Would you love to snip fresh dill foliage for cooking? As those soft ferny blades are beckoning you, perhaps you’re wondering if you could use dill leaves for weight loss or grow them in your own backyard. Dill, also known as dill weed, happens to be one of the most popular herbs that give an extra sweet flavor to your pickles, salad, potatoes, yogurt-based sauces, marinade, and fish.
Aside from making your food smell and taste better, dill is also packed with nutrients that can contribute to your overall health and well-being. If you’re trying to shed off those extra pounds, incorporating dill into your diet can help you reach your ideal weight safely. Furthermore, it also features its own share of medicinal purposes which the ancient Egyptians applied in practice.
If you don’t know much about this annual herb that belongs to the celery family Apiaceae, today’s your lucky day. Read on to learn more about this greenery and how to grow it in your own greenhouse.
Does Dill Have Any Nutritional Value?
Yes! Who would’ve thought that this plain-looking herb with slender stems, soft leaves, and brown oval seeds would be a rich source of vitamins and minerals? In case you’re not aware, a cup or 9 grams of freshly-snipped dill weed sprigs would give you at least 8% of the recommended daily value (DV) of vitamin C, 4% of the recommended DV of vitamin A, 5% of manganese, 3% of the recommended DV for iron, 3% of the recommended for folate, and 1-2% of the DV for copper, calcium, potassium, magnesium, riboflavin, as well as zinc.
On the other hand, one tablespoon or 6.6 grams of dill seeds can give you 8% of the recommended DV for calcium, 6% of the recommended DV for iron, and 1-5% of the recommended DV for manganese, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus.
Vitamin C
Although vitamin C is responsible for improving your immune system, it’s also important for your bone formation, metabolism, and wound healing.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient that also plays a critical role in boosting your immune system, reproductive system, and eye health.
Antioxidants
Dill weed also contains lots of antioxidants that help fight the unstable molecules called free radicals which are primarily responsible for causing damage to the cells in your body.
Manganese
While the essential mineral called manganese may be needed in small amounts, its main purpose is to maintain your brain’s normal functioning. Manganese also helps keep your nervous system in tiptop shape and it regulates your body’s metabolism of fat and sugar. On the other hand, your body’s blood production would require a sufficient amount of iron to keep your red blood cells and muscle cells in great condition.
Folate
While the B-vitamin called folate is needed to create DNA, as well as other genetic material, copper is a trace mineral that’s necessary for your body’s iron absorption, energy production, the formation of collagen, and the survival of your tissues, nerve cells, and immune system.
Calcium
Aside from the fact that your body needs enough calcium to keep your bones, teeth, and muscles strong, it also needs calcium to maintain the health of your nerves that are responsible for sending messages between your brain and all parts of your body.
Magnesium
The cofactor called magnesium is responsible for regulating your body’s diverse biochemical reactions such as muscle function, nerve function, protein synthesis, blood pressure regulation, blood glucose control, energy production, glycolysis, and oxidative phosphorylation.
Potassium
Potassium maintains proper muscle and nerve function, regulates your heartbeat, and offsets sodium’s damaging effects on your blood pressure.
Riboflavin
Another vitamin called Riboflavin helps in the process of breaking down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in order to produce energy.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus plays an important role in the growth, maintenance, and repair of your body’s cells and tissues.
Zinc
The very last trace mineral that’s found in dill is zinc. Your body needs it to keep your immune system strong, aid in the breakdown of carbohydrates, promote wound healing, cell growth, and maintain your senses of smell and taste.
What Are Dill’s Potential Health Benefits?
Did you know that dill was derived from “dilla”, an Old Norse word that means “to soothe”? This probably explains why people from ancient times used this herb to treat diseases that have something to do with the digestive system and colic in infants. Incidentally, dill was also used to help breastfeeding mothers produce more milk.
Although no research findings support these traditional uses, this aromatic herb offers other health benefits that you shouldn’t miss. Check these out:
It protects you against chronic inflammatory conditions
Since dill contains naturally occurring compounds called antioxidants that specialize in protecting your cells against harmful free radicals, incorporating dill leaves and seeds into your regular diet will help you treat or steer clear of certain chronic inflammatory conditions. These health conditions may include cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and other forms of cancer.
Furthermore, it also contains important plant compounds such as flavonoids, terpenoids, and tannins that could enhance your brain health and protect the other vital organs in your body including your kidneys and liver.
It’s good for your heart
According to the World Health Organization, about 75% of the cases associated with heart disease could be easily prevented when people maintain a healthy diet, quit smoking, and exercise on a regular basis. In case you’re wondering, the risk factors for cardiovascular disease include high blood pressure, elevated triglyceride, and LDL or bad cholesterol levels, and chronic inflammation. Research has proven that the regular intake of dill extract can reduce triglycerides and bad cholesterol levels while maintaining the levels of HDL or good cholesterol.
