Lingonberry leaf during pregnancy, collection and berries: how to drink for swelling, does it help against toxicosis and how to use it at different stages of gestation

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Published: 03/21/2020

Reading time: 17 min

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• 1 Doctors' opinion
• 2 Composition of lingonberry leaves and fruits
• 3 The power of nature to help pregnant women 3.1 From edema

Indications for use

Lingonberry fruits contain few natural potent components and, when consumed in moderation, do not harm either the pregnant woman or the unborn baby. The ban on taking lingonberry leaf products is due to the fact that they have a fairly strong effect, and serious side effects can be obtained from this. Local use of such drugs is not prohibited; this includes rinsing the throat and mouth.

During pregnancy, lingonberries are most often taken to combat edema and treat cystitis. Berries stimulate kidney function and promote the release of large amounts of fluid. As a result, the bladder works and empties more intensively, eliminating bacteria and their waste products. This makes the course of the disease easier without the need to take potent medications, and recovery is accelerated.

The diuretic effect of lingonberries is also used to combat edema. The diuretic properties of the berry stimulate the removal of excess fluid from tissues. As a result, the severity of edema is weakened, and over time it completely disappears. Eating berries for swelling helps little. A small effect is noticeable, but recovery is very slow. Often the swelling does not disappear completely. Great results can be achieved by consuming lingonberry tea, but you should not drink it during pregnancy.

During pregnancy, it may be recommended to consume lingonberry fruit drinks and juices for the following purposes:

• Treatment of kidney diseases, including pyelonephritis.
• Decreased protein content in urine. This method of treatment must be carried out under the supervision of a doctor, since this condition may indicate a severe pathology in the pregnant woman, which will also affect the health of the fetus.
• To lower pressure. Lingonberries do not have a particularly strong effect for this, but for mild hypertension it may be sufficient.
• Preparations based on lingonberry leaves can be prescribed for rinsing purposes. They help reduce the intensity of pain in the throat, teeth and gums.
• The need to alleviate the condition of gastritis, flatulence, problems with stool.
• Normalization of the condition of colds and any infectious diseases. In these cases, lingonberries are of little use, but when used together with antipyretics, their effect can be made stronger. If you take a remedy that lowers your temperature, and then regularly drink lingonberry juice or fruit drink, your fever will decrease significantly more. The patient sweats a lot, which is very useful for colds.

Beneficial properties of lingonberries during pregnancy

It’s not for nothing that lingonberries are called a drop of immortality. This is a very valuable medicinal plant. Just carefully read the far from complete list of substances that this berry and especially the leaves of the bush are rich in. So: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, organic acids (citric, malic, benzoic, tartaric, salicylic, lactic, etc.), vitamins A, B1, B2, C, mineral salts (potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron , sodium, large amounts of manganese). Well, just the periodic table! Or a vitamin chest! At the same time, the calorie content of lingonberries is 46 kcal! It’s not hard to guess where we’re going!

Now imagine the body of a pregnant woman. After all, all these substances are so necessary for the expectant mother and her growing fetus! But in order not to be empty words, let’s still figure out what benefits lingonberries have during pregnancy.

Firstly, the juice from its berries is hypoallergenic. Agree, it is very important for the fetus. In general, a pregnant woman’s body needs constant replenishment of many vitamins. Lingonberries contain a large amount of carotene (there is even more of it than in carrots!), which helps improve vision. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant – lingonberries contain up to 30 mg. B vitamins support the emotional state of a pregnant woman - we know how important a good mood is for an expectant mother.

Let's move on. Physical exercise. 24 hours a day without a lunch break, without days off or days off for 9 months in a row, the load only increases. Vitamin E comes in handy and is also present in the miracle berry.

It is difficult to list all the beneficial properties of lingonberries. It is very important to know, especially for pregnant women, that lingonberry juice, diluted with water, reduces temperature, high blood pressure, and is very helpful with coughs and stomach pain. But it is so important to use medications as little as possible during this period. Here's an alternative for you - lingonberries!

More on the topic

What are the benefits of lingonberry leaves during pregnancy?

Is it possible to eat currants during pregnancy, and how to do it correctly?

About the beneficial (and not so beneficial) properties of tomato juice in early pregnancy

Is it possible to use lemon balm during pregnancy and how to use it correctly?

Berries during pregnancy

How to cook lingonberries?

Both the leaves and the fruits have medicinal properties - you can use them to prepare a variety of juices, fruit drinks and compotes, and grind them into purees. A decoction of the leaves is used instead of tea.

