Whenever you look for juice recipes, it seems that most of them involve apples, pineapples, grapes or grapefruits. While all of these are excellent fruits, there are quite a few fairly common fruits that can be used for juices. These somewhat uncommon fruits tend to be berries and are somewhat lesser known. Most people are comfortable buying strawberries or blueberries, but those same people may stop short when they see some brightly colored lingonberries. A new research study has actually discovered that a juice made from lingonberries can be extremely helpful to one’s overall health, especially when it comes to hypertension triggered by inflammation. They have also been shown to be helpful with weight loss, especially in juice form.
Most of us have probably only heard of lingonberries in regards to Scandinavian cultures. While they play an important role in Scandinavian cuisine, they are becoming more popular in North America. Similar to a cranberry, lingonberries grow very well in colder, northern areas. More and more supermarkets in the US are carrying these berries because of the increasing interest in them due to their health benefits. As a rule, they are generally used in juices, jams or syrups. While very tart in taste, they can be quite good if mixed with sweeteners of any kind, as well as with citrus fruits.
What’s been overlooked for a long time is the health benefits of lingonberries. Detailed studies have shown that consuming cold-pressed lingonberry juice for at least a couple of months might improve impaired capillary function and significantly lower hypertension in people who suffer from it and high blood pressure.
Helping To Reduce Hypertension
These studies have shown that the juice from these berries help attack low levels of inflammation, helping to improve blood flow in the capillaries that have led to the hypertension. There are also studies that indicate that the polyphenols in lingonberry juice may favorably affect the main blood pressure regulator in an individual’s system.
So, what’s the down side of lingonberries? They may be difficult to find, especially in the southern US and in smaller markets. They do require a bit more preparation as they are quite tart. You will need a good juicer or a very good blender to get all of the juice from the berry. However, with a bit of experimenting, you will find that these little red berries can create a very good tasting, and very healthy, glass of juice.
