Juniper berry essential oil health benefits are so unbelievable. Many people are unfortunately not aware of the great health benefits of Juniper berry Essential Oil. Sad to realize that these health benefits from nature are not used to their potential.
Juniper berry is a coniferous shrub. Botanically known as Juniperus communis. Juniper berry belongs to the Pine family (Cupressaceae). These shrubs are mostly seen in the mountains of Southwest Asia, Europe, and North America.
In the United States, Juniper berry shrubs grow in the Appalachian mountains in California. Also in Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico.
Juniper shrubs can be identified by their needle-like leaves and green in color. Its trunks are reddish-brown, flowers are yellow and berries are black or blue.
It is worth mentioning that berries are produced by only female trees. The shrubs can grow as much as 25 feet high. The leaves release a kind of apple or lemon smell when squeezed with fingers.
Table of Contents
History of Juniper Berry
In ancient times juniper berry essential oil is used for religious purposes. It is also for treating many ailments and adding flavor to alcoholic drinks like gin.
Additionally, juniper berry trees are used as shelterbelts to protect other plants from strong winds. Also, it is out of good use to make furniture, pencils, fence, home ornament plants, and so on. Not to forget that aromatic wood is also taken from Juniper Berry branches.
How Juniper Berry oil is produced?
Juniper berry essential oil is produced from leaves, branches, and berries. Normally, it is steamed and distilled before usage. The essential oil extracted from berries are very high in quality. It looks thick, a little woody, and slightly watery with a fruity fragrance.
The sun and oven drying of the Juniper berry leaves and berries respectively, extract a high volume of essential oil. Shade dying is adapted to produce more Delta 3 Carene and alpha-pinene substances in the essential oil extract.
Juniper Berry Properties
Juniper berry essential oil has several natural health-related properties. Here is the long list of properties
- antiseptic
- antirheumatic
- sudorific
- antispasmodic
- depurative
- stomachic
- stimulating
- carminative
- astringent
- rubefacient
- diuretic
- tonic substance
- vulnerary
This is the reason why it is used for treating many ailments. Juniper berry essential oil health benefits are huge because of the long list of health-related properties.
Here are the top health benefits of Juniper berry essential oil: –
1. Relieves from Bladder and kidney Bloating
Juniper berries deal with bladder and kidney problems. This is because of its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties It is also mostly used for treating bladder and urinary infections. A tonic shot of juniper berry essential oil, taken internally, helps to cure the infections as an option for antibiotics.
Juniper berry essential oil is a natural diuretic to flush out excess fluids from the urethra and bladder. Thereby helping to reduce the bloating in the stomach and kidneys. It also kills any urinal infections and at the same time detoxes the organs.
For maximum results, juniper berries essential oil can be taken along with dandelion, fennel, or cranberries. For the reason effectiveness of antibacterial and diuretic properties.
2. Juniper berry essential oil as an Antiseptic
Juniper essential oil is a germs killer. People are treated for wounds to cure faster. Even it can be used to cure injuries caused during child labor for mothers. It protects the wounds from germs and prevents becoming septic over time.
3. Strengthens Hair
Because of the astringent qualities in the Juniper essential oil, it protects the skin and strengthens the hair. It is a supertonic for the hair to cure hair loss. Juniper berry essential oil strengthens the roots of the hair and increases hair growth.
It is good to combine the juniper essential oil with other essential oils such as cedarwood, rosemary, and olive for effectiveness. Blend these oils together in equal quantities and apply them on the scalp.
Massage the scalp gently for about 10 minutes and rinse it off with lukewarm water. To make it an easier application, you could mix it with an unscented conditioner or shampoo.
4. Removes Excessive Gas in the Stomach
Excessing gas in the stomach not only makes you uncomfortable but also can lead to many undesired health problems. Prolonged gas in the stomach can cause the following:-
- damage to stomach organs
- chest pain
- indigestion
- increase in blood pressure
- heart problems
- uneasiness
- stomach aches
There are times gas tends to push upwards from the stomach and end up choking up a person.
The carminative agents in the juniper berry essential oil help to remove excess gas in flatulence through the intestines.
