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Lingonberries are small, glossy red berries from a low evergreen shrub, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, a close relative of cranberries and blueberries. They taste tart, a little bitter, and are usually cooked into jam or sauce rather than eaten by the handful. USDA has only a thin data record for the lingonberry: one raw entry with calories, carbohydrate and vitamin C, but no fiber or sugar values. This guide covers the botany, what that USDA entry shows, how lingonberry vs cranberry compares, and what the small body of human research does and does not say.
Peptide Labs does not sell lingonberries or lingonberry products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- The lingonberry is Vaccinium vitis-idaea, a shrub the USDA PLANTS Database lists as native to Alaska, Canada, Greenland and parts of the lower 48 states.
- USDA SR Legacy has one raw lingonberry entry, with 23% of the Daily Value for vitamin C per 100 grams, but no fiber or sugar values.
- Lingonberries and cranberries are both Vaccinium berries; cranberries grow in wet habitats, while lingonberries are mostly picked from the wild.
- Human research on lingonberries is thin; the most cited trial used a mixed cranberry and lingonberry drink, so it cannot say what lingonberries do alone.
- Jams and sauces are often sweetened, so the added sugars line on the label matters.
What are lingonberries?
The USDA PLANTS Database lists Vaccinium vitis-idaea under the common name lingonberry, in the heath family (Ericaceae). In USDA PLANTS it is a perennial shrub or subshrub, native to Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Saint Pierre and Miquelon and the lower 48 states. In Alaska the plant is also called lowbush cranberry, and the USDA food database files it as “Cranberry, low bush or lingenberry, raw (Alaska Native)”, with the name spelled differently from the usual lingonberry.
A 2021 review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences notes that lingonberries are less common in everyday diets than blueberries or cranberries because they are collected from the wild and plant breeding of lingonberry is still on a small scale. That is why most shoppers in the US meet the lingonberry as a jar of jam or a frozen bag in a specialty store rather than as fresh fruit.
The genus Vaccinium also includes cranberries, blueberries, huckleberries and the European bilberries, which are covered in our sibling guide.
Lingonberry nutrition: what USDA data shows
USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) has one raw lingonberry entry, collected for a set of Alaska Native foods. It lists only a few nutrients, so the table shows what exists and marks the gaps. Values are per 100 grams because USDA gives no household portion for this entry. Percent Daily Values use FDA reference values.
| Per 100 g (USDA FDC ID) | Lingonberry, raw, Alaska Native (169805) | Cranberries, raw (171722) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 55 | 46 |
| Water | 86.7 g | 87.3 g |
| Carbohydrate (% DV) | 12.2 g (4%) | 12.0 g (4%) |
| Fiber (% DV) | not listed | 3.6 g (13%) |
| Total sugars | not listed | 4.3 g |
| Protein (% DV) | 0.4 g (1%) | 0.5 g (1%) |
| Fat (% DV) | 0.5 g (1%) | 0.1 g (0%) |
| Vitamin C (% DV) | 21 mg (23%) | 14 mg (16%) |
| Iron (% DV) | 0.4 mg (2%) | 0.2 mg (1%) |
| Calcium (% DV) | 26 mg (2%) | 8 mg (1%) |
Per 100 grams in this USDA data, lingonberries have a few more calories and somewhat more vitamin C than raw cranberries, with similar carbohydrate. Because the entry has no fiber, sugar, potassium, vitamin K or manganese values, it is not possible to say from USDA data how lingonberries compare on those nutrients. Be cautious with any website that lists a full lingonberry nutrition panel and check where its numbers come from. For fruits with complete vitamin C data, see our guide to vitamin C in foods.