It reduces your blood sugar levels
Someone who consistently has high blood sugar levels is at risk for developing metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, as well as Type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that dill has properties that lower a person’s fasting blood sugar levels.
It prevents cancer
Dill extract contains naturally-occurring plant compounds from a class of terpenes called monoterpenes. Although these are linked to antifungal, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties, they’re mostly known to prevent cancer. Studies have proven that dill contains high amounts of a type of monoterpene called d-limonene that helps treat and prevent breast, lung, as well as colon cancer.
Is Dill A Diuretic?
Dill happens to have excellent natural diuretic properties that increase the production of urine, as well as the frequency of a person’s need to use the restroom. As dill facilitates diuresis, it helps in the elimination of edema while removing waste and toxins from the body.
The best thing about it is that unlike diuretic medications, dill has potassium-sparing properties that prevent the potassium in your body from being washed out. In case you’re wondering, when potassium is flushed out from a person’s body, he or she experiences body weakness.
Can You Use Dill Leaves For Weight Loss?
Yes, you can use dill leaves for weight loss because they contain properties that help bring down the body’s triglycerides and bad cholesterol levels. If you want to give your metabolism a good boost, try taking a fat-burning dill tea. All you have to do is to add some freshly-snipped dill leaves in hot water, let it boil for about 5 minutes, and take sips throughout the day.
How Do You Eat Dill Leaves?
You have the option to use dill leaves individually or you can use it alongside other medicinal herbs. It’s best to get yourself some fresh dill leaves and wash them thoroughly before you chop them finely. Once you’re done, you may use them as a garnish for your sandwiches or add them to your soups, salads, curries, flatbread, and other dishes.
You also have the option to dry the dill leaves via air-drying or with the use of an oven, a food dehydrator, or a microwave. Once the dill leaves turn powdery, you may use this to enhance the flavor of your favorite foods.
What Can I Do With Too Much Dill?
Although dill is something that you use in small quantities, they’re usually bought in bulk. If you’re looking to find ways to use up the rest of your haul, check out these recipes:
Greek yogurt chicken salad
If there’s one thing you need to know about yogurt, it’s the fact that it can help you tenderize the chicken. It doesn’t even matter if your chicken breast is slightly overcooked – the yogurt dressing will soften the meat up. Add dill into the mix for that bright and herby flavor.
Baby carrots with dill butter
In case you’re not aware, freshly-dug baby carrots are naturally sweet and they come with the thinnest skins that’s why you don’t have to peel them. All you have to do is to scrub them with a vegetable brush and keep their beautiful green tops attached before you braise and glaze them in margarine, lemon juice, and fresh dill to give it a burst of herby flavor in every bite.
Dill Pickle Chicken
Who says that you have to pour the pickle juice down the drain when you can use the leftover brine to add flavor to your roasted chicken? You can never go wrong if you garnish this heartwarming dish with fresh dill.
Spanakopita Stuffed Shells
This is recipe is perfect for anyone who wants a cheesy and comforting treat that’s packed with a lot of greens. Plus, this is one of the best ways to use up a bunch of fresh dill.
What Are The Advantages of Growing Herbs in a Greenhouse?
You’ll soon discover that growing clusters of aromatic dill in your own greenhouse is one of the most satisfying experiences you could possibly have. If you want to gain easy access to fresh dill all-year-round, consider growing them your own in a greenhouse. Here are some of the best reasons why you should:
You can extend growing seasons
One of the best things about growing dill in a greenhouse is that it allows you to extend growing seasons. This means that your dill can keep on growing out fresh shoots throughout the freezing months of the year.
It protects your plants from soil erosion
You won’t have to worry about torrential rainstorms, as well as flash floods if you’re growing dill and other herbs in a greenhouse. You can be sure that the enclosure will keep your tender plants safe from soil erosion due to sudden weather changes.
It protects your plants from inclement weather
It doesn’t really matter if you live in an area that’s mostly freezing cold or scorching hot. A greenhouse can keep your delicate herbs safe from hail, blizzards, high winds, as well as dust storms. A greenhouse can easily provide an ideal environment for growing your tender plants and herbs because it allows you to control the shade, moisture, as well as the heat for your plants.
How To Grow Dill In A Greenhouse
First, you’ll need to sow the dill seeds in furrows that are a quarter of an inch deep and about 18 inches apart. You can also use a container when you’re planting dill. Since dill grows with a penetrating taproot, you’ll need to choose a container that’s approximately 12 inches deep.
If you’re using containers to plant dill, make sure that you maintain the spacing of about 12 to 24 inches. Keep in mind that you’re likely to see dill seedlings emerge 15 days after you’ve planted them. About 15 days after they sprout or when the plant reaches about a foot or two, you may thin them so that they can grow more.
Don’t forget to work the ground that’s around your plant. Removing weeds is extremely important because this kind of plant won’t be able to thrive when it’s being overpowered by weeds.