What are some health benefits of lingonberries?

Well known in Sweden, the lingonberry is related to the cranberry, bilberry and blueberry. Animal studies have shown how the lingonberry can lower inflammatory molecules, block oxidants from destroying tissue, and also help the body replace important antioxidants, like glutathione, which is a master antioxidant in our body.

Lingonberry has also been shown to increase red blood cell and liver enzymes needed for antioxidant protection. We need antioxidants to protect vessels and nerve tissue, and also to help decrease the damage from inflammation. Proanthocyanidin extracts from lingonberries were also found to be effective against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, which can cause a wide variety of infections.

A Finnish study gave rats with high blood pressure lingonberry juice to drink for eight weeks. While the juice did not lower blood pressure, there was a striking benefit of protection for the inner linings of the animals' blood vessels (called endothelial linings). The lingonberry helped the effect of a molecule called nitric oxide, which is needed to help the vessels relax. Most interestingly, this effect seemed to be stronger with the lingonberry over the cranberry and black currant. They found the lingonberry to have almost twice the phenols as the cranberry.