Lingonberry: Benefits, Uses and Precautions

Dr. Boris Wydoff

Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) benefits people primarily as a food and a traditional medicinal plant material. Its red berries contain organic acids, sugars, and pectin, making them suitable for preparing drinks and other foods. The leaves are rich in arbutin, tannins, and flavonoids. They have traditionally been used in water-based infusions and decoctions for their diuretic, astringent, and antiseptic properties.

How can you use lingonberries for your health? You can include the berries in your diet and use dried leaves to prepare herbal drinks, provided you take the necessary precautions. First, it is important to identify the plant correctly, choose suitable plant material, and understand the difference between eating the berries and using the leaves medicinally. Lingonberry does not replace prescribed treatment for diseases of the kidneys, urinary tract, or other organs.

What Is Lingonberry and How Can You Identify It?

Lingonberry is a wild medicinal plant. It grows widely in coniferous and mixed coniferous-deciduous forests. It is particularly common in pine forests, where it can form large patches. The plant is found throughout the forest zone and grows in clusters of varying sizes.

Lingonberry is a small evergreen shrub. One of its key identifying features is its upright stem. This makes it possible to distinguish the plant from bearberry, which has creeping stems.

Lingonberry stems are highly branched and covered with dark brown bark. The leaves are small, leathery, firm, and glossy. They remain on the plant throughout the winter. Their shape is elliptical or oval, tapering toward the base.

The leaf edges are rolled under and sometimes finely toothed. On the lighter underside, you can clearly see dark brown dotted glands. Unlike blueberry leaves, lingonberry leaves do not have a network of prominent veins.

The plant flowers in May and June. Its fruits ripen in August and September. The berries are red and juicy, with several seeds. Unlike bearberries, they are not mealy inside.

When harvesting leaves, it is especially important not to confuse lingonberry with similar plants. Blueberry leaves are thin and papery, with a matte, blue-green underside. Raised net-like veins are visible on the surface. Lingonberry leaves are thicker, with brown dotted glands on their undersides.

Bearberry looks even more like lingonberry. However, its stems creep along the ground, and its fruits are mealy inside. Lingonberry, by contrast, has upright stems, rolled leaf edges, and juicy berries.

Where Does Lingonberry Grow?

Lingonberry is characteristic of pine forests, especially dry pine woods and lingonberry-rich woodland areas. It can grow in large quantities in suitable locations, forming extensive patches. In coniferous forests, it often grows alongside blueberries and heather.

Lingonberry: Benefits of Its Leaves and Berries, and the Plant's Composition

The main medicinal plant material obtained from lingonberry is its leaves. They contain approximately 6–9% arbutin. They also contain tannins, the flavonoid hyperoside, and ursolic acid.

Other descriptions of the plant's composition mention methyl arbutin, hydroquinone derivatives, tartaric, gallic, quinic, and ellagic acids, as well as other flavonoids. This variety of plant compounds helps explain the long-standing use of lingonberry leaves in traditional herbal preparations.

When fresh leaves are crushed, they release volatile phenolic compounds. For this reason, fresh and dried plant material do not have exactly the same properties.

The berries differ from the leaves in both composition and purpose. They contain approximately 2% organic acids, including benzoic acid. Their sugar content is around 8–10%. They also contain pectin.

Thanks to their benzoic acid content, the fruits can remain fresh for a relatively long time. They are eaten as food and used to prepare drinks and other products. It is important to consider the benefits of lingonberry separately for each part of the plant:

• Leaves — medicinal plant material containing arbutin, tannins, and flavonoids. Traditionally used in water-based infusions and decoctions.
• Berries — a food containing organic acids, sugars, and pectin. Suitable for preparing drinks and other foods.

You should not automatically apply the properties of the leaves to the berries or assume that eating the fruits is equivalent to taking medicinal plant preparations.

What Does Lingonberry Leaf Treat and How Is It Traditionally Used?

Lingonberry leaves have traditionally been used in herbal preparations for their diuretic, astringent, and antiseptic properties. Older herbal guides include them in water-based infusions and decoctions.

Particular attention was given to the urinary system. In folk recipes, lingonberry leaves and herb were included in water-based decoctions used as diuretics. The leaves were also included in preparations traditionally used for problems involving the bladder and kidneys.

One of the best-known compounds in the leaves is arbutin. It is a characteristic component of lingonberry plant material. The leaves also contain tannins and the flavonoid hyperoside.

The astringent properties are mainly associated with tannins. This is why lingonberry leaves also appear in older recipes intended for gastrointestinal use. In some folk recipes, a water-based lingonberry decoction was used as a stomach remedy.

