Lingonberry jam: 3 recipes

In cold weather, you want to treat yourself to something tasty. Especially at this time of the year, in addition to taste, useful qualities of the product are needed. It strengthens the immune system and helps in countering viruses and bacteria. Preparations for the winter come to the rescue, among which a jar of lingonberry jam should definitely be.

Composition and calorie content

The composition of lingonberry jam is very simple - these are the berries of lingonberry itself and sugar. Water is rarely added to such jam, since the berry itself is capable of secreting enough liquid during the cooking process. If desired, many add various spices to the dessert - zest of orange or lemon, cinnamon or clove. Very tasty, with a refreshing taste, lingonberry jam with the addition of mint is obtained.

The calorie content of jam depends not only on the main component, but also on the amount of added sugar. Taking into account the added sugar, the energy value of the dessert will be 230 kcal per 100 g. The less sugar added to lingonberry jam, the lower its calorie content, since lingonberry itself is a low-calorie berry, it contains only 27 kcal per 100 g. to get a high-calorie treat, replace sugar with honey or any sweet fruit - dates or cherries. The taste will be very interesting, and there are more beneficial properties than with the addition of regular sugar.

The therapeutic effect of lingonberry jam is explained by its rich chemical composition. First of all, it appreciates organic acids, a complex of vitamins and pectin substances. The berry is a hypoallergenic product, therefore, it can be consumed by almost everyone, with the exception of cases of individual intolerance.

The main interest, of course, is vitamins - a large amount of vitamin C, groups B, K and E. Lingonberry jam contains a considerable amount of vitamin K, which is considered unique and especially valuable. Also, the healing effect is exerted by acids - citric acid (it is most commonly found in lingonberry jam), malic, oleanolic, benzoic and others. Pectin substances are physiological active substances that help the body remove excess toxins.

Lingonberry contains a large number of macro- and microelements. First of all, it is potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, which are found in large quantities in cowberry jam. There is a small amount of iodine, magnesium, zinc and other minerals.

What is useful cranberry jam

It is worth considering the benefits of lingonberry jam in more detail.

