Subtotal $0.00
Shop Now
Juniper berries are the small, blue-black, berry-like cones of the common juniper, Juniperus communis, used as a resinous, piney spice in game, pork and cabbage dishes. They are also the flavor that defines gin. USDA’s food database has no entry for juniper berries, so this guide says so plainly and gives no juniper nutrition numbers. It covers what juniper berries are, whether juniper berries are edible (only some kinds are), juniper berry flavor, how to use juniper berries, and what peer-reviewed and EFSA sources say about pregnancy and kidney cautions.
Peptide Labs does not sell juniper berries or any juniper products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- EFSA describes juniper berries as berry-like fleshy seed cones of the common juniper, a conifer in the cypress family.
- EFSA calls the ripe seed cone of the common juniper edible; FDA's GRAS listing for juniper berries (21 CFR 182.20) names only that species.
- Not every juniper is a spice: a 2024 review describes savin juniper as a plant traditionally used to try to end pregnancies.
- USDA SR Legacy has no entry for juniper berries, so no juniper nutrition values are given here.
- A 2019 review warns that long-term use or large amounts of juniper taken by mouth can cause kidney problems and that berry extracts disrupted pregnancy in rats.
- Crush a few dried berries lightly to release their piney flavor before cooking.
What are juniper berries?
Despite the name, juniper berries are not true berries. A 2023 EFSA scientific opinion describes Juniperus communis, the common juniper, as a coniferous shrub or tree in the Cupressaceae, the cypress family. Juniper plants are male or female, and EFSA explains that the seeds are borne on the female plant in berry-like fleshy seed cones that turn purple-black when ripe. A 2019 review in the journal Heliyon adds that the cones need about 18 months to ripen from green to purple-black, with a blue, waxy coating.
The same Heliyon review notes that the dried berries are crushed to release their flavor and are used to flavor meat, soups, sauces, stews, stuffing and pickled foods. EFSA states that the ripe seed cone is used as a flavouring in a variety of foods and is an essential ingredient of gin.
Juniper berry flavor
Juniper berry flavor is sharp, resinous and piney, with a citrusy, slightly peppery edge and a bittersweet finish. Recipes ask you to crush the berries lightly because a whole berry gives up its flavor slowly. The texture of a whole dried berry is soft and slightly sticky when fresh from the jar, and a berry that is rock hard and has no smell when crushed has lost most of its aroma.
Are juniper berries edible? Only some kinds
The juniper berries sold as a spice come from the common juniper. EFSA calls the ripe seed cone of Juniperus communis edible, and FDA’s list of essential oils and natural extractives generally recognized as safe for their intended use (21 CFR 182.20) names juniper berries from Juniperus communis and no other juniper species. Juniper does not appear on FDA’s main spice list (21 CFR 182.10).
That does not make every juniper a spice. A 2024 review in the journal Molecules describes savin juniper (Juniperus sabina), a low, creeping shrub with dark blue to black cones, as a plant that has traditionally been used to try to end pregnancies, and it cites a report that savin’s volatile oil induces miscarriage, mainly because of a compound called sabinyl acetate. Many junipers are also grown as garden shrubs. This article is not a guide to foraging: stick to juniper berries packaged as a spice, and leave the identification of wild or garden junipers to experts.
How to use juniper berries
Juniper is a strong spice, so recipes call for a few crushed berries per pot rather than spoonfuls. Press them with the flat of a knife or in a mortar until they split, then add them early so their flavor can spread. Ideas for how to use juniper berries:
- Game: juniper is a classic match for venison, wild boar, duck and goose, in marinades, rubs and braising liquids.
- Pork: add crushed berries to a rub or brine for pork roasts and chops.
- Cabbage: juniper and caraway are traditional partners in sauerkraut and braised cabbage.
- Stews and sauces: simmer a few berries in beef stews, gravies and red wine sauces, and strain them out or warn diners before serving.
- Pickles: drop a few berries into brines for pickled vegetables.
- Pair with: bay leaves, black pepper, allspice, rosemary, garlic, orange zest and thyme.