The berries serve a different purpose. They are eaten as food and used to prepare drinks and other products. Thanks to their benzoic acid content, they can remain fresh for a relatively long time.

However, it is important to distinguish traditional use from proven treatment of diseases. The fact that lingonberry appears in folk remedies does not mean that the plant can independently treat kidney, bladder, or gastrointestinal diseases. Herbal remedies should not replace medical care.

How to Use Lingonberry: 7 Practical Steps

The method of use depends on which part of the plant you are using. The berries are a food product, while the leaves are medicinal plant material. To handle lingonberry properly, it is important to follow the right steps.

1. Decide what you want to use it for. If you want berries for food, use them as a food product or as an ingredient in drinks. If you are interested in traditional herbal use, choose the leaves specifically.

2. Make sure the plant has been correctly identified. Lingonberry has an upright stem, firm leathery leaves with rolled edges, and dark spots on their undersides. Do not collect leaves if you are unsure whether the plant is lingonberry or bearberry.

3. Choose the right harvesting period. Leaves are traditionally collected in early spring, from beneath the snow and before flowering begins, or in August, when new, fully grown leaves appear. Summer harvesting during flowering is not recommended because the leaves may turn black when dried.

4. Prepare the harvested material. Before drying, sort through the leaves and remove any damaged or blackened ones. The usual method is to cut the above-ground part of the plant and separate the leaves from the stems after drying.

5. Dry the leaves. Dark rooms or attics are used for this purpose. The aim is to obtain dry plant material that retains its characteristic green color. Leaves collected during flowering may turn black when dried.

6. Clean the dried material. Once dry, strip the leaves from the stems by hand or thresh the herb, removing the stems. Then sift the material and remove foreign matter and any blackened parts.

7. Choose the form of use. Traditional recipes describe water-based infusions and decoctions made from the leaves. The berries are eaten or used to prepare drinks. If you choose a specific leaf preparation, follow its instructions and take any contraindications into account.

When preparing an infusion or decoction, it is important to use suitable plant material. The original descriptions of the plant include methods involving water-based infusions and decoctions, but they do not specify standard proportions of leaves to water, a fixed steeping time, or a universal dosage schedule. For this reason, you should not add arbitrary amounts of plant material and present them as a verified recipe. If you are using a ready-made preparation, follow its instructions.

You should also avoid independently adapting old multi-herb formulas for everyday use. They may contain other medicinal plants, each with its own restrictions.

What You Need to Know About Harvesting Lingonberry Leaves

Lingonberry leaves should be harvested at specific times. One traditional harvesting period is early spring, when the leaves are collected from beneath the snow and before flowering begins. The other period is August, when new, fully grown leaves appear.

Leaves collected in summer during flowering may turn black when dried. This is why other harvesting periods are preferred. Usually, the above-ground part of the plant is cut. After drying, the leaves are separated from the stems. You can strip them by hand or thresh the dried herb, discarding the stems. Before drying, sort through the plant material. Remove damaged and blackened leaves. This is necessary to obtain good-quality herbal material.

Dry lingonberry leaves in dark rooms or attics. This method helps preserve their green color. The finished material consists of leaves with their characteristic shape. They have practically no smell and a bitter, astringent taste.

Good-quality leaves have a firm, leathery texture. The upper surface is green, while the underside is lighter. Dark dotted glands are clearly visible on it.

How Should You Clean the Plant Material?

Lingonberry leaves are small and leathery, making them difficult to collect individually. For this reason, the branches are usually cut first. After drying, the leaves are stripped or threshed to remove the stems. The final cleaning is carried out after sifting the material. When assessing quality, pay attention to the number of blackened leaves, foreign matter, and other parts of the plant. Older standards for medicinal plant materials also specified moisture levels and impurity content. These indicators are important when evaluating the quality of the finished material.

How to Store the Finished Plant Material

After drying, the leaves should remain dry and clean. Older regulatory standards for medicinal plant materials specifically controlled moisture levels, the number of browned and blackened leaves, impurities from other parts of the plant, and organic and mineral contaminants.

It is also important to ensure that lingonberry leaf material does not contain large quantities of stems. These should be removed after drying. The more thoroughly the material is cleaned, the easier it is to assess its quality by appearance.

Properly dried leaves retain their characteristic shape and firmness. The material has practically no smell. Its taste is described as bitter and astringent. I recommend avoiding plants that you cannot identify with confidence. When collecting medicinal plants, an identification mistake is more serious than the convenience of gathering them yourself.

