Anethum graveolens L
is an annual herb. Its common name is Dill. It is a member of the
Apiaceae family, order Apiales, Clade Angiosperm. Its native origin is North Africa, Arabian Peninsula and Iran,
Now; it is widely grown in Eurasia.
Plant description
Dill
leaves and seeds are used as a vegetable or spice to flavor food. The plant
grows to 40-60 cm. The stem is hollow and cylindrical. The leaves are
alternate, divided into very thin sections, characterized by softness. The
width of the sheet is from one mm to 2 mm. The flowers are white to yellow, in
the form of small tents. Seeds are straight to slightly curved, with a
longitudinally wavy surface.
Use in cooking
Fresh and dried dill
leaves are widely used as a vegetable in Europe and Central Asia. The fern-like
leaves of dill are aromatic. It is used to add flavor to many foods,
such as cured salmon and other fish dishes, borscht, and other types of soups. Sometimes,
the flowers of dill are used to add flavor to pickles.
Dill
quickly loses its flavor if dried. Therefore, it is recommended to use it
fresh. Interestingly, freeze-dried dill leaves maintain their flavor
relatively well for a few months.
Dill
is the main ingredient in dill pickles, so it was named after him
Medical importance
The researchers who are
interested in the medical plants sciences reported that Dill used to
treat many health ailments. This is because it contains essential oils, organic
compounds, vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in vitamin A, vitamin C,
vitamin B6, riboflavin, thiamine, and folic acids. I addition, it contains calcium,
potassium, copper, and zinc.
Dill
works to resist free radicals. The accumulation of free radicals causes some
cancerous tumors, infections, and heart diseases.
Dill
also works as a sexual tonic for both males and females. It also helps women
who suffer from irregular menstruation, as it is a good stimulant for retained
menstruation.
Dill contains
antimicrobial substances, which protect against microbial infections in the
mouth and thus get rid of bad breath. Dill also maintains gum health
Dill
is an indispensable ingredient for those who follow a diet to lose some weight
quickly.
Dill
is distinguished by its lack of cholesterol. It contains very low calorie
content, large amount of dietary fiber, which makes you feel full quickly.
Dill
also treats some digestive problems.
Dill
seeds are prescribed to children to treat colic and relieve pain and cramps.
Adults also take it to get rid of intestinal gas, treat constipation, and to prevent
diarrhea. Dill seeds contain aromatic oils that have a stimulating
effect on the digestive system. It facilitates bowel movement. It also contains
an amount of dietary fiber, which keeps the digestive system clean
Dill
contains flavonoids that protect the heart with their antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory properties. Laboratory experiments and animal studies
indicate that dill extract has the ability to reduce cholesterol and
saturated triglycerides.
Dill
plays an important role in protecting the urinary tract and kidneys from
infections and fungal or bacterial infections, due to its anti-inflammatory
ability.
Dill
has many benefits in nourishing and growing hair. It contains hair-nourishing
mineral elements that help soothe the scalp and get rid of dandruff. It treats
split ends. Dill oil also eliminates dryness and roughness of hair, and
adds shine to it. Dill also treats baldness by activating the cells
responsible for hair growth and reducing continuous hair loss. It grows
abundantly again
Dill
effectively regulates blood sugar levels. It reduces sudden changes in insulin,
which makes it an effective treatment for controlling diabetes, especially
caused by corticosteroids
Dill
leaves, contains a high percentage of calcium and some other minerals.
Therefore, its regular consumption prevents the body from losing calcium, which
later leads to osteoporosis.
Dill
contains nutrients, vitamins and minerals, which increase the body's immune
capacity: The methanol content in dill reduces the chance of bacterial
infection. One of these bacterial infections is the infection that causes a
urinary tract infection known as Serratia marcescens.
Dill
seeds also help get rid of persistent headaches. It also treats insomnia.
Drinking dill infusion helps in relax and fall asleep. In addition, it
works to calm the nerves and get rid of excessive anxiety and nervousness. Dill
drink is considered a sedative, soothes the nerves, and clears the mind
Using dill helps
remove any congestion in the respiratory system due to allergies or cough. The
seeds and oil of dill contain kaempferol and some other components such
as: flavonoids and monoterpenes. These compounds are considered natural antihistamines
and allergens.
References
Chen Y., Zeng H., Tian J.,
Ban X., Ma B., Wang Y. Antifungal mechanism of essential oil from Anethum graveolens seeds against Candida
albicans. J. Med. Microbiol. 2013;62:1175–1183.
Hosseinzadeh H., Karimi
G.R., Ameri M. Effects of Anethum graveolens L. seed extracts on experimental gastric irritation models in mice. BMC
Pharmacol. 2002;2:21.
Jirovetz L, Buchbauer G,
Stoyanova AS, Georgiev EV, Damianova ST (2003).
Composition, Quality Control, and Antimicrobial Activity of
the Essential Oil of Long-Time Stored Dill (Anethum graveolens
L.) Seeds from Bulgaria. Journal of Agricultural and
Food Chemistry 51: 3854-3857
Mohammed F.A., Elkady
A.I., Syed F.Q., Mirza M.B., Hakeem K.R., Alkarim S. Anethum graveolens (dill)—A medicinal herb induces apoptosis
and cell cycle arrest in HepG2 cell line. J.
Ethnopharmacol. 2018;219:15–22.
Talebi
F., Malchi F., Abedi P., Jahanfar S. Effect of dill (Anethum
graveolens Linn) seed on the duration of
labor: A systematic review. Complement Ther. Clin. Pract. 2020;41:101251
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