berries, a woman and future child receive a huge supply of essential trace elements. The body is fully controlled urinary system, as well as the level of pathogenic organisms.

Contraindications

Despite such big list positive qualities cranberries and lingonberries, they have contraindications. First of all, they should never be eaten by people who have low blood pressure. They cannot be accepted by people with peptic ulcer or pathologies of the liver and duodenum.

In addition, lingonberries have the ability to absorb radioactive particles. Therefore, in no case should you pick those berries that grow near roads, in cemeteries, near factories and factories. Buy berries also need to be careful. It is best to contact familiar and well-tested people.

Despite the differences between the two berries of the Heather family: cranberries and lingonberries, eating them provides a large number of benefits for the body. But at the same time, there are some contraindications in which it is necessary to consult with doctors. Thus, it is possible to install correct dosage and method of conducting therapy.

Red wild berries are very similar when you consider them packaged on store shelves. The differences between lingonberries and cranberries become apparent after careful consideration of their characteristics and favorite habitats. Whoever once collected red fruits on their own will not confuse two berries. Each has external features, differences in taste and useful properties.

Origin of names

The Russian name for cranberry has been traced back to the 10th century. Linguists suggest its onomatopoeic origin. When crushed, the fruits burst with a characteristic sound, from which a word could appear. Unlike the Russian Latin name has a more descriptive translation and comes from two Greek words - "ball" and "sour".

On the American continent, the cranberry was given the name "crane berry" for the shape of the flower on a stem, resembling a long-necked bird. Another common name is bearberry", has English roots.

Cowberry - Russian name the second of the cultures also baffles philologists. It is believed that it is formed from the old Russian word "brusn" - red, but the exact origin is unknown. But folk names- borovka, boron berry - unlike the generally accepted one, they accurately describe the favorite habitats of the plant. From Latin, the translation of the species name of lingonberry (viccinium vitis-idaea) sounds more romantic - "vine from Mount Ida."

How to distinguish cranberries from lingonberries

Both plants belong to the heather family and are short, creeping shrubs, rarely reaching a height of 30 cm. Cranberry and lingonberry leaves do not fall in winter, have a hard, glossy surface. Nevertheless, the difference between cultures can be traced in many factors, one of them is the habitat.

Cowberry or Borovka, as the name implies, prefers forests. The berry grows better in the penumbra of coniferous thickets, but is found everywhere in deciduous and mixed forests. Lingonberry survives well from the tundra to mountainous areas, gravitates more towards the north.

The difference between cranberries is that they love water, preferring flooded places with acidic, moist soil. It grows well in swamps, forming placers of bright, red beads. Cranberries are found in wet mosses throughout northern hemisphere, the Russian range is extended to the Arctic Ocean. Unlike lingonberries, the marsh beauty tolerates the warm European climate well. Wild cranberries can be found all the way to the Black Sea coast.

Differences between cranberries and lingonberries:

1. Fruit size. Cranberries are much larger, the diameter of wild berries reaches 12 mm, cultivated varieties - up to 20 mm. Cowberry, unlike it, grows up to 0.8 cm.
2. The shape of the fruit in both cultures is spherical. The cranberry resembles a very small pomegranate, and the tip of the lingonberry is slightly pressed inward.
3. Taste. Cranberries are less sweet, contain up to 4% acids, in lingonberries they are no more than 2%. Sugars 6 and 12%, respectively.
4. Bush appearance. Lingonberry is a low, creeping, but well-distinguished bush. Cranberries prefer to grow in the thick of the moss. Often only visible on the surface bright fruits and tips of young shoots.

The external differences between cranberries and lingonberries are clearly visible in the photo. Taste values ​​should be compared on personal experience. The rich chemical composition of related plants has significant differences.

Vitamin composition

Lingonberries and cranberries can be safely attributed to the unique vitamin complexes created by nature. According to the content of valuable nutrients and vitamins, wild berries are superior to any pharmaceutical preparations.

The main valuable substances of cranberries:

• vitamin C - more than citrus fruits;
• vitamin K - more than in cabbage;
• a full range of B vitamins;
• nicotinic acid (PP);
• organic acids, the most valuable: ursolic and citric;
• almost all trace elements necessary for the body, including iron, copper, chromium, zinc.

With an equally wide range of useful substances, lingonberries have several differences in the composition of elements and their quantity.

