Study: Lingonberries Could Prevent Weight Gain
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- A type of berry popular in Europe may be able to help fight body fat.
A new study in Sweden says overweight mice who were fed lingonberries for three months experienced an improvement in their overall health, including weight loss and lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Doctors say don't overload on these berries just yet.
"Our society is prone to grabbing easy solutions and that leads to certain fads," said Dr. Jeremy Korman, a weight loss expert and a bariatric surgeon.
Korman says berries have proven to be good for one's health but that this study could turn lingonberries into a trend.
A similar thing happened to acai berries, which have been flying off the shelves since being labeled a "super berry."
However, in this study, acai berries actually led to weight gain.
Korman says a healthy diet and exercise will most likely be all that's needed to help maintain a healthy weight.
"I hope that as news comes out about certain health benefits, of any type of food, that people don't just flock to trying to eat that food as much as possible," Korman said.
Lingonberries are sold at Ikea and prepared in dishes at IHOP restaurants. They can also be purchased online and at specialty food stores.