Apply the juniper berry essential oil on the abdomen and massage it to get absorbed fully by the skin. It will effectively make the gas in the stomach pass through the downward passage and control the gas formation.
5. Antirheumatic health benefits of the juniper berry essential oil
Juniper berry essential oil enhances blood circulation in your body. It is cable of flushing out toxins and mainly the excess uric acid from the body. Because of these characteristics it fights and cures arthritis, rheumatism, renal calculi, and gout ailments.
Also, cures any swellings associated with the accumulation of toxins and improper blood circulation.
6. Antispasmodic
Juniper essential oil functions as a single antispasmodic for many ailments. Such as for all sorts of spasms and cramps from muscular, respiratory, or intestinal.
It does cure spasmodic cholera too. Just apply the Juniper berry essential oil to the affected area and massage the muscles to get immediate relief.
7. Heals and Protects Skin
Juniper berry essential oil is magical when comes to skin protection with its abilities of natural antimicrobial and antibacterial. It is very effective as a natural remedy to cure skin diseases like eczema or rash and other skin infections. It is also a good home remedy to reduce acne. Juniper berries also can be added moderately to your diet to help heal acne scars.
Regular application of this oil makes your skin glow and healthy. Juniper berry essential oil also clears stretch marks and helps with the effects on the skin due to hormone imbalances.
Use a few drops of juniper essential oil as a mild astringent with a carrier oil on your face. Use as a moisturizer every day after washing your face. Adding a few drops of this oil to your bath to treat skin blemishes and remove odor in your feet
8. Boosts Digestion
Using Juniper berry essential oil as a dietary supplement helps to stimulate digestive enzymes. It easily breaks up the fats, protein, and nutrients before absorbing them into your system.
Take a high therapeutic grade of juniper oil as a digestive supplement with little water.
9. Astringent
Juniper berry essential oil is used as an astringent in curing tooth pains. It makes gums stronger to have a good grip on your teeth. This oil helps to contract blood vessels and lower the hemorrhaging impact if there is bleeding.
Use a little Juniper berry essential oil and do swishing or oil pulling back and forth inside your mouth. Do more swishing in the affected area of the tooth. Keep doing this for about 10 minutes then rinse off with lukewarm water.
10. Relaxant and Sleep Aid
The fragrance that emerges from the Juniper essential oil has the ability to give you relief from stress. It is a natural anxiety remedy. Inhaling this oil fragrance produces positive effects with relaxation reactions in the brain.
In one of the studies it was found Juniper berry essential oil fragrance combined with rose, orris, and sandalwood have helped to reduce the drugs taken for insomniacs or those who struggle to sleep. Few people had stopped fully taking drugs to get sleep.
Diffuse juniper berry essential oil throughout your bedroom. Dab some diluted juniper berry oil with a carrier oil on your wrists and clothes. You could add a few drops into the laundry detergent for the good smell to linger on your clothes.
You also can get relaxation by putting a few drops of juniper essential oil in your bathtub while you are soaking in it.
11. Reduce Cellulite with juniper berry essential oil
You could reduce the appearance of cellulite with juniper berry essential oil. For better results take a high therapeutic grade of juniper berry essential oil with grapefruit cellulite cream before applying it to the affected areas of your skin.
12. Heartburn and Acid Reflux Relief
Traditionally, treating heartburn and acid reflux is a practice with Juniper essential oil. This is a simple home remedy for acid reflux.
Blend a few drops of juniper essential oil with coconut oil and massage in the areas of the chest, stomach, and abdomen. You also can take it orally.
13. Insect Repellent
The fragrance of the Juniper essential oil is a super insect repellent just like the citronella oil. Mix a few drops of juniper essential oil with a carrier oil and massage on onto your skin to keep the bugs away from your body.
Alternatively, you could diffuse the oil indoors and outdoors. This will purify the air preventing insects around and bug bites.
14. Great Antioxidant
The healing abilities are very high in juniper berry essential oil because it is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants assist in the slow degradation of skin related to age and same time protect the skin.