There are especially a lot of such useful compounds in the boron berry:

• magnesium, which is rare in such a concentration;
• calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus;
• the whole complex of "beauty" vitamins: A, C, E, riboflavin;
• organic acids, the most valuable of which are benzoic, citric, malic;
• pectins, tannins.

What is healthier: cranberries or lingonberries

The health benefits of wild berries harvested where there are no chemical contaminants are undeniable. The presence of rare and potent substances allows you to use lingonberries and cranberries to correct many painful conditions.

The unique concentration of vitamins allows the use of both plants for the prevention and treatment of beriberi. The high iron content helps increase hemoglobin. The most valuable remedy will be a lingonberry-cranberry cocktail, as a combination of the healing properties of cultures.

Lingonberries are a berry similar to cranberries, but their chemical composition is not identical. The existing differences affect the scope of the fruit.

Medicinal properties of cranberries:

1. Decreased blood pressure in hypertension.
2. Strengthening the walls of blood vessels, reducing cholesterol deposits.
3. Immunostimulating, restorative effect during infections, during periods of recovery after illness.
4. Normalization of the digestive tract with swelling, constipation, diseases with reduced acidity.
5. Acceleration of metabolism, activation of the breakdown of carbohydrates, which contributes to weight loss.

Unlike cranberries, lingonberries are used in folk medicine entirely. Medicinal properties have berries, shoots, leaves. Lingonberry is popularly called the "heart" grass. Due to the high concentration of magnesium, the plant is able to support the work of the heart muscle.

The use of cranberries for healing the body:

1. During influenza epidemics, taking decoctions, juices and teas from lingonberries is an effective prevention.
2. For lifting defensive forces The plant is indicated for viral and bacterial infections.
3. In the treatment of inflammation of the genitourinary system, stone formation, chronic cystitis, pyelonephritis is used as an addition to the main therapy in consultation with the doctor.
4. Helps in the treatment of sinusitis, pharyngitis, inflammation of the bronchi, lungs.
5. Recommended for diseases of the joints, arthritis, gout.

It is impossible to accurately assess what is more useful, cranberries or lingonberries, because they can be used for completely different problems in the body. In the treatment of folk remedies, the differences between plants are especially noticeable. But for the prevention or general support of a weakened body, both lingonberries and cranberries are applicable.

Contraindications

Important! Forest wild fruits of strawberries, cranberries, lingonberries, blueberries have a huge nutritional value, but there are significant differences between them in terms of their ability to influence the functions of the body.

Cranberries and lingonberries belong to the category of potent plants. Their use in health disorders should be considered. The difference between the berries exists in contraindications. You should know about the medicinal properties and limitations in advance.

Do not use lingonberries for such violations:

• low blood pressure;
• diseases of the stomach or intestines (unlike cranberries);
• in case of impaired renal function, a doctor's consultation is required.

The main contraindication to cranberry treatment is ulcerative lesion stomach or duodenum. The plant has a positive effect on other disorders in the gastrointestinal tract.

Cranberries are contraindicated in the following conditions:

• active progression of caries, ulcers in the oral cavity, sensitivity of tooth enamel;
• breastfeeding in the first 4 months after childbirth (due to possible allergies in an infant);
• gastritis in the acute stage.

Advice! When buying pharmacy lingonberry or cranberry preparations, you should make sure that there is a mark on the test for radiation. Unlike other raw materials, lingonberries are capable of accumulating radium.

Conclusion

Berries are a valuable natural product for healthy eating, they are all saturated with useful substances, but the differences between lingonberries and cranberries, which are invisible at first glance, are significant for health problems. To make the right choice, you should not only study both plants well, but also consult with your doctor.

Both cranberries and lingonberries have many useful properties that have long been used not only in cooking, cosmetology, but also in folk and even official medicine. Therefore, there is no unambiguous answer to the question which of these berries is more useful, and cannot be. Both lingonberries and cranberries are needed, important, useful, but they are used in different ways. It all depends on what problem needs to be solved in this moment.

Cranberry

Cranberries are a unique berry, because no other type of forest berries can compare with it in terms of the amount of vitamin C. There is no less ascorbic acid in cranberries than in lemons, so it has been used by people from time immemorial as an effective therapeutic and prophylactic remedy against colds diseases, seasonal beriberi, scurvy.

