Nutritional Values Of Juniper Essential Oil

Juniperus communis is a coniferous evergreen shrub which belongs to the pine family, Cupressaceae. This species of shrub is commonly found on acid sandy soil and mountains in North America, Europe and Southwest Asia. This plant is also found in abundance in the mountainous regions of the Appalachians in United States and other states like Arizona, California, New Mexico and Utah. Juniper tree has stiff and needle like blue green leaves and short reddish brown trunks. It has small yellow flowers and blue and black fruits or berries. The berries are produced by the female trees and the tree grows between 6 to 25 feet in height. The branches and berries of the leaves have been in use since ancient times for medicinal and spiritual purposes and the tree is also considered as a popular residential ornamental plant. The wood of the tree is also used for making furniture, pencils and fence posts. The oil of juniper is extracted by using the steam distillation method from the twigs, needles, berries and wood. Even though the oil is extracted from different parts of the plant, the oil extracted from the berries is of superior quality comparatively. The oil is pale oil with a watery viscosity and has a fresh, clear and slightly woody and fruity fragrance.

Nutritional Values ofJuniper Essential Oil:The main chemical components ofjuniper berry oilare a-pinene, b-pinene, camphene, sabinene, y-terpinene, a-phellandrene, myrcene, a-terpinene, 1, 4-cineole, b-phellandrene, terpinen-4-ol, p-cymene, cayophyllene, and bornyl acetate. It also has trace amounts of camphor, limonene, nerol, linalool, borneol, and linalyl acetate.

Health Benefits of Juniper Essential Oil:

Juniper essential oilis popularly known for its capacity to receive stress and anxiety. After proper diffusing it can be used to cleanse and purify the air. The oil can be used in a burner or vaporizer to diffuse it and it helps relieve emotional issues like addiction, nervous tension and hangovers. The oil can be used as massage oil or added to bath water and this work ideally for pain relief, like pain related to arthritis, swollen joints, and gout and muscle fatigue. The oil is commonly added to lotions and creams and this can be used for skin related problems like oily skin, acne, dermatitis, psoriasis, general infections and weeping eczema.Juniper berry oilhas anti-rheumatic, astringent, carminative, depurative, antiseptic, vulnerary, and many other beneficial properties which add to its health-promoting effects.Juniper berryoil is also relaxing oil which can help relieve mental and emotional issues, likeanxietyand mental fatigue. The oil can be used topically to help relieve a wide range of skin and hair problems like eczema, acne, hair loss and dandruff. It helps with fluid retention and also helps prevent cellulite formation. It acts as an effective antiseptic which protects wounds from infection and tetanus.Juniper essential oilimproves blood circulation helps remove toxins like uric acid from the body. It is used widely to fight ailments related to improper circulation and toxin accumulation like gout, arthritis and renal calculi. Juniper essential oil works as an excellent laxative and it also helps regulate menstrual cycle in women. It protects against digestive problems like stomach upsets, intestinal fermentation and colitis. Juniper essential oil is antiseptic, sudorific, depurative, anti-rheumatic, antispasmodic, stimulating, stomachic, astringent, carminative, diuretic, rubefacient, vulnerary and tonic substance. The oil is widely used to flavour alcoholic beverages like gin.

Antiseptic:Juniper essential oil is a well known antiseptic and in the past people wounded or injured during wars or athletics were treated with this oil. It was also used in injuries happened by both the mother and child during complicated labours. The antiseptic property of the oil protects wound from becoming septic or developing tetanus.

Anti-rheumatic:Juniper Essential oil improves and supports blood circulation and helps remove toxins like uric acid from the body. These properties of the oil help fight health conditions like rheumatism, gout, arthritis and renal calculi. All these health problems are related to improper circulation and accumulation of toxins in the body and juniper essential oil also relieved swelling.

Antispasmodic:Being an effective antispasmodic, juniper essential oil works well against all types of cramps like muscular, intestinal, and respiratory or cramps in any other areas. It relaxes the muscle cramps and helps cure spasmodic cholera also. It is also effective against many other problems related to cramps and spasms.

Astringent:Juniper essential oil is an effective astringent and it helps cure toothaches, stop hair loss, strengthens the grip of gums around the teeth and protects the teeth from loosening or falling out. The oil tightens loose muscles and gives feeling of firmness, youth and fitness. The astringent property of the oil also helps in curing diarrhoea also and it can cause the contraction of blood vessels and reduce chances of haemorrhage.

Carminative:The carminative agents present in the juniper essential oil helps in the removal of gases in the intestines. Gas in the intestines is dangerous and it can choke a person, create chest pain, indigestion and uneasiness, raise blood pressure, create problems for the heart and give severe stomach aches. Juniper essential oil removes gases in an effective manner through the downward passage and will not allow additional gases to form. It is also effective for people suffering from constant gas problems.

Depurative:Juniper essential oil cleans the blood of toxins and acts as an effective detoxifier or blood purifier. Being a depurative the oil removes the common toxins like uric acid, heavy metals, pollutants and some compounds and hormones produced by the body. It clears the blood of these common toxins and unknown toxins which mixes with the blood by accident.

Diuretic:Juniper essential oil promotes urination and increases the frequency and volume of urination. It acts effectively on people suffering from accumulation of water in the body or swelling due to minor or chronic renal failure. It removes the extra water from the body in the form of urine and through urine some fats are also lost from body which helps people to lose weight.