Most often, fruit drinks are prepared. You can add other berries to it, fresh or frozen. When using the latter option, the raw materials must first be defrosted at room temperature. Then it is rubbed through a sieve and squeezed to obtain fresh juice.

To prepare fruit juice, the fruit skin and pulp obtained by squeezing must be poured with water and simmered over low heat for an hour and a half. Then cool and combine with the previously squeezed juice. If desired, add a little sugar to the fruit drink. The result is a vitamin drink that helps improve well-being and is suitable for use by pregnant women.

Fresh lingonberries should not be eaten on an empty stomach. But it is better to drink decoctions and infusions before meals.

Lingonberry decoctions

The high decongestant effectiveness of lingonberry decoctions is explained by their excellent diuretic properties. Decoctions of lingonberry berries and leaves are used in the treatment of cystitis and urolithiasis. The natural composition of this drug, which does not contain any harmful components, is absolutely safe for the body of the expectant mother and her child.

To prepare a decoction of the leaves, four dessert spoons of crushed plant material are poured with boiling water (250 ml) and boiled for thirty minutes in a steam bath. After six hours of infusion, the decoction is filtered and taken before meals in the morning, afternoon and evening. A decoction of lingonberry fruits is prepared differently. Six dessert spoons of berries are poured into three glasses of filtered water, brought to a boil and simmered for ten minutes over very low heat. Cover the saucepan with a lid and leave the broth for an hour. After filtering, take in small (100 ml) portions. An infusion prepared from lingonberry leaves (20 g), dried wild strawberries (30 g) and a pinch of dried lavender flowers will help you quickly get rid of swelling. Pour 0.5 liters of boiling water into the plant material and leave it for half an hour. After straining, drink half a glass before meals for two weeks.

In what cases can lingonberries be used?

During pregnancy, the beneficial properties of the berry can be useful in the following situations:

• To replenish minerals and vitamins necessary for fetal development and maternal health.
• The need to take safe antipyretics in case of a cold.
• Working with problems with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. For gastritis with high acidity, eating lingonberries in reasonable proportions helps normalize the acid-base balance of the intestines and stomach. The fiber contained in berries improves the functioning of the digestive tract.
• There is a high hypotensive activity of lingonberry fruits. Pregnant women can take them to lower blood pressure and help improve headaches.
• Problems with edema can be solved using lingonberries.
• To eliminate joint pain.
• In order to improve the nervous condition.

Types of fruit drinks

Currant

Black currant berries are a storehouse of vitamin C

Black currants contain a lot of:

• pectin;
• tannins;
• phytoncides;
• phosphorus;
• gland;
• magnesium;
• potassium;
• manganese;
• copper;
• sulfur;
• lead;
• silver;
• vitamins B, A, K, E, R.

Black currants contain a record amount of vitamin C. By eating 20 berries a day, you can cover the body’s daily need for this vitamin.

Video: Beneficial properties of black currant

Black currant has a rich chemical composition, so it is used for the treatment and prevention of many diseases. Blackcurrant juice is also very useful for expectant mothers. However, red currant juice is not much inferior to it.

Indications for use:

• angina;
• anemia;
• gastritis;
• decreased immunity and the potential danger of infectious diseases in a pregnant woman;
• prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system, because during pregnancy the load on the heart increases;
• if, according to indications (large child, obesity, hereditary diseases), the expectant mother is expected to develop diabetes mellitus;
• pyelonephritis (inflammatory process of the renal pelvis);
• diseases of the respiratory system;
• ulcer of the duodenum and stomach;
• bleeding gums (periodontal disease);
• increased skin pigmentation that occurs during pregnancy.

Recipe

1. Blackcurrant berries (150 grams) are sorted, washed with clean water, and dried. Next, they need to be crushed to obtain juice (you can use a masher or blender for this). To make the juice separate better, add a certain amount of not hot boiled water to the berries.

   
   To prepare blackcurrant juice, the berries need to be turned into a pulp and the juice squeezed out of them through cheesecloth or a fine strainer.

2. The resulting juice is placed in the refrigerator.
3. The pomace is poured with hot water (1 liter). Heat while stirring over low heat for 5–7 minutes.
4. Then remove from the stove and leave for about half an hour.
5. The broth is filtered and the grounds are squeezed out. Dissolve 120 grams of sugar in it. Add juice and cool.

Video: Blackcurrant juice with honey and thyme

Crimson

Raspberries are a faithful assistant in the fight not only against colds, but also against many other diseases, for example, atherosclerosis

Raspberry is a plant that can be used for medicinal purposes in its entirety, along with roots, leaves, berries and flowers. All its parts contain substances beneficial to our body.