In addition to vitamin C, cranberries contain all the vitamins of group B, PP, K1, glucose, and other elements important for maintaining health. There are many useful minerals and natural trace elements in this northern berry, for example, ...

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The difference between lingonberries and cranberries and their beneficial properties

Any resident of the northern regions of our country knows these berries, which contain a storehouse of vitamins and nutrients. Cranberries and lingonberries are berries of the same family, widely used both in home preparations and in medicine.

Characteristics of berries

cranberries and lingonberries photo

Lingonberry is a similar berry, but it is sweeter than cranberries and in no way inferior to it in terms of vitamin content. Acids in fruits contain less (2%), and sugar up to 8.7%. A shrub grows in coniferous and mixed forests, and fruits from a coniferous forest are tastier. It is a perennial plant that...

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Cranberries and lingonberries are evergreen small shrubs that are common in our country. The berries of these plants are filled with useful vitamins that are necessary human body. Several centuries ago, these unique plants began to be grown on large plantations. Under such conditions, they give more yield, about 20, and sometimes 30 times. Thanks to this cultivation, berries have become widely used in medicine, cosmetology, and also in cooking. These berries are very similar to each other, however, they are different. In this article, cranberries and lingonberries will be considered in detail, their differences, and the photos will clearly show the diversity of these plants.

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Any resident of the northern regions of our country knows these berries, which contain a storehouse of vitamins and nutrients. Cranberries and lingonberries are berries of the same family, widely used both in home preparations and in medicine.

Characteristics of berries

Chemical composition

Beneficial features

Medicinal properties

Contraindications

Berry storage

Outdoor use

Characteristics of berries

Cranberries and lingonberries differ in taste and composition.

Cranberries have delicious sour fruits. Grows in swampy, mossy areas, river banks. It contains 3.4% acids and up to 6% sugar. Berries are picked in autumn and spring. The spring harvest tastes sweeter, but there is more vitamin C and nutrients in the autumn.

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Useful properties of cranberries and lingonberries

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Titles

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Useful properties of cranberries

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Useful berries for colds and flu

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Cowberry

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Cranberry calories

Cranberries are low calorie foods. In some sources, the calorie content of cranberries per hundred grams of weight is measured as twenty-six kilocalories, in others - twenty-eight.

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If you pay attention to how much and what is contained in one hundred grams of cranberries, then we get the following result. Water is present neither more nor less, but as much as ninety grams. Fiber is represented by two grams of the substance, ash - 0.3 grams. Mono- and disaccharides were found in the amount of 3.6 grams, fats - 1.36 grams, carbohydrates - 6.5 grams, and proteins - 0.07 grams.

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It would be a mistake to unequivocally state that one of the two berries - cranberries or lingonberries - is definitely more useful than the other. At a minimum, the fruits of these plants have a very similar composition, differing only in the concentrations of individual substances. This means that their effect on the body when taken orally is very similar, if not identical.

In the photo below on the left -, on the right - cranberries:

However, in general, lingonberries are used in folk and official medicine more often and more extensively than cranberries, due to the fact that not only and not so much berries as leaves are used for medicinal purposes. It is lingonberry leaves that have diuretic and disinfectant properties, which are widely used in the complex therapy of cystitis, kidney and urinary tract diseases. Cranberry leaves are practically not used in medicine, which affects its popularity as a folk remedy.

Nevertheless, if a person wants to find out which of these plants is more useful, then in most cases he means precisely the fruits. Usually such a question arises in the markets or in the store, when the buyer chooses between two berries, or when planning their purchase and subsequent harvesting. Therefore, first of all, it is useful to compare the properties of the fruits of these plants, and then find out which one is better.

Differences in the composition and benefits of cranberries and lingonberries

Berries and cranberries, and lingonberries have a very similar composition, due to which they are quite similar to each other in taste and exhibit similar properties when consumed.

Cranberries are well recognizable due to the heterogeneity of color and size of the fruit.

