Basically, the cranberry looks like a lingonberry that has become much too large, which is why the American berry species is often offered in German supermarkets as "cultivated lingonberries". However, this statement is incorrect from a botanical point of view, because cranberries and lingonberries are related to each other, but still have significant differences in appearance and taste.
Similarities between cranberry and lingonberry
Both species belong to the heather family and within it to the blueberry genus (Latin "Vaccinium"), so they are not only related to each other, but also to the blueberry. Both types prefer acidic soil and develop bright red berries, which taste rather sour and tart and are particularly good as jam or fruity sauce with venison. However, this is where the similarities stop.
The cranberries
The cranberry is a creeping shrub with very long shoots and roots. The plant prefers very acidic and moist soils in raised bogs. Its pink-white, delicate flowers are reminiscent of a crane's head (hence the name "Crane Berry" = "crane berry"), the fruits are about the size of sweet cherries. Depending on the variety, ripe fruits can be bright red to almost black in color. The leaves are narrow and ovate, tapering towards the front. The cranberry only has its natural range in North America.
ingredients of the cranberry
Per 100 grams contain fresh cranberries
- around 13 milligrams of vitamin C
- 85 milligrams of potassium
- around 5 milligrams of fiber
- around 12 milligrams of carbohydrates
- 46 calories
- also vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamins of the B group, vitamin E
- as well as iron and other minerals, antioxidants and tannins.
The lingonberry
The European lingonberry is an upright dwarf shrub that prefers sandy, only moderately acidic soil. Its white to red flowers open downwards like a bell. The pea-sized fruits are scarlet red when ripe. The leaves are broad and ovate, also blunt at the tip. In contrast to cranberries, cranberries have little flesh with many seeds. Unlike cranberries, cranberries are not sensitive to frost. Its ingredients are roughly the same as cranberries, except that the American cousin has more of everything to offer.
tips and tricks
If you have kidney problems or are even on dialysis, you should avoid eating both cranberries and cranberries. The ingredients stimulate kidney activity and are therefore harmful to people with kidney damage.