What berries are rich in:

• acids of organic origin that help activate metabolic processes;
• macroelements, vitamins, microelements;
• tannins that can fight inflammation and have enveloping properties;
• fatty acids for the prevention of atherosclerosis;
• fiber to normalize intestinal function;
• salicylic acid, which can reduce fever;
• pectin to cleanse the body;
• flavonoids - antioxidant substances for the prevention of cancer;
• energy-boosting sugars;
• beta-sitosterol to improve hormonal processes.

It is thanks to such an extensive list of useful ingredients that raspberry juice is simply irreplaceable during pregnancy.

Video about raspberries

Recipe

A very healthy, tasty and refreshing drink is raspberry juice. The main thing is that it is very simple to prepare.

1. First you need to peel the berries (400 grams), then rinse them with cold boiled water, crush them with a wooden spoon in an enamel bowl. Squeeze the juice from the resulting mass.
2. Prepare a decoction (one liter) from the pomace. Then strain and dissolve sugar (80 grams) in it.
3. Cool and dilute with natural juice. That's all.

Video: Morse made from raspberries, strawberries, wild strawberries, blueberries

Cranberry

Eating cranberries improves appetite and normalizes digestion

Cranberry juice can easily replace medications that are harmful to expectant mothers. It tastes good and is a pleasure to drink.

This drink quenches thirst and hunger, and refreshes. Its benefits cannot be understated. Due to the fact that it is prepared from fresh berries, it retains all the properties of freshly squeezed juice. Vitamins do not die in it, as could happen as a result of heat treatment.

Vitamin C remains intact, as well as H, B6, B1, B2, PP, B9, magnesium, iron, phosphorus. This fruit drink helps with many diseases: it lowers fever, relieves inflammation, and has a diuretic and bactericidal effect.

Video clip from the program “Live Healthy” about cranberries

Cranberry juice is used in the following cases:

• toxicosis;
• high blood pressure, gestosis, swelling;
• colds, ARVI, fever;
• decreased body resistance to disease, general loss of strength;
• accumulation of toxins;
• decreased elasticity of blood vessels, varicose veins;
• headache; decreased brain performance;
• presence of bacteria in the urinary tract;
• deterioration of the digestive process, constipation, dysbacteriosis;
• rheumatism;
• caries, periodontitis.

Recipe

1. First you need to take a wooden masher and pound 400 g of pre-washed and dried cranberries in a mortar.
2. Place the pulp in cheesecloth and squeeze out the juice (or rub through a fine sieve). Pour the remaining pomace with water (1.4 liters) and boil. Then strain and dissolve 180 g of sugar in the resulting liquid.
3. Cool and add juice.

To preserve the beneficial properties of the beak, the juice is not subjected to heat treatment along with the pomace. It is advisable to drink fruit drink warm. Then it will act more actively in the body. After childbirth, cranberry juice will help wound healing.

Video on how to quickly prepare cranberry juice

Lingonberry

Lingonberries are rich in carotene, and their regular consumption can improve visual acuity.

It is especially pleasant to drink lingonberry juice in the heat - it perfectly quenches thirst. It is also very important for the expectant mother that the drink is a diuretic and relieves swelling. Fruit juice has a similar effect if you take it two cups a day for a week.

All the valuable components contained in the berries are preserved in lingonberry juice. It strengthens the immune system, replenishes the lack of vitamins and beneficial microelements. Few people know that lingonberries contain a lot of carotene, even more than carrots. Fruit juice is also rich in antioxidants, removes toxins from the body, reduces high blood pressure, and relieves anemia caused by iron deficiency.

If hemoglobin decreases, drink lingonberry juice or decoction.

Video about the wonderful properties of lingonberries

Coughs and colds recede under the influence of the drink; it helps to cope with inflammation, has an antimicrobial, diuretic and antiseptic effect. They can be used to gargle during ARVI.

Drink fruit juice to prevent constipation and normalize the functioning of the digestive system. Regular consumption of lingonberry juice has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, calms and relaxes.

Composition and energy value of lingonberry juice

Recipe

Ingredients:

• lingonberries (3 cups);
• sugar (1 cup);
• cinnamon (one stick);
• vanilla (pinch);
• water (4 glasses).

1. Mash the berries with a spoon in an enamel pan. Using gauze, squeeze the juice out of the lingonberries.
2. Pour cold water over the squeezes. In an enamel container, covered with a lid, boil this mixture on the stove.
3. Then add sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, pour in the juice and mix everything. Remove from heat.
4. Next, you should strain the drink and cool it.

