Juniper Fruit

The whole juniper fruit is a spice that allows you to enjoy the wonderful, forest scent in the kitchen, and to enjoy the sweet, bitter-burning taste. To achieve this effect, we can add whole or crushed fruit grains to marinades, roasts, cabbage and all kinds of vegetable dishes. It is also perfect as a spice that improves the taste of alcoholic beverages.

Culinary recipe with this product - Steamed ham with rosemary

Juniper - properties and application of the fruit

Juniper is an evergreen coniferous shrub with short, subtle leaves and black fruits called cones. In the past, the apartment was incensed with junipers to protect oneself from evil spirits and diseases. Today, the effect of its fruit is used more rationally, e.g. it is valued as an aromatic and digestive spice.

Juniper - what is it?

Juniper is one of about 60 species of the Cypress family that occur in the Northern Hemisphere. It occurs most often as a flat shrub or a larger straight tree with branches attached to it. The leaves, approx. 1 cm long, are spiky, stiff and prickly. It can be found on mountain slopes, moors and peat bogs. It eagerly grows in sandy and barren soils (hence the name). It occurs mainly in Mediterranean countries, and the main suppliers of juniper fruit are: southern France, Hungary and Italy. Juniper grains are odorless. Crushed or ground, they release a strong spicy and aromatic fragrance. The taste of juniper is sweetish.

Juniper - properties

Ripe juniper fruits have a distinctly resinous taste and smell. Medicinal substances are obtained from all parts of juniper - fruit, leaves and wood. Juniper fruits have antiseptic, bactericidal and diuretic properties, improve blood supply to the gastrointestinal mucosa, prevent flatulence and improve blood circulation. Juniper infusion or extract is used for bladder problems.

Juniper fruits contain:

• contain 0.5-2 percent. essential oil,
• inositol,
• flavonoids,
• bitter juniperine,
• organic acids (malic, formic, acetic),
• resin,
• tannins,
• waxes,
• dyes,
• sugar compounds approx. 30 percent.

Juniper - action

Ripe blue fruit is the most valuable. They should be picked when they change color from green to navy blue, but this process may take up to two years. Blueberries are used as a medicine for urinary tract infections. They are a means of detoxifying the body of acids, which is why they are used in the treatment of gout. The cleansing effect is based on the stimulation of kidney function, and the main component responsible for the diuretic effect is non-toxic terpinen-4-ol.

The essential oil is not considered a safe diuretic because it is irritating to the kidneys and may cause bleeding. Juniper has found application in the treatment of rheumatism - juniper oil is added to prepared rubbing preparations because it has a warming effect. It is used externally in case of purulent and inflammatory skin conditions, incl. for the treatment of boils and psoriasis lesions. Phenyl compounds, which are antioxidants, are responsible for the anti-inflammatory effect of juniper.

Juniper is used as a gastric medicine for indigestion and problems with the digestive tract. It also affects the liver and has a choleretic effect - it increases the flow of bile, making it easier to digest the meal. It prevents flatulence, so it is added to hard-to-digest dishes. Some sources say that juniper stimulates the appetite. According to Spanish authors, the fruit (extract) has a hypoglycemic effect, so people with diabetes can feel the benefits of using it.

Juniper - application

Juniper fruits are a spice used for game, pates, cabbage, mutton, veal. They can be added to dishes made of beans and other pods. It also works well for fermenting cabbage, cucumbers or red beetroots. I add them to heavy and fatty dishes, marinating mushrooms, e.g. chanterelles, as well as marinades for meat and fish in order to enhance the taste. Cold cuts are smoked in juniper smoke, which gives them a specific smell, taste and durability. Juniper berries are commonly used as a scent and flavor ingredient in the production of alcohol, e.g. gin. In addition, a non-alcoholic, carbonated juniper drink is also available regionally.

It has a pleasant taste, and additionally supports digestion and speeds up the metabolism by removing toxins from the body. This makes juniper support the fight against cellulite. Thanks to its antiseptic and diastolic properties, juniper is also used for the sinuses, and for inhalation. It is also an excellent element of hair care - it prevents hair loss and cleanses the skin, inhibiting the formation of dandruff. Essential oils are available at pharmacies.

Juniper infusion and tincture

Juniper fruit infusion was used as a mouthwash to get rid of unpleasant odors. Some people recommend chewing 4 berries a day to get rid of bad breath. For this purpose, the juniper treatment is used. On the first day, you chew one fruit, on the second - two, etc., reaching 20 fruits. Then their number is systematically reduced.

For proper digestion and improvement of appetite, it is recommended to make a decoction of juniper:

• Pour 1 teaspoon of fruit into 1 glass of water and boil it,
• strain after 15 minutes, d
• rink 1 tablespoon 2-3 times a day after eating.

Juniper infusion compresses or tincture are used in rheumatic pains and neuralgia as well as in inflammation of the nerve roots.

Juniper wine recipe

Crush 2 handfuls of fresh juniper berries in a mortar, put them in a pot and cover with water to cover the berries. Simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze the fruit, add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the broth and heat it over low heat until the liquid thickens. Pour a liter of red wine, mix it, set aside for 3 days in a warm place, then pour into bottles. If you have bladder problems, drink it in the morning after a glass.

Juniper fights dandruff

Juniper fruit extract has strong disinfecting properties - according to many scientists, juniper oil has a bactericidal effect comparable to antibiotics. That is why juniper infusion can effectively fight yeasts that cause dandruff - it's best to rub it into the scalp and rinse with lukewarm water after 20 minutes.