All About Juniper Berries + 11 Delicious Juniper Berry Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How many juniper berries can you eat a day? ›

When taken by mouth: Juniper, juniper berry, and juniper extract are LIKELY SAFE when consumed in amounts normally found in foods. But it is LIKELY UNSAFE to take more than 10 grams of juniper berries or more than 100 mg of juniper oil, or to take juniper for more than 4 weeks.

Juniper is commonly used with lamb (or mutton) and is particularly good with venison, wild boar, and even domestic pork. You could even add them to a pot of chili, to give a rustic flavor that complements ground smoked chile peppers. Juniper is also a good flavoring to use with roast duck.

Certain varieties of juniper berry contain safe, low amounts of Thujone, while other varieties contain high levels and can make you very sick. The common juniper, Juniperus communis, is the variety most often used to make gin, medicines, and food dishes, as it is considered safe for human consumption.

Juniper is used for digestion problems including upset stomach, intestinal gas (flatulence), heartburn, bloating, and loss of appetite, as well as gastrointestinal (GI) infections and intestinal worms. It is also used for urinary tract infections (UTIs) and kidney and bladder stones.

Warnings About Juniper Berries

‌In animal studies, researchers have found that taking juniper for too long or taking high doses has consequences. It can irritate your digestive system or your kidneys. Some researchers warn against taking juniper supplements if you have diabetes. It might make your symptoms worse.

Kidney Health

Juniper is a powerful diuretic – a herb that increases the flow of urine, helping to cleanse the system of excess fluids and stimulating the kidneys. This causes the body to flush out uric acid and excess crystals that can cause many problems including gout, arthritis and kidney stones.

The consumption of berry extract of juniper might lower blood sugar too much in a patient with diabetes. Therefore, the berry extract should be avoided by patients taking medication for diabetes mellitus because it may cause a further decrease in blood sugar to very low levels.

Can You Eat Juniper Berries? Yes, juniper berries are edible. In fact, you may have tasted them before without even knowing it if you drink alcoholic beverages.

Juniper's treatment mimics this hormone by suppressing your appetite and increasing the feeling of being full. With behavioural modifications, this treatment is considered an effective option for long-term weight loss¹.

The ancient magical properties of juniper include love/attraction, protection, good luck, increased visions, wisdom, prosperity & clarity. Juniper has been popularly used in blessing & purification rituals.

Is juniper good for blood pressure? ›

Use with caution if you have blood pressure problems. Juniper may have effects on blood pressure and make its control more difficult. Topical application of juniper oil may cause irritation, burning, redness and/or swelling in some people.

They are a natural bug repellent. They are known for repelling ticks and mosquitoes. We grind the berries to add a little extra scrub factor. They have a fantastic woodsy smell.

Always wait to crush or grind juniper berries just before you use them, as the volatile component evaporates rapidly once exposed to the air. Juniper berries will have a shelf life of 2 to 3 years when stored correctly.

Crush the berry or toast it; crush it if you want a stronger flavor. Rub it into the meat with some ginger or garlic. Sear the meat. Deglaze the hot pan (add some liquid to loosen up the meat flavors at the bottom of the pan).

Stomach and Bladder

Use Juniper berries as a tea for urinary tract problems by increasing urine flow (diuretic). This helps clear the kidneys, bladder, gallbladder, and prostate; helps with heartburn and can be used to calm an upset stomach. Juniper activates the digestive system and stimulates digestive processes.

It can be used as a spice—a little goes a very long way. It's a great adjunct to meat dishes such as beef, pork, or wild game such as venison. Scandinavians, Northern Italians, and Germans use juniper berries in many dishes. The berries add delicious flavor to vegetable dishes and things like sauerkraut.