Manitoba scientists spreading the word of health benefits of lingonberries

Manitoba scientists are spreading the word about a nutritionally rich wild berry that can now be found at The Leaf.

The small, red and slightly sweet berries are called lingonberries. They are native to Manitoba, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Atlantic Canada, and have both nutritional benefits and potential as a valuable crop.

In June, lingonberry bushes were planted in the Kitchen Garden at The Leaf, as part of a partnership with the Canadian Centre for Agricultural Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM) and the Assiniboine Park Conservancy.

“It tastes like cranberries but less tart. A lot more fragrant,” said Chris Siow a CCARM food scientist at St. Boniface Hospital.

The goal of the partnership is to fill the knowledge gap about lingonberries, which are popular in Scandinavian countries but not as familiar to Canadians.

By bringing the plants to The Leaf, it gives more people the chance to learn about the berry. So far the plants are doing well.

“This is a great opportunity for the public to get to know this berry, which is native to Manitoba. It is grown all over northern Manitoba and the northern part of Canada,” Siow said.

Research shows that lingonberries can help maintain kidney health and reduce inflammation. They are also more antioxidant-rich than blueberries and cranberries.

“When we first started we checked on antioxidant activity and we compared with blueberries and cranberries,” Siow said.

“Lingonberries are about three times as much antioxidant levels compared to those berries.”

As of now, there are no commercial growers of lingonberries in Manitoba.