1. Strengthening immunity. Lingonberry jam can and should be included in the diet during colds. It has an anti-inflammatory effect due to the presence of antioxidants. Vitamin C is the best compound for increasing immunity. Along with it, a large number of B vitamins and phenolic compounds - tannins - helps to maintain immunity and confront the body against infectious diseases. All the same tannins will enhance the effect of drugs in the course of treatment for colds. Reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms is prevented by pectins, which also reduces the likelihood of diseases.
2. Strengthening the cardiovascular system. Useful ingredients in lingonberry jam will help prevent many heart problems. For example, they help strengthen blood vessels.Enzymes prevent clogging of arteries (obstruction of blood vessels), stimulating the normal functioning of the heart and ensuring blood flow throughout the body.
3. Removal of cholesterol from the body. High cholesterol has a direct effect on the deterioration of the general condition of the body, but, unfortunately, many ignore this problem. Antioxidants in lingonberry jam effectively lower blood cholesterol, especially if honey is added to it. Pectins also have the ability to remove from the human body not only excess cholesterol, but also heavy metal salts.
4. Improves brain performance. Disorder of the brain is manifested in fatigue, drowsiness, distraction, and rapid fatigue. To avoid such problems, recharge for the main organ from the outside is needed. Vitamins K and group B improve memory, give vitality to the body and a better concentration of attention. All this is achieved by the rapid delivery of oxygen to the brain (it is worth remembering the fact that it is with a lack of oxygen that a person is drowsy or even loss of consciousness) and stimulation of blood flow to him. Depressive state is also a wake-up call, talking about impaired brain function. Vitamins A and C contribute to improving mood and general condition.
5. Treatment of urinary tract infections. Lingonberry jam is one of the best natural remedies for urinary tract problems. The antibacterial properties of dessert antioxidants prevent the spread of infection and contribute to the normal functioning of the system. In addition to eliminating infections in the kidneys and excretory canals, lingonberry antioxidants and organic acids are involved in the elimination of blockages, thereby minimizing the risk of stones. Most of all, citric and malic acids help in this process.
6. Reduce the risk of cancer. Cancer is one of the most common diseases both in Russia and around the world. The cause of this disease in most cases is an excessive amount of free radicals in the body, which increase the growth of cancerous tissues. To overcome the problem of cancer, it is necessary to reduce their number.
   Antioxidants reduce the effects of radicals on the human body, thereby controlling the spread of pathological cells and minimizing the risk of cancer.
7. Sweet product for diet. Lingonberry jam, like the berry itself, contains a large amount of fiber, which contributes to the normal functioning of digestion, helping the body get rid of unwanted kilograms. Antioxidants are also involved in the process of losing weight, removing toxins from the body, thereby facilitating metabolism.
8. Minimum stomach problems. Fiber in cowberry jam improves digestion and motility of the gastrointestinal tract, and is also a good nutrient for the beneficial intestinal microflora. At the same time, the risk of attachment of ulcerative bacteria to the inner wall of the digestive system is minimal, and antioxidants will help eliminate those that still managed to take root and spread the infection throughout the body.
9. A medicine for expectant mothers. Pregnant women with colds cannot be treated with medications, as this can harm mom and baby. Therefore, in such moments you have to remember folk remedies. Flavonoids and vitamins contained in lingonberry jam increase immunity, contributing to the speedy death of the virus. Lingonberry berry has bactericidal properties, their use reduces inflammation. It is proved that lingonberries and products from it are an excellent folk remedy for colds during pregnancy.
10. Strengthening bone tissue. Calcium and phosphorus in jam are contained in sufficient quantities, so they can become assistants in the correct formation of the bone skeleton in children and its support in adults. Thanks to minerals, lingonberry jam, unlike other sweets, will not spoil tooth enamel. On the contrary, it forms a protective layer against caries. One of the popular recipes is the use of baking soda with lingonberry jam as a toothpaste. Such a tool will not only prevent plaque, but also provide a bactericidal effect and protect the gums and oral cavity from diseases.
11. A delicious dessert for diabetics. The main component in jam - lingonberry - helps to lower blood glucose and can be used both by people with diabetes and for prevention. But the jam in this case should be cooked without adding sugar. As a sweetener, for example, high fructose honey should be used.
12. Remedy for a hangover. Thanks to amino acids, lingonberry products can be considered anti-hangover. If in the morning there were no pills for a headache and other signs of a hangover, just eat a couple of spoons of jam.

Contraindications to consumption

Despite the impressive list of benefits for the body, it must be remembered that an overabundance of vitamins and macro- and microelements can also be harmful. Therefore, it is necessary to remember about adequate use.

Lingonberry itself is an acidic berry, therefore, jam from it is not recommended for use by people with gastritis or ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract, as this can lead to a worsening of the symptoms of the disease.

How to collect cranberries for jam

The first harvest of berries occurs at the end of summer. They collect it until mid-autumn - it is during this period that you can go to the forest and collect a large number of lingonberries for jam or other products.

The berry should be ripe - bright red or burgundy, with no signs of spoilage and rot. Green berries do not need to be picked - they do not ripen at home and can be harmful to health due to the harmful, sometimes even poisonous substances contained in it. But berries with white spots on the surface will fit for collection on a par with burgundy.

With the onset of frost, lingonberries on the bush softens, its shell becomes tender. Such a berry is quite suitable for making jam and jams, but you need to cook immediately after collection - it will not be able to be stored for a long time.

At home, they can be stored both in normal condition and frozen (preferably in a plastic container), if the jam is prepared at a later date. In its natural form, lingonberries, due to the organic acids contained in it, can be stored for 2 months in a dark, cool room. Before it is sent for storage, it is washed with running water and dried at ordinary room temperature.

How to choose lingonberry jam

The best, of course, will be the option of using lingonberries, personally collected from the bush. But not everyone has the opportunity to go to the forest "on the hunt" for the berry. Therefore, you have to take advantage of the possibilities of the modern world - go to the store and purchase the necessary.

Possible option of buying berries in the markets. You only need to remember that fresh lingonberries can only be bought from August to October - the harvesting season falls on these months, but it can also vary depending on the region of our country. In any case, a difference of 1 month is possible, therefore, in any other period, we can safely say that on the counter thawed lingonberries.