Juniper berries nutrition: why USDA has no numbers
USDA SR Legacy, the database this site uses for food values, has no entry for juniper berries. A search of all 7,793 foods in the April 2018 release for juniper and Juniperus found nothing, so we do not give any calories, fiber or mineral values for juniper. The table below is for context only: it shows USDA values for spices often cooked alongside juniper, per USDA teaspoon. These are not juniper berries. Percent Daily Values (%DV) use FDA reference amounts.
| Other spices (USDA SR Legacy), NOT juniper, 1 tsp | Calories | Fiber | Calcium | Iron | Manganese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black pepper, whole (2.9 g), FDC 170931 | 7 | 0.7 g (3%) | 13 mg (1%) | 0.3 mg (2%) | 0.37 mg (16%) |
| Bay leaf, crumbled (0.6 g), FDC 170917 | 2 | 0.2 g (1%) | 5 mg (0%) | 0.3 mg (1%) | 0.05 mg (2%) |
| Allspice, ground (1.9 g), FDC 171315 | 5 | 0.4 g (1%) | 13 mg (1%) | 0.1 mg (1%) | 0.06 mg (2%) |
| Caraway seed (2.1 g), FDC 170918 | 7 | 0.8 g (3%) | 14 mg (1%) | 0.3 mg (2%) | 0.03 mg (1%) |
In USDA data, a teaspoon of a dried spice supplies only a few calories and small shares of the Daily Value. Juniper is used by the berry, so its contribution to a dish is flavor; any numbers printed for juniper itself would need a source we could check, and the Nutrition Facts label on a packaged spice, if it has one, is the place to look.
Juniper safety: pregnancy, kidneys and supplements
The safety findings on juniper concern extracts and essential oils, not a few crushed berries in a stew. NCCIH, the federal agency that reviews herbs and supplements, has no fact sheet on juniper in its Herbs at a Glance series. What peer-reviewed and EFSA sources say:
- Pregnancy: the 2019 Heliyon review describes rat studies in which a juniper berry extract given at high amounts interfered with implantation and pregnancy, and it concludes that juniper extract is unsafe for pregnant animals. If you are pregnant, ask your clinician before using juniper beyond ordinary cooking, and skip juniper supplements and oils.
- Kidneys: the same review says that taking juniper by mouth for a long time or in large amounts can be unsafe and cause kidney problems and gut irritation, while also citing a rat study in which a juniper oil preparation showed no kidney toxicity. If you have kidney disease, ask your clinician before taking any juniper product.
- Regulation: EFSA notes that the EU has no specific authorisation for juniper preparations used to flavour food; EU flavouring rules allow such preparations made from food as long as they pose no safety risk to consumers.
- Supplements: juniper sold in capsules or as an essential oil is a supplement, not a spice; talk to a healthcare provider before using one, especially if you take medicines.
Juniper is not one of the nine major food allergens that FDA requires US labels to declare, so it may appear only as “spices” on an ingredient list; ask your allergist if you have reacted to spices before.
Buying and storing juniper berries
- Look and feel: choose plump, dusky blue-black berries that give slightly when pressed and smell strongly of pine when crushed.
- Label check: look for juniper berries labeled as a spice, ideally with the botanical name Juniperus communis.
- Storage: keep them whole in an airtight jar away from light and heat, and follow the package date.
- Freshness check: crush one berry; a faint smell means the jar has faded.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are juniper berries?
They are the berry-like seed cones of the common juniper, a conifer. EFSA notes that the ripe cones turn purple-black and are used to flavour foods.
Are juniper berries edible?
The ripe cones of the common juniper are, according to EFSA. Not every juniper is a spice: a 2024 review describes savin juniper as a plant traditionally used to end pregnancies.
What does juniper taste like?
Piney, resinous and slightly citrusy with a bittersweet finish. It is the defining flavor of gin.
How do you use juniper berries?
Crush a few lightly and add them to marinades, rubs, sauerkraut, braised cabbage, stews and brines for game or pork.
Does USDA have nutrition data for juniper berries?
No. USDA SR Legacy has no juniper entry, so this guide gives no juniper values.
Should I avoid juniper if I am pregnant?
Ask your clinician. A 2019 review describes animal studies in which juniper berry extract disrupted pregnancy, so skip juniper supplements and oils.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Caraway: What It Is, Caraway Seed Nutrition and Caraway vs Cumin, Rosemary Benefits: Herb Nutrition, Fresh vs Dried and Research, Allspice: What Is Allspice, Allspice Nutrition and an Allspice Substitute.