Health Benefits
Dill is mostly known as a vital ingredient of dill pickles, but this plant has a lot more to offer, including the not very well known seeds.
These tiny flavorful seeds and yummy leaves hold a great medicinal potential and have been widely used in Indian, Mediterranean and Scandinavian kitchens and for a good reason! Check out all the benefits and you’ll see why Dill is a great addition to your kitchen and medicine cabinet:
Digestive health
Bone Health
Mom & Baby health
Stress & Insomnia
Calms Hiccups
Boosts Immunity
Respiratory Issues
Prevents Cancer
Beats bad breath
Digestive health
Dill itself is an appetizer and is, therefore, extensively used in culinary applications. It is a carminative, meaning that it can help to calm and relieve intestinal problems, soothe heartburn, ease colic and gas . The essential oils present in it stimulate the release of bile and digestive juices to break down your food into nutrients. These oils also stimulate the peristaltic motion of the intestine, easing the passage of bowel movements and relieving constipation.
Dill also has antibiotic properties, so it will aid in killing off any foreign organisms within your body and help with diarrhea problems.
Bone Health
Dill has a high calcium content – just a tablespoon of dill seeds contains as much calcium as one-third of a glass of milk. This makes an excellent source of calcium for vegans and people who are allergic to dairy, and also protects you from bone loss and osteoporosis. These problems affect millions of people each year, and calcium, along with other essential minerals, is a key component in the proper growth and development of bones and the repair of injured bones as well.
Mom & Baby health
You might consider adding a package of Dill to the gift you may give to a new mom, as a weak tea made from dill can help ease colic as well as get rid of hiccups and promote sleep for infants. Dill also promotes lactation in nursing moms.
Stress & Insomnia
The essential oils in Dill are quite unusual as they are both stimulating and sedative at the same time. The B vitamins and flavonoids stimulate certain enzymes and hormones which ultimately help you to relax. So enjoy a cup of dill and chamomile tea and you’ll quickly drift off to dreamland.
Calms Hiccups
Hiccups occur for various reasons, but primarily they occur due to trapped gas and its repeated upward movement through the food pipe. The second cause is due to certain allergies, hypersensitivity, hyperactivity, and nervous malfunctioning. Dill can help in these situations. As a carminative, it helps the expulsion of gases and also reduces gas formation; while as a sedative, dill helps to calm down hiccups due to allergies, hyperactivity, or nervous disorders.
Boosts Immunity
Dill has long been associated with antimicrobial activity. It prevents a number of microbial infections throughout the body as well as the infections that may result in open wounds or small cuts on the skin.
Respiratory Issues
Compounds called monoterpenes in the essential oils of Dill help to clear up congestion and can also help tame allergies.
Prevents Cancer
Let’s turn our attention to the monoterpenes we ‘ve just mentioned. Monoterpenes are chemopreventive, and since they are stimulating in nature, they activate the secretion of an enzyme called glutathione-S-transferase (the radical glutathione is an effective antioxidant) which is very effective in neutralizing carcinogens. It is particularly effective at neutralizing cyano- and benzo- derivatives and free radicals, thereby protecting the body from cancer. The other antioxidants in the essential oils of dill also contribute to cancer prevention.
Beats bad breath
Due to its carminative properties, dill seeds are also great at beating bad breath. Not only does it help change the smell of your breath but also helps better your digestion, solving bad breath from the root.