Video: Lingonberry juice is the best remedy for colds

How to drink fruit juice

During pregnancy, various complications arise. The function of the urinary system may be impaired, kidney disease worsens, and edema appears. It is in such cases that it is especially recommended that expectant mothers consume fruit drinks.

Scientists have conducted research on the effects of lingonberries and cranberries on the body. It turns out that the substances contained in the berries of these plants prevent the development of pathogenic microbes in the bladder.

Therefore, doctors advise pregnant women to consume fruit drinks made from these berries if any inflammation of the genitourinary system occurs.

• To prevent pyelonephritis, cystitis and urethritis, the expectant mother should drink only one glass of fruit drink a day.
• To get rid of swelling before meals you need to take two tablespoons of the drink.

If you do not neglect prevention, then not only the genitourinary system will be in order, but also the condition of varicose veins will improve, due to the fact that fruit drinks contain flavonoids.

Contraindications

Eating lingonberries can be harmful if consumed incorrectly. It should not be used in food for the following diseases:

• Cholecystitis.
• Ulcer of the duodenum or stomach.
• Gastritis.
• Individual reaction to components in the composition of fruits.
• Urolithiasis disease.

If kidney function is impaired, it is better to avoid using the product completely. This can cause dehydration of the body. People who have low blood pressure should also be more careful. It is better for her to discuss the question of whether a pregnant woman can eat lingonberries with the gynecologist monitoring her condition.

What are the contraindications to taking berries?

Lingonberry, despite all its undoubted benefits, is a herbal preparation, which means it also has its contraindications. And during pregnancy they should be taken into account especially. As doctors say, lingonberry is a fairly serious medicine, so you should not combine the use of leaves and fruits with other active substances and agents - there is a risk of enhancing the effect, which is not desirable for expectant mothers. Also, you should not recommend therapy to friends and women on the forum, even if it helped a particular lady. After all, each body is individual, and it is unknown how taking such an active berry will affect different women.

The list of prohibitions on using lingonberries during pregnancy includes the following items:

• A woman's tendency to bleed, because... some components of the berry composition lead to increased uterine tone
• Decreased blood clotting
• Cholecystitis
• Stones in the kidneys
• Bladder stones
• Low blood pressure
• Ulcer
• Stool disorder

Also, you should not practice eating lingonberries if you are individually intolerant - an allergy in an expectant mother is not the best thing.

How to select and store lingonberries?

Berries for storage are harvested in the fall; lingonberry leaves for the same purpose should be collected in the spring. If you do this later, the raw material will begin to turn black. You can pick the berries yourself or buy them fresh or frozen in the store. You should not choose fruits that are too soft and overripe for this purpose.

When preparing for storage, the berries must be washed and dried, placed on a napkin. Then place in a tray and put in the freezer. After the freezing procedure is completed, remove them from the chamber and place them in a bag, then put them back. They can be stored throughout the winter.

When is lingonberry herb used?

Another name for lingonberry, which is used in pharmaceuticals, is Vaccinium. The herb is widely used in doctoral practice. Has the same spectrum of action as the fruits and leaves.

The herb is used not only as a medicine, it is included in many cosmetics, in cooking, and in essential oil therapy.

Use of herbs during pregnancy:

• treatment of pyelonephritis, auxiliary therapy for nephropathy;
• prevention and treatment of urinary system infections;
• maintaining the condition of diabetes mellitus and acquired immunodeficiency.

Lingonberry herb is sold in pharmacies, and it is also possible to prepare the herb yourself. Whatever herb you use, purchased or collected yourself, in any case, before you start using it, you should visit a doctor and find out if you have any contraindications to treatment with lingonberry herb.

Decoction of lingonberry leaves

To prepare decoctions, the steps will be as follows:

• Take 2 large spoons of crushed leaves and pour a glass of boiling water.
• Boil for half an hour in a water bath and cool.
• Strain the resulting liquid and add another glass of water.

Decoctions are used as a diuretic to lower blood pressure. There is also a good effect of the drug in the fight against cystitis. You can drink the resulting product one glass 3 or 4 times a day.

Doctors' opinion

During pregnancy, lingonberry leaf is most often used as a diuretic for nephropathy and the treatment of urinary tract infections. Lingonberry leaf is also prescribed to expectant mothers who suffer from diabetes.

But this question remains one of many medical questions that are unclear to us: is it possible to take lingonberry leaves during pregnancy or not?