When buying in the market, it is necessary to take into account the collection area, since berries, along with mushrooms, have a negative ability to absorb radiation. Current legislation requires the seller to have a certificate of conformity for the products he sells. But if you are confident in the well-being of your area, you can safely buy lingonberries from any good-natured grandmother.

In stores, lingonberries are mainly sold frozen.Try to buy the berry from trusted producers - it comes to them with all the documents confirming their safety and quality.

How to cook cranberry jam: recipes

Simple jam

The recipe is very simple, it takes a little time. And the most interesting - for this recipe is not provided the addition of water, because with slow languishing lingonberries secrete enough liquid for the desired consistency.

To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients:

• Lingonberry berries (fresh or frozen) - 1 kg.
• Granulated sugar - 600 g (800 g if the berry is very sour).

Stages of preparation:

1. To make jam, you need a heat-resistant container with a thick bottom. In it, place the hand-picked and well-washed lingonberries and put on the stove (the fire level should be at maximum). With this heat treatment, the berry begins to secrete juice.
2. After boiling the juice, reduce the heat to a minimum level, close the pan with a lid and let the lingonberries languish in the juice for 10 minutes. After this time, mix the obtained cowberry mass and leave for another 10 minutes.
3. After the specified period of time, remove the pan from the heat and add sugar (gradually, not all at once, slowly stirring). Mix sugar until it is completely dissolved, being careful not to damage the integrity of the berries.
4. Pour the resulting jam into sterilized jars and roll up. To cool, leave the jars at room temperature in a place protected from sunlight. If long-term storage is not planned, then jam can be cooled in a saucepan and poured into cans after it. Roll up banks will not be required.

The technology of making jam with the addition of sugar at the end allows you to preserve the natural berry taste, and also helps to preserve the nutritional value in large quantities.

Jam with lingonberries and oranges

This jam is a real vitamin bomb for the body. The amount of vitamin C in such a dessert will be many times more.

For such a dessert, you must purchase the following products:

• Lingonberry berries (fresh or frozen) - 500 g.
• Orange (large) - 2 pcs.
• Sugar - 300 g.

Stages of preparation:

1. Before cooking, rinse lingonberries well and remove any green or rotten berries. It is better to fill the container with lingonberries with water - all the impurities will rise to the surface, it will be easier to remove.
2. Sprinkle lingonberries in a saucepan with a thick bottom, put it on the gas and keep on the stove for 10 minutes until the juice that stands out boils.
3. During this time, peel the oranges and cut them into small pieces (you can leave a couple of whole slices - they will look interesting in a jar with ready-made jam).
4. Mix lingonberries with orange in a saucepan and cook for another 10 minutes.
5. After the time has passed, turn off the gas and begin to gradually add sugar, while constantly stirring the jam. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the integrity of the berries. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
6. Then spread the hot jam over the sterilized jars and roll them up with a lid. Refrigerate at room temperature.

Zest from the orange can not be removed - the taste will not spoil it, and the content of nutrients will increase.

Lingonberry jam without boiling

The absence of heat treatment allows you to save many useful components in the jam, as some of them tend to collapse at high temperatures.

For jam, you need only two ingredients:

• Lingonberry berries (fresh or frozen) - 1 kg.
• Granulated sugar - 0.5 kg.

Stages of preparation:

1. Rinse the berries thoroughly under warm running water to remove impurities and pour them into a deep container.
2. Add sugar to the berry gradually and mix thoroughly with each addition. It is necessary to try to mix so that the integrity of the berries is not broken.
3. Leave the sugar-berry mixture at room temperature for several hours until the sugar has completely dissolved and the berry will produce syrup.

Jam without boiling is not rolled up in jars; it can simply be covered with cotton paper and stored in the refrigerator. If desired, citrus zest or spicy spices can be added to it, but their use can reduce the shelf life of the jam.

Jam storage rules

To preserve the jam for a long time, it is necessary to observe important rules both during the preparation process and during storage of the dessert that has already been closed in jars.