How to Find Lingonberry Abroad

When abroad, the easiest way to find lingonberry is to search using its local name and Latin name. Use *Vaccinium vitis-idaea*: the word "cranberry" may refer to a different species.

• USA: lingonberry or cowberry. Products available include loose dried leaves, dried berries, and liquid extracts of young shoots. Start by looking at online herbal retailers and supplement stores.
• Germany: Preiselbeere. You may find dried leaves, herbal tea blends containing the leaves, capsules with fruit extract, and liquid extracts of fruits or buds and young shoots. Check pharmacies (Apotheken), Reformhäuser, tea and herbal shops, and online stores.
• France: airelle rouge, also known as airelle du mont Ida. Look for dried leaves for tisane and liquid macerates of buds or young shoots (macérat de bourgeons/jeunes pousses). Pharmacies, herboristeries, health food stores, and online shops are good places to look.

Check three things on the packaging:

• The Latin name of the plant — *Vaccinium vitis-idaea*.
• The plant part: leaf/Blatt/feuille — leaves, fruit/Frucht/fruit — fruits, bud/young shoot/Knospe/bourgeon — buds or young shoots.
• Whether other plant species are included, the product classification, and information about organic certification.

Please note that flowers and roots are not among the plant parts used in the preparations described here.

Sales regulations vary between countries. In the USA, dietary supplements do not undergo FDA premarket approval for safety or effectiveness. In Germany, the designation Arzneitee means medicinal tea and must be indicated in the product classification.

Lingonberry: Benefits and Risks, Contraindications and Precautions

Lingonberry leaves and preparations made from them should not automatically be treated like ordinary food. Concentrated plant material contains arbutin and significant amounts of tannins. For this reason, long-term use without medical supervision cannot be considered proven safe.

People with kidney disease should be especially cautious about using leaf preparations and consult a doctor beforehand. Older herbal recipes often combined lingonberry with other plants, so the safety of a particular herbal blend depends on more than lingonberry alone.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, it is best not to start medicinal use of the leaves on your own. You should also not choose dosages of leaf preparations for children without professional guidance. An allergic reaction to the plant is a reason to stop using it. Seek medical attention if symptoms are severe.

If you take medication regularly, discuss the use of concentrated leaf preparations and extracts with your doctor beforehand. This is particularly important if you have a chronic condition or need to follow a long course of treatment.

Lingonberry and Blood Pressure: What Does It Do to Blood Pressure?

Questions about how lingonberry affects blood pressure arise because of the traditional use of its leaves and interest in the benefits of its berries. However, the information about its composition and traditional use does not allow us to conclude that the berries or leaves reliably lower or raise blood pressure.

You should not regard lingonberry as a way to normalize blood pressure or as a replacement for prescribed medication. If you have blood pressure problems, any treatment decisions or changes to your medication schedule should be discussed with your doctor.

Lingonberry for Gout: Is It Safe?

If you have gout, it is important not to attribute medicinal effects to the berries or leaves without sufficient evidence. Eating lingonberry is not, in itself, a treatment for gout.

The berries are a food product, so whether to include them in your diet should be considered in light of your individual dietary restrictions. If you have gout, it is best to discuss the use of concentrated leaf preparations with your doctor beforehand.

How Do the Benefits of the Berries Differ from Those of the Leaves?

Eating the berries as food is different from taking medicinal plant material.

The berries contain organic acids, sugars, and pectin. They are used in the diet and for preparing drinks. The leaves are harvested primarily as medicinal plant material. They contain arbutin, tannins, and flavonoids.

For this reason, eating the berries should not be considered equivalent to a medicinal course of leaf preparations. Likewise, an infusion or decoction made from the leaves should not be treated as an ordinary drink without considering the relevant precautions.

When Should You See a Doctor?

You should consult a doctor if you have severe or persistent symptoms rather than trying to replace medical diagnosis with herbal remedies. Professional advice is necessary:

• If you have kidney or urinary tract disease and are considering using leaf preparations.
• During pregnancy and breastfeeding, before using lingonberry medicinally.
• If you are considering using herbal preparations for children.
• If you have chronic conditions or take medication regularly.
• If you experience an allergic reaction or feel unwell after consuming lingonberry.

It is especially important not to delay medical care if your symptoms involve the kidneys or urinary tract. An herbal drink is not a substitute for an examination or prescribed treatment. If you develop severe allergic symptoms after using the plant, stop using it and seek medical attention.

Boris Wydoff — naturopath and author, Ph.D. in nutrition. For over fifty years I have helped people restore health through nutrition, cleansing and the power of the mind — in Europe, America and Asia. About the author →

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