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Juniper at a Glance
Juniperus communis is an evergreen conifer in the Cupressaceae family. The familiar blue-black “berries” are actually fleshy seed cones.
Culinary Use
Juniper berry cones are used as a spice in European cooking, especially with game, cabbage and rich meats, and they provide the characteristic botanical note in gin.
Traditional Use
Juniper has also been used traditionally as an aromatic urinary and digestive herb. This history does not establish that it treats urinary tract infection, kidney stones or kidney disease.
Research
Laboratory studies have examined volatile oils and antimicrobial or diuretic activity, but high-quality human clinical evidence is limited.
Safety
Culinary amounts are generally well tolerated. Concentrated medicinal use is not appropriate during pregnancy because of historical uterine and renal concerns. People with kidney disease should avoid unsupervised medicinal use. Essential oil is much more concentrated than culinary berries. Persistent urinary pain, fever, blood in urine or flank pain requires medical assessment.
Folklore
Juniper has a long European and northern folk reputation for purification, protection and smoke cleansing.
Bottom Line
Juniper is both a culinary spice and a traditional urinary herb, but pregnancy and kidney cautions are important for medicinal use. For educational purposes only.