Q. I’ve read many stories about the benefits of raisins in gin. Since gin presumably works because it's made with juniper berries, why not just eat juniper berries and raisins?
A. Juniper berries can be irritating to the kidneys. Prolonged use may cause digestive distress, jitteriness or blood in the urine. Some people are allergic to juniper and this herb may interact with the blood thinner Coumadin. That’s why we don’t suggest eating juniper berries to ease arthritis pain.