In particular, both berries contain:

1. A large number of natural acids - malic, citric, quinic, ursolic, and others. These acids provide a pronounced very sour taste of fruits, as well as undesirable irritation of the digestive tract in patients with various diseases of the stomach and intestines, caused precisely by an increase in acidity. On the other hand, the same high concentration of acids can be useful, for example, in patients with low acidity of gastric juice. It is also actively used in cooking - due to a large number acids, the fruits do not deteriorate for a long time and can be stored almost all winter, are easily fermented and can be used for fermenting other products. In particular, cranberries can be stored in barrels filled with water from picking in September until spring;
2. Glycoside vaccinin is one of the most significant components for medical use berries. It has an irritating effect on the kidney parenchyma, stimulates urination and provides a pronounced diuretic effect. He also shows antiseptic properties and partially destroys the pathogenic microflora in the urinary tract, enhancing the effect of antibiotics;
3. Pectins and natural bitters that have an astringent effect. There are more of them in the fruits of cranberries, due to which they have an appropriate bitter-sour taste. Cowberry is not so bitter and its taste can be described more like sweet and sour. These bitternesses astringent action on the digestive tract and can influence the process of digestion itself, both fixing the intestines and normalizing the condition in various disorders;
4. Vitamins and biologically active substances- ascorbic acid, B vitamins, bioflavonoids. Moreover, there is more vitamin C in cranberries, due to which it is considered an effective alternative to oranges and lemons as an antiscorbutic agent. Also, due to the set of vitamins, the fruits of cranberries and lingonberries are widely used for the prevention and treatment of hypovitaminosis - in this case, their benefits are not inferior to those of various pharmaceutical multivitamin complexes;
5. Several types of antioxidants that provide protection against the action of free radicals;
6. A large number of mineral components, including iodine, magnesium, zinc, cobalt and others.

Due to these properties, berries and cranberries, and lingonberries are often eaten both simply as a delicacy and as a means for the prevention of hypovitaminosis. In folk medicine, they are equally prescribed in the complex therapy of cystitis and urinary tract diseases in addition to the main drug treatment.

Lingonberry jam - it tastes sweeter and more pleasant than cranberry jam.

Consequently, the fruits of both cranberries and lingonberries are approximately equally useful and are used for the same purposes. However, due to a more pleasant taste, lingonberries are used a little more often - both fresh and in the form of various juices and fruit drinks, they drink them with great pleasure and, if they have a choice, they prefer lingonberries, especially if they are supposed to be used for children. Therefore, they are usually sold at slightly higher prices.

On a note

It is impossible to compare lingonberries and cranberries with other berries, for example, blueberries, raspberries or sea buckthorn, since the properties of these fruits are already completely different, and they show therapeutic activity in diseases in which lingonberries and cranberries are not even used. Therefore, if we are talking about a particular case, you can choose what will be more valuable with him - lingonberries, for example, or raspberries. In general, it is incorrect to say that any of these berries is healthier and better.

Properties of lingonberry leaves

In lingonberries, in addition to berries, leaves are widely used in folk medicine. They contain up to 8% arbutin, known for its diuretic effect and antiseptic effect on the urinary tract - this is a large amount, due to which leaf-based preparations - decoctions, teas and infusions - have a significantly more pronounced effect, how various means from fruits. Such leaf-based preparations are used for cystitis, some kidney diseases, inflammation of the urinary tract, specifically to stimulate urination and enhance the effect of the use of antibiotics.

Dried, but not crushed lingonberry leaf.

Cranberry leaves also contain arbutin, but in much lower concentrations, and therefore they are practically not used in medicine.

In this use of lingonberry leaves lies its main advantage over cranberries: if the therapeutic effect of both berries is approximately the same, then the effect that lingonberry leaf preparations have is much more pronounced than the effect of eating berries. Therefore, for cystitis and diseases of the urinary tract, it is lingonberry leaves that are used as a means of traditional medicine. The fruits are used more for preventive purposes, and there is no significant difference in this respect between lingonberries and cranberries.

Which berry has a more pronounced diuretic effect?

In terms of their diuretic properties, lingonberries and cranberries are almost the same, regardless of which drug to use. The content of arbutin specifically in the fruits of these plants is approximately similar, and therefore they have the same diuretic effect.

There is an opinion that lingonberries "diuretic" is stronger than cranberries, since it is more often used for cystitis. Like, since it is prescribed more often, it means that its diuretic properties are more pronounced. This, however, is not true: lingonberries are more often prescribed for cystitis in the form of preparations of its leaves, which are indeed a more powerful diuretic than berries. The fruits themselves of these plants have practically no differences in the severity of the diuretic effect.