A study says Juniper essential oil is increasing three types of antioxidants in your body. The antioxidants are Glutathione Peroxidase, Superoxide Dismutase, and Catalase.
These antioxidants give enormous health benefits to your body. Particularly, the Glutathione Peroxidase antioxidant is linked to protecting from the forming of cancer and heart diseases. Certain lab tests have shown significant anticancer signs against the leukemia cells.
15. Flavour Enhancer and Natural Preservative
Interestingly, juniper berries are the one main ingredient in making gin. It is also added to foods like bitters, certain drinks, marinades, sauces, and sauerkraut recipes. Apart from its taste for flavors, it also works as a food preservative to protect food from bacteria.
16. Reduces Dandruff
The essential oil of juniper berries helps to cure dandruff. The astringent and as well as anti-fungal qualities of juniper berry essential oil assist in decreasing dandruff growth. It moisturizes the scalp and helps in avoiding excessive dandruff because of the dryness of the scalp. Juniper berry oil calms the scalp from itching due to dandruff.
How to Make Juniper Berry Essential Oil at home
The normal way of making juniper berry essential oil is by steam distilling the leaves, branches, and berries. At home, also you can make this oil from berries easily. Here are the steps.
- Fill one-third of a sterilized jar with juniper berries
- Then fill the jar with olive oil or coconut oil
- Close the jar tightly and keep it in a cool and dark place
- Shake the jar vigorously every day for about six weeks
It is important to have the jar airtight closed to not to allow any bacteria growth. If you get any bad or strange smell means there is already some bacteria growth. In this case, you must discard and restart the whole process with fresh berries.
How to use Juniper berry essential oil
A quick look at how to use the juniper essential oil to get maximum health benefits: –
• Topically or applying over the body: Before application always dilute the juniper berry essential oil with a base oil or carrier oil such as olive oil or coconut oil.
Mix both oils in a 1:1 ratio. Then massage gently over the affected areas of your skin. The oil penetrates the skin and goes into the bloodstream and gets to various parts of the body. This helps to relieve pain and gives you healing benefits.
• Aromatically: Diffuse the juniper berry oil indoors in your home using a scented candle or inhale directly from the bottle itself. According to the studies after inhaling the juniper berry essential oil joins the bloodstream and goes to various parts of the body including the brain.
• Orally: Juniper berry essential oil is recognized by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) for oral consumption. An important point to note is to use only high-grade or high-quality juniper essential oil for consumption.
Always ensure you are using therapeutic-grade oil. They are produced from the correct plant species of the native region and grown in an organic environment with no chemicals, pesticides, or herbicides.
A reputed brand may be expensive but still worth and safe to take orally. Use high-quality and pure juniper essential oil. Add one or two drops of essential oil to the water and drink it. As a supplement, you could add a few drops of juniper essential oil to natural raw honey and take it orally.
Side Effects From Juniper Berry Essential Oil
Furthermore, it is better to mention the side effects while talking about the health benefits of Juniper berry essential oil.
In general, it is very unlikely to anyone has side effects when using all three methods that are Topical, Aromatically, and Orally. Anyway, always prevention is better than cure. Therefore, test to check if you have an allergy or skin sensitivity to juniper berry essential oil by applying it to a small area of the stomach.
Orally never take a higher amount of this essential oil. Take advice from a doctor before taking it orally. Adults can take Juniper berry essential oil orally safely for a minimum of one month.
Overdosing or taking orally for a longer period may have an impact on the kidneys and liver. If you suspect that you have kidney or liver conditions or if you are pregnant you avoid using Juniper berry essential oil.
Juniper essential oil is also safe for children. Safe for pets as well. Now you know that the health benefits of juniper essential oil are huge. Nevertheless, anything in life within the limit is good for mankind with no exception of using juniper berry essential oil. Therefore, seek a doctor’s advice before using the oil.
Some of the good oils available online are Bulk Apothecary, Nature’s Alchemy-Juniper Berry- Essential Oil, and Aura Cacia
We do appreciate your comments and experience in the usage of juniper berry essential oil and its health benefits. We do take your comments very seriously to provide the best quality information to our readers.