1. Carefully sort the lingonberries before cooking. Caught berries with rot will spoil the taste, reduce the shelf life, since putrefactive bacteria have already begun their activity in them. A particularly favorable environment for them will be jam without heat treatment. Green berries can, among other things, release toxic substances that adversely affect the body.
2. For cooking jam, it is necessary to use stainless steel utensils, since due to the acids contained in the berries, the aluminum container will reduce the shelf life of the jam due to the occurrence of oxidative reactions.
3. Sterilization of the glass container in which the dessert will be stored is required. Otherwise, harmful bacteria will remain in the banks when filled.
4. Sterilized jars need to be well dried, otherwise there is a risk of mold during storage.
5. Hot product must be corked with lids - this ensures that there are no openings for oxygen.
6. The storage location should be cool (about 15 ° C) and without possible exposure to sunlight. It should also be removed from heating systems, stoves and other equipment that can generate heat. The room should be with low humidity.
7. Check the condition of the cans occasionally - due to non-compliance with storage conditions, cans may bloat or rust on the lid.
8. Label the cooked jam - write down the date and year of manufacture or a comment regarding the digestion. So you can track which bank should be opened in the first place.

Properly cooked jam can be stored for many years - under optimal storage conditions, it will last up to 3 years. With longer storage, the taste properties may not change, but such jam will no longer be of nutritional value.

Jam without boiling is not rolled up (it is enough to close it with an ordinary leaky lid or tie it with cotton paper) and store it in the refrigerator for up to six months.

Ways to use spoiled jam

Damage to jam can manifest itself in different ways. The reasons can also be very diverse - from the usual non-observance of dessert cooking to ignoring storage rules.

Signs of damage:

• bloating jars (jam fermentation);
• mold on the surface;
• the appearance of bubbles;
• candied, etc.

Despite this, lingonberry jam can still be saved by digesting it or making other, equally tasty and healthy products from it.

Sugaring occurs due to excess sugar added during cooking. This jam can be digested with the addition of a small amount of water (boil it for 10 minutes) and roll it back into jars. The overcooked product is already stored in the refrigerator on the lower shelf, otherwise it will deteriorate again. Also, a candied treat is perfect for making homemade wine or as a filling for a pie.

If mold occurs on the product, it can be said that little sugar was added during cooking. Such a dish is already digested with the addition of sugar - for 1 liter of jam it takes 100-200 g. It is boiled for 10 minutes, rolled into a jar and stored in the refrigerator. Be sure to remove the upper part of the jam with mold - it is not necessary to digest it with the rest, since hazardous substances can form during further storage.

Bubbles inside the jar and bloating of the lid indicate fermentation of jam - it will have a sour wine smell. You can digest it, but from this jam you get the perfect home-made wine. To do this, add 1 liter of water to 1 kg of jam and mix them in a 5 liter container. A rubber glove is put on the neck of the container - this is a kind of control over the processes in the bottle, since with sufficient gas evolution during the fermentation of the wine it will be inflated. After the container is put in a dark place at room temperature for 4-5 days. For every 5 day, 50 ml of liquid is poured into another container, 25 g of sugar is added, and the poured wine is returned (thus, a kind of sugar mixing takes place).

The wine should stand for 1.5 months - by this time the wine stops fermenting (this will be indicated by a blown rubber glove), after which it is filtered and bottled.

Interesting facts about lingonberries

1. Lingonberry products, like the berry itself, can be a kind of antidote for poisoning by poisonous mushrooms and plants.
2. The healing properties of lingonberries are so strong that with the systematic use of berries, many diseases recede.
3. Lingonberries can be used as an alternative to coffee - if dried and chopped, it will not concede to chicory.
4. Healing properties are possessed not only by berries, but also by leaves of lingonberry. They are also collected both for the preparation of medicinal products, and simply in cooking.
5. In Switzerland, lingonberry jam has become a national dessert.
6. In the distant XIV century, lingonberries were considered harmful to young men, but why is still unclear.
7. Lingonberry masks have a rejuvenating effect on the skin due to antioxidants. The skin becomes firm and fresh.
8. Cowberry fruit juice is mentioned in many works, including the "Eugene Onegin" by A.S. Pushkin.
9. Lingonberry tincture can be given to children with digestive problems.
10. A decoction of lingonberry leaves is able to raise the level of hemoglobin, so it is highly recommended for pregnant women.
11. There is a cowberry-kefir diet, which allows you to lose weight up to 4 kg per week.