Traditional diuretic and antiseptic- namely lingonberry leaf.

At the same time, it is cranberries that are described in the WHO materials as a studied remedy. This can be explained by the fact that cranberries are grown much more actively than lingonberries for harvesting berries - its huge plantations in the USA and Europe are widely known.

Partly due to the diuretic effect, partly for the ability to fasten the intestines, cranberries and lingonberries are used for poisoning. Their benefits in these cases are the same, since the diuretic effect and the rate of excretion of toxins in the urine when they are used are identical.

The same is true in the treatment of edema: both berries are equally effective in stimulating the excretion of fluid from the body and reducing the severity of edema manifestations.

On a note

It is also popularly believed that, due to the diuretic effect, lingonberries and cranberries can treat gout. Say, when they are used with urine, salts are excreted, the deposition of which causes this disease and provokes its attacks. In reality, such an action has not been confirmed and proven, and therefore to argue which of the berries healing properties when it is expressed more, meaningless.

What is more useful for colds and respiratory diseases?

In spite of wide application cranberries and lingonberries in folk medicine for the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections and acute rhinitis (colds), there is no convincing evidence that any use of the fruits of these plants, and the same lingonberry leaf, can provide a pronounced therapeutic effect. None of these remedies can affect the cause of a viral disease and is not capable of destroying bacterial infection developing in the tissues of the mucous membrane of the nasal passages.

The berries themselves and drinks from them can be used as sources of vitamins for the patient and to quench thirst during fever. But in this respect, both the fruits of cranberries and lingonberries are almost equally effective and there are no differences between them, as between sources of vitamins.

The video below shows how to properly prepare such a vitamin drink:

Also, there is an opinion among the people about the benefits of lingonberry and cranberry drinks to reduce the temperature of the patient. In reality, this effect of these drugs is very weakly expressed, since they are not able to affect the causes of temperature, they do not have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, and they affect the temperature only due to the fact that they provoke the removal of a large amount of fluid from the body and are themselves a source of such fluid. As a result, if you drink pharmaceutical antipyretics, and additionally drink drinks based on lingonberries or cranberries, the effect of antipyretics will be more pronounced, the temperature will decrease to a greater extent and for a longer period.

By themselves, neither cranberries or lingonberries, nor lingonberry leaves reduce the temperature. It is impossible to say that these funds somehow quickly or for a long time “knock down” the temperature.

Therefore, it makes no sense to use them as powerful and effective antipyretics, and in addition to traditional drugs based on ibuprofen and paracetamol, they can be used with equal effectiveness. It doesn't matter if the patient drinks lingonberry or cranberry juice after taking an antipyretic - the effect in both cases will be the same.

Finally, for the treatment of cough, both lingonberries and cranberries are equally of little use. They do not have any pronounced effects, do not increase the productivity of the cough and do not help cleanse the lungs. In fact, the berries of these plants do not help with diseases of the lower respiratory tract. Therefore, it does not matter here what specific means the patient decides to use - they will not act on a cough in the same way.

Other diseases and comparison of lingonberries and cranberries with them

In many other diseases, lingonberries and cranberries also exhibit the same properties and are quite interchangeable.

For example, in diseases of the kidneys, both berries have a similar diuretic effect and can be both useful (for example, in pyelonephritis) and strictly contraindicated. For example, in the presence of kidney stones, the diuretic effect of the fetus can lead to the movement of these stones, blockage of the ureters and the development of obstruction with a strong deterioration in the patient's condition. The action of both cranberry and lingonberry berries in these cases is identical.

Cranberry juice is contraindicated in chronic glomerulonephritis and uric acid kidney stones.

In case of any kidney disease, preparations based on lingonberry leaves have a much more pronounced effect than various drinks and dishes made from berries - it does not matter, lingonberries or cranberries.

Which berry is the tastiest?

In general, it is believed that lingonberries are tastier than cranberries, although a lot here depends on individual preferences. Cranberry is bitter, and therefore, in itself, as a delicacy, it is used less often than sweeter lingonberries. Drinks, jams and jams based on cranberries are more specific than their lingonberry counterparts and not everyone likes it.

Traditionally lingonberry and lingonberry jams are considered more delicacies than cranberry jams.

