Dill is Full of Healing and Tastes Extraordinaire

A sprig of delicious dill adds a unique flavor to your food making it extra tasty.  Also, it is full of health benefits making it one of the herbal superfoods.

Dill’s name comes from the Norwegian word ‘dilla,’ meaning to soothe. It has been valued for its many health benefits as early as 1500 B.C. In ancient Egyptian papyrus manuscripts, it was documented as a remedy to soothe flatulence, relieve pain, and act as a laxative and a diuretic.

6 Health Benefits of Dill

1. Helps Protect Against Cancer

Dill’s volatile oils help neutralize benzopyrenes, a carcinogen, found in cigarette smoke, coal tar, charcoal grill smoke, and trash incinerator smoke.

2. Helps with Digestion

Since very early times, it was used to cure hiccups, stomachaches, and bad breath. It has antispasmodic properties that relieve stomach pain and cramping. Ayurvedic medicine has used the dill seed for stomach problems for centuries.

3. Helps Prevent Bone Loss

Being a good source of calcium, it helps in reducing the bone loss that occurs after menopause. One tablespoon of dill seed contains 3 grams of calcium.

4. Reduces Bloating, Gas, Diarrhea, and Constipation from Bacteria Overgrowth

It can help prevent bacterial overgrowth which is the cause of the above symptoms. The volatile oil of dill has been studied for its ability to prevent bacterial overgrowth.

5. Eugenol Oil in Dill Is Good as a Local Anesthetic

Eugenol oil has been used therapeutically by dentists as a local analgesic agent as it lessens tooth pain.

6. Reduces Blood Sugar Levels

Eugenol oil also has been found to reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics (more research is required).

Also, we call it a Superfood!

Nutrition

It is a good source of dietary Fiber, Niacin, Phosphorus, Zinc and Copper, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, and Manganese.

It is low in calories: half a cup of dill has only 2 calories! For more details go to Nutrition Data

 Trivia

• It was believed to protect against curses and witchcraft during European medieval times.
• It was thought to make one drowsy and was given to crying babies, which is why its original name, dilla also means “to lull.”
• The Dill pickle is at least 400 years old.
• It has been used to make green dye.
• This herb was used by Hippocrates for cleaning the mouth.
• Ancient soldiers applied burnt dill seeds to their wounds to help to heal.

History

• 5,000 years ago, in Egypt, the first record of dill as a medicinal herb was found.
• Around 3,000 B.C. Babylonians grew dill in their gardens.
• It is native to southern Russia, western Africa, and the Mediterranean.
• In the seventeenth century, it was found in many English kitchen gardens.
• It is thought to have arrived in America with early settlers.

“Give your food a Thrill by adding some Dill!”
~ Roylin J. Picou, Poet

Yummy Recipes with Dill

 Quick Easy Pickles Yummy pickles in just over one hour. Quick pickles are done for immediate use rather than preserving. They also have a simpler flavour than the preserved kind. The reward of making quick pickles is that with very little effort you could be enjoying pickles today.

Creamy Potato Salad – Even if you are not vegan, you will love this recipe.
I have never liked potato salad because of the commercial mayonnaise used even in homemade salads. First, the commercial mayonnaise creates nausea for me, and secondly, I know from reading the label that those are not the things I want in my body.

Another thing that I never liked about potato salads is that you don’t get lots of other vegetables to get the right balance of carbs. Here is my version of Vegan Potato Salad which is creamy, filled with lots of vegetables, yummy and healthy without the chemical additives.

 Braised Radishes with Dill – These braised radishes are tasty with the peppery taste of the radishes balanced by tangy cider vinegar, coconut oil, and dill weed making a delicious addition to any meal.

  Borscht Soup with a Difference Is Delicious – Borscht soup is the best way to get healthy superfood beets filled with beta-carotene and minerals into our diet. It is quick to cook, easy to vary, and enjoyed by everyone, even children.

  Yogurt Salad Dressing – I love adding lots of dill weed to this salad dressing. This is a simple easy to make vegan yogurt salad dressing which is always enjoyed whenever I serve it. What is so extra good about this salad dressing is that there is no dairy in it and it is creamy.  This is so helpful for those of us who do not do well with dairy.

 Easy Peasy Green Pea Soup Is Especially Delicious -This green pea soup really is yummy and it is a super easy soup to make. Hearing me say that frozen peas taste good is amazing; as I don’t usually eat frozen peas. But this creamy green pea soup is really delicious and within a week I had it twice!

Cooling Summer Salad -A summer salad is just what is best for a hot day.  Who feels like cooking dinner on a hot summer day? Not me! Let’s keep cool! Making a salad for dinner is simple. This summer salad doesn’t require any cooking and only takes 10 minutes to prepare. I enjoy sitting on my shaded deck, eating a whole meal in one bowl!

 Creamy Swiss Chard Soup with Almonds is Delicious – This delicious Swiss chard soup is hearty with the addition of potatoes and is very nutritious too. I love that it is so creamy without the addition of cow’s milk. The crunchy almonds on top add an extra tastiness.  It is a whole vegan meal in a bowl too.

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