Dill Weed

Dill

Other Names:American Dill, Aneth, Aneth Odorant, Anethi Fructus, Anethi Herba, Anethum graveolens, Anethum sowa, Dill Herb, Dill Oil, Dill Weed, Dillweed, Dilly, Eneldo, European Dill, Faux Anis, Fenouil Bâtard, Fenouil Puant, Huile d’Aneth, Indian Dill, Madhura, Peucedanum graveolens, Satahva, Shatpushpa, Sotapa, Sowa.
Dill has been in use in culinary and in medicines since ages. Both seeds and the leaves can be used. Apart from giving a strong tangy, appetizing flavor and taste, dill has many medicinal properties, which mainly come from certain compounds called Monoterpenes, Flavonoids, minerals and certain amino acids.
See also : Dill Seed

Special Precautions of Dill

• Dill is safe when consumed as a food. Dill also seems to be safe for most people when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts.
• When applied to the skin, dill can sometimes cause skin irritation. Fresh dill juice can also cause the skin to become extra sensitive to the sun. This might put you at greater risk for sunburns and skin cancer. Avoid sunlight. Wear sunblock and protective clothing outside, especially if you are light-skinned.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It’s UNSAFE to use dill in medicinal amounts if you are pregnant. Dill seed can start menstruation and that might lead to a miscarriage.Not enough is known about the safety of using dill during breast-feeding. It’s best to stick to food amounts.
• Dill is one of the natural blood thinners.
• Allergy to plants in the carrot family: Dill may cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to plants in the carrot family. Some of these include asafoetida, caraway, celery, coriander, and fennel.
• Lithium interacts with DILL : Dill might have an effect like a water pill or "diuretic." Taking dill might decrease how well the body gets rid of lithium. This could increase how much lithium is in the body and result in serious side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider before using this product if you are taking lithium. Your lithium dose might need to be changed.

The benefits of Dill Weed are

• Contains many plant-derived chemical compounds that are known to have been anti-oxidant, disease preventing, and health promoting properties.
• does not contain cholesterol and is very low in calories. Nonetheless, it holds many antioxidants, vitamins like niacin, pyridoxine, etc., and dietary fibers, which help in controlling blood cholesterol levels.
• Dill leaves (sprigs) and seeds carry many essential volatile oils such as d-carvone, dillapiole, DHC, eugenol, limonene, terpinene, and myristicin.
• The essential oil, Eugenol in the dill has been in therapeutic usage as local anesthetic and antiseptic. Eugenol has also been found to reduce blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. (Further detailed studies, however, require to establish its role.)
• Vitamin-A and β- carotene are natural flavonoid antioxidants. 100 g of dill weed sprigs provide 7718 IU or 257% of daily recommended levels of this vitamin. Vitamin-A is also required for maintaining healthy mucosa and skin and is essential for good vision. Consumption of natural foods rich in flavonoids helps the human body to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
• Fresh dill herb is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin, vitamin-C. 100 g contain about 85 mg or 140% of vitamin-C. Vitamin-C helps the human body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.
• Dill weed is a good source of minerals like copper, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Copper is a cofactor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as cofactors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc). Zinc is a co-factor in many enzymes that regulate growth and development, digestion and nucleic acid synthesis. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. The human body uses manganese as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.
• Diarrhea: Diarrhea is caused mainly due to two reasons; indigestion and microbial action. For the first, dill can certainly help as it has very good digestive properties. For the second, it can help again since the Monoterpenes and Flavonoids present in its essential oils are germicidal or bactericidal in nature and can help cure diarrhea by inhibiting microbial infections.
• Dysentery: Dysentery is primarily caused due to fungal infections. Here too, dill can help as its essential oils are disinfectant in nature and help inhibit fungal infection effectively.
• Menstrual Disorders: The Flavonoids in essential oils of dill are stimulant and Emenagogue in nature, that is, they stimulate secretion of certain hormones which in turn help maintain proper menstrual cycles.
• Respiratory Disorders: Kaempferol and certain other components of Flavonoids and Monoterpenes in the essential oils of dill are anti congestive and anti histaminic in nature and help clear congestion in the respiratory system due to histamine, allergies or cough.
• Oral Care: Dill seeds and leaves are very good mouth fresheners. Apart from that, the essential oils in it are germicidal, anti oxidant and disinfectant in nature. Thus they help end microbial infections in the mouth as well as their anti oxidants minimize the damages caused to gums and teeth by the free radicals.
• Cancer: Now it is the turn of the Monoterpenes to come under the lime light. These chemoprotective Monoterpenes, being stimulant in nature, activates secretion of an enzyme called glutathione-S-transferase (the radical glutathione is an effective anti oxidant) which is very effective in neutralizing carcinogens, particularly Cyano- and Benzo- derivatives and free radicals, thereby protecting from cancer. The other anti oxidants in essential oils of dill also contribute to this.
• Dill is relaxant, fortifying (strength giving), diuretic (increases urination helping removal of toxic substances from the body), carminative (helps removal of gases), anti spasmodic (prevents cramps), anti flatulent, stimulates lactation (galactagogue) and endocrinal secretions, enhances libido due to presence of Arginine
• it ensures bone and dental health being a good source of calcium.
• Chlorophyll-benefits

== Dill herb has all the characters to consider it has one of the most valued functional foods. 100 g of dill weed provides only 43 calories, but its phytonutrients profile is no less than any other high-calorie food source; be it nuts, pulses, cereals, or meat group.

100 g fo this herb provides (%of RDA per 100 g):

37.5% of folates (vitamin B11), 14% of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), 23% of riboflavin (vitamin B-2), 140% of vitamin-C, 257% of vitamin-A, 21% of calcium, 82% of iron and 55% of manganese. (Note: RDA- Recommended daily allowance)