At the same time, when added to various pickles, fermented products, it is cranberries that give them a peculiar piquant taste. In this regard, lingonberries are good on their own, but rarely complement the taste of other products. Therefore, cabbage is often fermented with cranberries, added to the marinade, and lingonberries are used to make jams, preserves, and fillings in pies.

In general, lingonberries are used in cooking about as widely as cranberries.

How safe are these plants: contraindications and possible side effects

Given the similarity of properties, both cranberries and lingonberries are equally safe. The berries themselves are not recommended for use in case of stomach diseases associated with high acidity, they are also prohibited in cases of allergies, kidney stones and exacerbations of certain chronic kidney diseases. In all other cases, both lingonberries and cranberries can be eaten, and they are also allowed for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.

Preparations based on lingonberry leaf have much more contraindications - they cannot be taken during pregnancy and lactation, they are not recommended for children under 12 years of age. This is due precisely to the strength of the action of such drugs: they can cause poisoning with hydroquinone (an arbutin derivative) and have an undesirable effect on the fetus.

Can do general conclusion: medicinal and simply useful properties of cranberries and lingonberries are almost identical, and minor differences between them are insignificant. That is, in terms of their usefulness for the human body, these berries are no different. Therefore, in the treatment and prevention of certain diseases, it does not matter which of these berries to choose - the effects of their use will be the same. The lingonberry leaf is much more useful as a medicine than the fruits of both lingonberries and cranberries, but due to the presence of serious side effects, it can be used for medicinal purposes only as directed by a doctor.

Despite the significant external similarity, lingonberries and cranberries have clear differences that make it possible to clearly identify the berries in nature. It is known, for example, that people who permanently live in the taiga zone and pick berries for conservation or for sale can accurately distinguish lingonberries from cranberries, or, even more difficult, from bearberries. Moreover, for this they do not even need to taste the berries (it is sometimes believed that they differ most clearly in taste).

How do they distinguish these seemingly identical berries?

Everything is simple. Look at the photo - these are berries on a bush:

And here is a cranberry, also on a bush:

Yes, nothing seems to you: all the signs that are now visible in the photo are also noticeable in the wild. Namely:

• Cranberry berries are slightly elongated, especially ripe. Lingonberry fruits are round;
• Cranberries are less uniform in color: on one bush there are fruits with dark edges, with light spots, with obvious stripes, even if these berries are already ripe. In lingonberries, they are more uniform, and they ripen quite amicably and on the same bush they all look very similar;
• Cranberries are bigger. The normal size of a wild berry is 1 cm in diameter. The fruits grown on plantations can be even larger and reach a size of 1.6 cm. In lingonberries, their normal size is 0.6-0.8 cm in diameter. If it is possible to put these two berries side by side and compare them, this difference is clearly evident;
• In cranberries, the leaves are larger than berries, and in cranberries, they are smaller.

Finally, cranberries uniquely and very clearly differ from other berries, including lingonberries, by the presence of internal cavity filled with air. This is not visually noticeable on the bush, but if ripe berry cut across, these cavities clearly become visible in it. The photo shows a view of such a dissected fetus:

Neither lingonberries nor other similar berries have such a cavity.

On a note

It is due to such a cavity that cranberries do not sink in water, but float to the surface. This is the basis for a simple way to distinguish between cranberries and lingonberries, or cranberries and bearberries: they simply throw the berry into the water (you can even throw it into a deep puddle or pond in a swamp) and see if it goes to the bottom or floats up. It surfaced - it means cranberries. Did not surface - something else.

Wild-growing cranberries and lingonberries bear fruit at the same frequency (once a year) and ripen at about the same time, they are collected at the same time, and certain strength and care are often required so as not to mix them in one bucket when harvesting.

At the same time, these berries are harvested differently on cultivated plantations. Lingonberries are harvested with ordinary hand-held combines, and the fields with cranberries are flooded with water, the bushes are beaten, due to which the berries float to the surface and are simply harvested by a large conveyor.

The video shows how cranberries are harvested on plantations:

Such buoyancy of cranberries is due to just a cavity with air inside the berry.

These are the external differences between cranberries and lingonberries. There are also differences in the taste of fruits and a difference in appearance bushes.