Some doctors categorically prohibit doing this, citing the fact that this plant can tone the uterus. Others explain that starting from week 28, it is quite possible to resort to this folk remedy against edema. But there are still others who are convinced that with the correct dosage and method of application, lingonberry leaf is absolutely safe and even beneficial for mother and baby at any stage of pregnancy. Moreover, this remedy is considered quite easy.

There can be only one piece of advice here: trust your doctor. Otherwise, find someone else whose recommendations you will follow with a calm heart.

Despite the fact that there are many articles on the Internet about the great benefits of the northern berry for the body of expectant mothers, opinions about lingonberries in the professional community are ambiguous. There is no question about the use of berries - they are always useful, and here doctors agree. But lingonberry leaves, which are considered an effective diuretic, raise doubts.

In any case, the WHO monographs and the Handbook of medicinal herbs by James A. Duke do not support the use of lingonberry leaves while expecting a child. At the same time, doctors emphasize that you can gargle and wash with a decoction of the leaves, but it is better not to take it orally.

But the official instructions for using the drug “Lingonberry Leaves,” which can be bought at any pharmacy, do not include pregnancy in the list of contraindications, and that is why the whole world, which lives according to WHO recommendations, does not give lingonberry leaves to pregnant women, and Russian women continue to take them as a diuretic, anti-inflammatory drug, if, while waiting for the baby, cystitis suddenly worsens or swelling appears.

Whether to take it or not is up to you and your doctor to decide. We have only presented two official points of view.

How many lingonberries can you eat without harm to your health?

For a pregnant woman, it is enough to eat 100-200 g of fresh lingonberries per day or drink no more than two glasses of freshly squeezed juice. This is enough for the body to receive vitamins in the required quantities, as well as to provide a diuretic effect.

There are many recipes for preparing potions and various dishes from berries. After culinary processing of raw materials, their nutritional and medicinal value is still preserved. If no heat treatment has been carried out, the beneficial substances will be retained in greater quantities than when boiled or baked.

It is recommended to consume lingonberries during pregnancy only after the approval of your doctor. If it is necessary to cure any disease, folk remedies may not give the desired result. If professional diagnosis has not been carried out, it is dangerous to rely on the effect of home remedies. Without consulting a doctor, you can mistake the symptoms of one disease for another and miss the favorable time for treatment. As directed by your doctor, you can use lingonberry products in strict accordance with the prescribed dosage.

Methods of use

How to prepare lingonberry juice during pregnancy? The recipe is simple. In order to prepare lingonberry juice , you need to take three glasses of lingonberries, one small spoon of cane sugar, a little vanilla (on the tip of a knife), one cinnamon stick and the zest of half a lemon.

The lingonberries are sorted, leaving only good berries, and then washed in cold running water. Next, it is poured into an enamel pan and mashed to a puree using a masher or a wooden spoon.

Lingonberry puree is poured into three glasses of clean cold water and set to cook over medium heat, covering the pan with a lid.

When the water starts to boil, add cane sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and lemon. Mix everything thoroughly and remove from heat.

The resulting fruit drink must be filtered and cooled . When the fruit drink is lukewarm, sugar is added to it (to taste).

Sometimes honey is used instead of sugar, but this is not recommended. The fact is that lingonberries have a diuretic effect, and honey, on the contrary, is able to retain fluid in the body.

As a result of this, honey and lingonberries neutralize each other , which means the drink will lose all its medicinal properties.

Lingonberry juice - “Live Healthy!” program

Tips for storing berries

In order to preserve all the benefits in the berry, you don’t need much effort. The berry contains benzic acid, which helps the fruit retain its appearance and properties for a long time. So, fresh lingonberries can be washed well under running water and placed in a cold place by simply filling them with purified water.

In this form, the berry can last up to two months . Another, more common way is to preserve lingonberry jam. For those who cannot handle the craft of conservation, if a simplified version.

To do this, the berries are ground with sugar and placed in jars. This preparation must be stored in the refrigerator, and lingonberries in this form will easily last for about six months.

You can simply freeze the berries, and at any time you will have a fresh miracle berry on hand; remember that frozen berries are not recommended to be stored for more than a year.

Lingonberries can be dried; for this it is better to use special dryers for dried fruits. Such devices dry the berries without leaving any liquid in them, but preserving the beneficial properties and weight of the vitamin composition.

Well, with lingonberry leaves and twigs, in general, you just need to dry them and put them in an airtight container. It is worth remembering that lingonberries can absorb radionuclides from the environment, so it is important to collect the berries away from roads or industries.