Lingonberry vs cranberry
The two berries are easy to confuse, and some regional names even call the lingonberry a cranberry. Here is how they differ, using official and peer-reviewed sources where a fact is not just a kitchen observation.
| Feature | Lingonberry | Cranberry |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Vaccinium vitis-idaea | Vaccinium macrocarpon (American cranberry); Vaccinium oxycoccos |
| Plant | Low evergreen shrub (USDA PLANTS) | Evergreen shrub of wet habitats (NCCIH) |
| Where it comes from | Mostly collected from the wild; breeding is small scale | Native to the Northeastern and North Central parts of North America (NCCIH) |
| USDA data | One Alaska Native entry, few nutrients | Full raw entry with fiber and sugars |
| Vitamin C per 100 g | 23% DV | 16% DV |
| Common forms | Jam, sauce, frozen berries | Sauce, juice drinks, sweetened dried berries |
Both berries are tart enough that most products add sugar. FDA counts sugars from syrups, honey and concentrated fruit juices as added sugars, and the FDA Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams a day on a 2,000-calorie diet. A spoon of lingonberry jam can carry far more sugar than the berry itself, so compare the added sugars line between jars. Our guide to fruit sugar levels puts tart berries in context.
What research says about lingonberries
Most lingonberry research is laboratory or animal work on the berry’s plant compounds, which cannot show what eating the fruit does for people. Human studies are few:
- Cranberry-lingonberry drink (BMJ, 2001): a Finnish randomized study enrolled 150 women who had recently had a urinary tract infection caused by E. coli. At six months of the trial, 16% of women in the juice group had another infection, compared with 36% in the group with no drink; a Lactobacillus drink showed no effect. Because the drink mixed cranberry and lingonberry, the trial cannot say what lingonberries do on their own, and it was small.
- Review (Microorganisms, 2024): a review of lingonberry studies in human cells and clinical settings concluded that more studies in humans are needed.
In short, the lingonberry is a nutritious wild fruit, but there is no solid human evidence that it does anything specific for health. Urinary symptoms such as burning, urgency, fever or blood in the urine need a clinician, not a jar of jam. For the much larger body of cranberry research, see our cranberry pills guide.
Cautions
- Allergies: lingonberries are not among the nine major food allergens under US law, but any food can cause a reaction in some people; check jam and sauce ingredient lists for other additions.
- Added sugar: sweetened jams, sauces and juice drinks are the most common forms; read the added sugars line.
- Wild picking: only pick berries you can identify with certainty, and follow local rules for foraging on public land.
- Supplements: lingonberry extracts are not the same as the fruit, and there is little human research on them; ask a healthcare provider before starting one, especially if you take medicines.
How to enjoy lingonberries
- Frozen: frozen lingonberries are the easiest form to find outside specialty shops and can go straight into cooking.
- Quick sauce: simmering the berries briefly with a little sweetener makes a tart sauce; tasting as you go keeps the sugar in your hands.
- Jam: compare jars by fruit content and added sugars.
- Mixing: lingonberries pair well with sweeter fruit such as strawberries or raspberries in baking and oatmeal.
- Nordic-style meals: berries from northern forests feature in the eating pattern covered in our Nordic diet guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a lingonberry?
A small, tart red berry from Vaccinium vitis-idaea, a low evergreen shrub in the heath family that the USDA PLANTS Database lists as native to Alaska, Canada, Greenland and parts of the lower 48 states.
Is a lingonberry the same as a cranberry?
No. They are related Vaccinium berries, but the American cranberry is Vaccinium macrocarpon, while the lingonberry is Vaccinium vitis-idaea. In Alaska the lingonberry is sometimes called lowbush cranberry.
Are lingonberries healthy?
In USDA data they provide vitamin C, about 23% of the Daily Value per 100 grams, with modest calories. USDA has no fiber or sugar values for them, and human research on specific effects is limited.
Do lingonberries help with urinary tract infections?
The most cited trial tested a mixed cranberry and lingonberry drink in 150 women, so it cannot show what lingonberries do alone. See a clinician for urinary symptoms.
What do lingonberries taste like?
Tart and slightly bitter, which is why they are usually sweetened in jam or sauce.
Where can I find lingonberries in the US?
Mostly as jam or frozen berries in specialty and Scandinavian food shops, since the fruit is largely picked from the wild rather than farmed.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Bilberries: Bilberry vs Blueberry, Night Vision and Nutrition, Cranberries: Nutrition, Dried Cranberries and What Research Shows, Blueberries: Nutrition, Benefits and Frozen Blueberries.