Taste differences

Cowberry berries are sweeter and overall tastier than berries cranberries. Both those and other fruits are approximately equally sour, but lingonberries have some sweetness, and cranberries have this sweetness replaced by bitterness. As a result, lingonberries can be eaten on their own and enjoyed, and cranberries are used mainly as an additive to various dishes - they are almost never used as an independent delicacy.

Cowberry jam while cooking.

On a note

It is often said that cranberries are sourer than lingonberries. It is impossible to unambiguously refute this statement - this characteristic is very subjective. But in general, it should be borne in mind that the sourness in cranberries is more noticeable due to the fact that it is not smoothed out by sweetness, but is aggravated by bitterness. In many ways, it is because of this that cranberries seem more acidic.

As sugar is stored in lingonberries, they turn into other substances and a few months after harvesting, the berries become more sour, but do not acquire the bitterness characteristic of cranberries. Therefore, a person who once tasted both lingonberries and cranberries will easily distinguish these berries by taste.

By the way, both lingonberries and cranberries are about the same price. Away from where they grow, lingonberries are sold for a little more, as a sweeter "delicacy" berry, but where these plants are harvested, they are sold at the same price. It cannot be said that any of these berries is more expensive.

Differences in the appearance of the bushes

Also quite clearly lingonberries differ from cranberries in the form of bushes. In both species, the life form is a herbaceous shrub, but both have obvious features. If lingonberry bushes are very low and seem to spread along the ground, having a height of 10-15 cm, then cranberry bushes are higher. Cranberry shoots stretch upward, and those parts of them on which the fruits ripen generally stand straight. As a result, the cranberry bush reaches a height of 15-30 cm.

The flowers of these plants are even more clearly distinguished. At lingonberries, they hang together in 3-4 flowers, as if hiding from above with dense shiny leaves. In cranberries, the flowers are on tall stems, curving like a crane's neck. This is partly why in English the cranberry is called Cranberry - “crane berry”, and in Ukrainian - just “crane”.

The photo below shows lingonberry flowers:

And here are the cranberry flowers:

There is also a significant difference: lingonberry flowers are collected in small groups of 3-4 flowers, due to which later the berries ripen in such “packs”. In cranberries, each flower is located on its own stalk, and therefore all the fruits are later arranged singly, apart from each other.

Finally, once again pay attention to the leaves: in cranberries they are small, much smaller than berries, and in lingonberries they are larger than berries.

Berries and leaves of cranberries

Berries and lingonberry leaves

Differences of cranberries from other berries

It is very difficult to distinguish lingonberries from bearberries. This is partly why you can often hear the opinion that these are one and the same thing. Outwardly, both the bushes and the berries of these plants are very similar, although the species themselves belong to different genera.

However, there are differences between them:

1. Cowberry leaves are oval and sit attached to the stem with a very short petiole. In bearberry, the petiole passes into the leaf gradually, and therefore it seems that the leaf has a “leg”, it is not perfectly symmetrical;
2. Cowberry flowers have 4 limbs of petals, and bearberries have 5 (the most unambiguous difference);
3. On the bottom side lingonberry leaves have small dark gray dots. Bearberry leaves do not have such points.

In general, bearberry bushes are even lower and squat than cowberry bushes. These are the consequences of life in the arctic zone, in the forest and tundra, where all plants can survive in winter only near the ground under a thick layer of snow.

Lingonberries in their natural habitat.

Finally, bearberry can definitely be distinguished from lingonberries by the taste of berries. In lingonberries, they are sweet and sour, with a pronounced taste. In bearberry, they do not have a pronounced taste and are not so juicy, more like some kind of fibrous tart substance.

In general, bearberry often ends up in berry pickers' baskets along with lingonberries if the picker himself walked through a clearing in which these plants grow side by side. In most cases, bearberry grows separately and in less accessible places than lingonberries, due to which it is less often collected even by mistake.

Cowberry in typical habitat.

On a note

It is believed that for the treatment of cystitis and kidney disease, bearberry is better than lingonberries. However, lingonberries are used more often due to their greater prevalence and availability. Bearberry in comparison with it is considered to be some kind of exclusive.

From other plants - blueberries, blueberries, stone fruits, cloudberries - lingonberries clearly differ in the color and shape of berries, leaves and bushes. In nature, it can only be confused with cranberries and bearberries, but if you are at least theoretically savvy, it will be possible to distinguish it from these plants.