Juniper berry

It is not a true berry but a cone with unusually fleshy and merged scales called a galbulus, which gives it a berry-like appearance.

[2] Unlike the separated and woody scales of a typical pine cone, those in a juniper berry remain fleshy and merge into a unified covering surrounding the seeds.

[5] From extracts of the berries, fatty acids, terpenes, aromatic compounds, and hydrocarbons, such as pinene, sabinene, terpinen-4-ol, limonene, and myrcene, were isolated.

[5] While classified as generally recognized as safe in the United States,[6] juniper berries may have various side effects that have not been tested extensively in clinical trials.

[5] Mainly due to an increased risk of miscarriage, even in small doses, consuming juniper berries may affect pregnant or breastfeeding women.

[11] The flavour profile of young, green berries is dominated by pinene; as they mature this piney, resinous backdrop is joined by what Harold McGee describes as "green-fresh" and citrus notes.

Traditional recipes for choucroute garnie, an Alsatian dish of sauerkraut and meats, universally include juniper berries.

A few North American juniper species produce a seed cone with a sweeter, less resinous flavor than those typically used as a spice.

[18] In addition to medicinal and culinary purposes, Native Americans have also used the seeds inside juniper berries as beads for jewellery and decoration.