Go Ad-Free
logoThe People's Perspective on Medicine

Juniper Berries for Joint Pain?

Q. I keep reading in your column that gin-soaked raisins are good for arthritis because of the juniper flavoring in the gin. Why not dispense with the raisins and gin and just eat juniper berries?

A. No one knows why some people seem to benefit from the “raisin remedy.” Speculation ranges from the sulfite preservative in golden raisins to the juniper flavoring of the gin. Be sure to buy gin that contains juniper berries rather than artificial flavoring.

We would discourage eating handfuls of juniper berries, though. There are dozens of species of juniper. Although some of the berries have anti-inflammatory activity (Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Sept. 7, 2009), other species have berries that are toxic.

Anyone who would like to know more about the gin-raisin remedy will find details in our Guide to Alternatives for Arthritis.

Rate this article
star-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-empty
5- 4 ratings
About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
Tired of the ads on our website?

Now you can browse our website completely ad-free for just $5 / month. Stay up to date on breaking health news and support our work without the distraction of advertisements.

Browse our website ad-free
Join over 150,000 Subscribers at The People's Pharmacy

We're empowering you to make wise decisions about your own health, by providing you with essential health information about both medical and alternative treatment options.