Extract Juniper Berry by Steam Distillation and Its Benefits

Spring is here. It is time to go out to enjoy the green, watch blossom and smell flowers. This is natural aromatherapy.

I would like to present you the little powerful fruit, juniper berry. It looks like blueberry but actually it is seed cone. It contains good amount of oil and other nutrients. Let me start the distillation. While doing distillation I will introduce its benefits.

Juniper berry has pine tree smell because it contains alpha pinene which also exists in pine needles. Alpha pinene can take more than 50% in its essential oil distilled from the berries.

Juniper berry is definitely rich of alpha pinene.  Its concentration is even much higher than within pine need essential oil. Alpha pinene is a major active compound in cannabis essential oil which takes about 10%.

Alpha pinene has 3 health benefits based on scientific research.

1,Antioxidant

During a cell study, they mixed alpha-pinene with aspirin on cells and found that the survival of cells got significantly increased. The cytotoxicity and oxidative stress were depressed. It proved an important antioxidant activity of alpha-pinene.

2, Anti-inflammatory

An animal study indicates that alpha pinene has an anti-inflammatory effect and it is a potential candidate as a new drug to treat various inflammatory diseases.

3, Neuroprotective

Another animal study concluded that alpha pinene has neuroprotective effects during ischemic stroke through attenuating neuro inflammatory.

Besides study on alpha pinene, research also presented antimicrobial, antibacterial and antifungal activities of juniper berry essential oil.

Applications of juniper berry hydrosol

1, Skin toner, it is useful for oily or acneic conditions.

2, A powerful diuretic, pushing out intracellular fluid and promotes kidney functions. It can be used for arthritic conditions topically or internally. But it should not be used internally by people with serious kidney problem or an overactive bladder.

3, Highly energetic, it is good to be used as air spray during work.

4, Cooking use. Add into sauces or gravies or meat. It is like gin.