Edible Berries: Juniper; History, Culinary Uses and Nutrition

avatar

Junipers (juniperus communis) are coniferous, evergreen trees that grow in a variety of locations from the rocky soil of mountain slopes to semi-arid moorlands and forests. They are native to Eurasia and North America where they grow wild and are also used as garden ornamentals.

image.png
source

The appearance of juniper is extremely varied. Some tree species can grow to a height of forty feet, while others are dense, hardy bushes. Juniper berries are most popular in European cuisine and are probably best known as one of the herbal flavorings in gin. Juniper also has numerous uses in European folk medicine. The berries and roots where used to make brown or khaki colored dye, and the smoked flavor of Juniper wood is used to cure meat and fish. In North America juniper is sometimes known as mountain or melmot berry.

Juniper has a long history dating back to the ancient European civilizations and was mentioned in Egyptian scrolls from 2800 B.C. The Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder recommended juniper as a diuretic and to alleviate such ailments as cystitis, as did the Greek physician Dioscorides. The Romans also used juniper berries, like peppercorns, as a condiment. Juniper is mentioned in the Old Testament when the prophet Elijah is said to have avoided capture from King Ahab by taking refuge under a large juniper bush. Also in the Gospel of Matthew (2: 13-23), the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus hid behind a juniper tree to avoid king Herod’s army.

During the time of the Black Death in Medieval Europe, 1348-1350, juniper trees were burned in the streets as it was thought the aroma cleaned the air of infection. It was also thought that planting juniper by the entrance to a house would deter witches.

The Culinary Uses of Juniper: Only the berries of the juniper tree are edible, although the tree’s prickly needles and bark is used to make tea. Moreover, not all juniper tree species produce edible berries, so foraging for juniper in the wild takes some expertise. There are also some conifers with berries that look similar to juniper, such as yew trees (Taxus spp.), that are infact toxic. Juniper berries are usually harvested at the end of summer when they are ripe. The berries are sun dried, during which time they become shriveled and change color from blue-green or grey-green to purple or black.

Juniper berries have an aromatic, slightly bitter taste which pairs well with strongly flavored meats, as in the classical French style, a l’ardennaise (juniper berries and wild game). Whole berries are used in court bouillon and crushed for spice rubs and marinades. The flavor of juniper berries is used to infuse cooking oils for stir fry’s, not to be confused with juniper essential oil, which should not be consumed. Juniper berries are not only an integral flavor in gin, but also the spirits aquavits and some Scandinavian beers.

Juniper Berries and Nutrition:Juniper berries are a source of vitamin C and contain hundreds of compounds including flavonoids, resins, sulfur, tannins and terpenes. A tonic of juniper acts as a diuretic, is antibacterial and antiseptic. This helps to detoxify and eliminate waste from the kidneys, urinary-tract and treat infections such as cystitis. Caution; pregnant woman should not consume juniper as it has been know to cause uterine contradictions, resulting in abortion. Also because juniper berries contain thujone, a type of mildly toxic terpene, they should not be consumed in large amounts as they can cause convulsions.

Juniper is known to cleanse the digestion, alleviate gas, heartburn and ulcers. The flavonoids present in juniper have antioxidant activity which helps prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidization, thereby protecting against cardiovascular disease. Because juniper has anti-inflammatory effects, Juniper essential oil is used to massage aching joints and muscles. It can also alleviate rheumatism, arthritis and sciatica. Native Americans chewed juniper berries to relieve colds, they also ground them to make flour.

References:



0
0
0.000
2 comments