Dill, fresh

Fresh and dried dill leaves (sometimes called "dill weed" to distinguish it from dill seed) are used as herbs, mainly in Sweden, the Baltic, in Russia, and in central Asia.

Like caraway, its fernlike leaves are aromatic and are used to flavor many foods, such as gravlax (cured salmon), borscht and other soups, and pickles (where the dill flower is sometimes used). Dill is best when used fresh, as it loses its flavor rapidly if dried; however, freeze-dried dill leaves preserve their flavor relatively well for a few months.

Dill seed is used as a spice, with a flavor somewhat similar to caraway but also resembling that of fresh or dried dill weed. Dill seeds were traditionally used to soothe the stomach after meals. And, dill oil can be extracted from the leaves, stems and seeds of the plant.

Fresh dill Nutrition Facts: Calories, Carbs, and Health Benefits

Fresh dill is 85.95% water, 7.02% carbohydrates, 3.46% protein, and contains 1.12% fat. If you consume one cup of fresh dill you will get 0.625 grams of carbohydrates. It is equal to 0.48 percent of the 130 grams of carbohydrates you should include in your daily diet, according to the Institute of Medicine (US). That same a 100 gram reference serving of fresh dill provides 43 calories and is a very good source of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Vitamin A (total, RAE), and Vitamin B9 (folate, DFE) (113.33%, 55.14%, and 37.5% of the Daily Value, respectively). This means if your diet contains fresh dill, it helps your body to absorb iron from food and defend itself more naturally since vitamin C is an antioxidant, reduce probability of heart disease by fighting cholesterol, improve the efficiency of lymphocytes (or white blood cells) to heal wounds and it is effective against gout (a type of arthritis) attacks by reducing blood uric acid levelsdementia since vitamin C impacts memory positivelythe occurrence of cancer. Furthermore it contains a large amount of Manganese, Iron and Calcium attaining 70.22%, 36.61% and 20.8% of the Daily Value in a 100 g (3.5 Oz), respectively.

Dill is native to southern Russia, western Africa and the Mediterranean region.
Dill was popular in the ancient Greek and Roman cultures, where it was considered a sign of wealth and was revered for its many healing properties.
Dill was used by Hippocrates, the father of medicine, in a recipe for cleaning the mouth. Ancient soldiers would apply burnt dill seeds to their wounds to promote healing.
The curative properties of dill have been honored throughout history. The Conqueror Charlemagne even made it available on his banquet tables, so his guests who indulged too much could benefit from its carminative properties.
An essential oil from the dill seed is used in the food industry for flavoring as well, and used in perfuming soaps and in medicines.
Dill is a very good source of calcium and a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc.
The health benefits of dill include freshens breath, keeps mouth clean, stops hiccups, remedies depression, relief from insomnia, diarrhea, dysentery, menstrual disorders, respiratory disorders, strengthen bones and protects from bone degradation, bone degradation, protect you against arthritis and prevents cancer.
Dill’s name comes from the old Norse word dilla which means “to lull.” This name reflects dill’s traditional uses as both a carminative stomach soother and an insomnia reliever.
Dill can be also consumed in the form of herbal tea.
During the medieval period, people were using dill hanged on the doorway to keep witches on a safe distance from their homes. Dill was also popular and often used ingredient of magic potions in the past.
Ancient Greeks were using dill for the production of perfumes. Greek athletes were using tonic made of dill to improve tonus of their muscles.