Dill Oil: Uses & Benefits

Does your digestive system need support?

Are you stressed and having trouble sleeping?

Are your canned vegetables not turning out like your grandmother’s did?

This essential oil comes from the dill weed, which is in the same family as parsley and cumin. As far back as ancient Greece and Rome, people used it to flavor their food and alleviate their illnesses. The fresh and herby scent has long been a secret weapon for the fragrance industry. Soaps, perfumes, and lotions have all been made using dill as part of their aroma profile. Undeniably, it is most famous for taking the humble cucumber and helping turn it into a tasty, crunchy pickle. In addition, it is also used for flavoring other foods in kitchens around the world. It is a special favorite in Scandinavia and the Baltic where it is often used in soups and to flavor fish. When ingested, it not only helps food taste better, it also supports digestion and boosts overall function of the digestive system.

What is Dill Essential Oil?

Principal Benefits

• Supports proper digestion and promotes overall gastrointestinal health
• Purifies the body while providing important antioxidants
• Provides important nuance of flavor when cooking and canning

How to Use Dill Essential Oil

It may be less well known than its herbal counterpart, but it is extremely well rounded and can be used many different ways.

Directions for Use:

For use in a diffuser simply place three or four drops of oil in the device of your choice. When combining with another oil reduce the amount of it accordingly. It is powerful and it is best to focus on one area when applying topically. When using it for cooking let your taste buds guide you.

Dill Essential Oil Uses

• Aromatic Use: It can be diffused on its own or in combination with other oils. The aroma is refreshing and helps lessen anxious moods and melt away feelings of stress.
• Topical Use: It is best to use it in a targeted way when applied topically. One option is to massage a few drops directly into the soles of the feet.
• Internal Use: It can be taken internally in many ways. Use it on food, or for canning. You can also add one or two drops to your herbal tea at bedtime. This promotes relaxation.

Dill Essential Oil Health Benefits

• It helps to purify the systems of your body. In addition to important antioxidants; it has disinfectant qualities that allow it to help support the normal functions of your body. Consequently, you are better able to withstand free radicals in your environment.
• When diffused it calms nerves and alleviates anxious moods. When your thoughts are scattered and you need to focus, the calming properties can offer a way to achieve serenity. It is also fantastic when you are dealing with a tense relationship or anytime you have an added amount of stress.
• Use it for better results when canning food. When all of the cucumbers or tomatoes ripen in your garden at the exact same time, do what your grandmother did and can some of them. It is a critical component for many zesty pickles and it can also be used to enhance the flavor of other preserved vegetables as well.
• It adds gusto to soups, dips and other food. Make your own Greek tzatziki sauce using yoghurt, cucumber, and dill or add it to cream sauce to spoon over your grilled salmon.
• Give your herbal tea a boost. If you have been reaching for a glass of chamomile tea to relax you before bed, increase its potency by adding a drop or two of this oil. The relaxing benefits of it assist the chamomile in promoting a restful night of sleep.
• It promotes enhanced digestive function. When your digestive system is struggling to do its job, ingesting it can offer your body support and promote healthy function.

Dill – Anethum graveolens

Dill Essential Oil Research

The earliest reference to dill was over five thousand years ago in Egypt. Since that time it has been used extensively to flavor food and also as a medicine. It has long been thought to have a beneficial effect on the digestive system. In past times people would chew the seeds to get these benefits. What they did not realize was that the oil they were releasing was what was giving them the desired results. More recently some studies have shown it inhibiting the growth of certain types of bacteria. However, these claims have not been approved by the FDA.

Dill Essential Oil Nutrition

Like the plant that it is derived from, this oil has substantial antioxidant properties. In order to reap the most benefit from these antioxidants, it is best to use the product repeatedly. When using it to support the digestive system a long-term commitment to ingesting the oil will ensure that gastrointestinal health will be supported and protected. It can be used aromatically to alleviate individual stressful situations, but it can also become part of a regimen for an extended period of time when seeking to soothe anxious moods. By mixing it into your nightly cup of herbal tea you can benefit from both the relaxing qualities that will help smooth your way to a restful night’s sleep and the digestive support you will receive. Ongoing use in your cooking and canning will make food more flavorful and also offers a way to support proper digestion.

Dill Essential Oil Safety

While it is safe to use topically, it is best used in small quantities. Rubbing it on the feet often gives the most results. You should test the oil in a small area before undertaking any widespread topical use. Keep it away from your eyes and nose. It is significantly more concentrated than dill weed, so use sparingly when cooking with it until you determine what flavor profile suits you best. Keep this and all oils out of the reach of children. Those pregnant and nursing should consult their doctor before use.

Dill Essential Oil Substitutes

When used as a flavoring it could be more cost effective than using the fresh herb. It also offers the added benefit of maintaining its flavor and healthful properties over time. Recently picked herbs have to be used quickly or they lose potency. This leads to waste of product that can be alleviated by keeping the essential oil on hand instead. By supporting digestion and gastrointestinal health, it could reduce reliance on other products that aim to solve digestive problems after they occur. Putting a few drops of it into your herbal tea to promote restful sleep could mean less need for more invasive sleep medications that sometimes have unpleasant side effects.

Dill Essential Oil Blends Well With

It pairs well with chamomile tea at bedtime and can also be combined with roman chamomile essential oil for diffusing when you need to ensure a calm and collected demeanor.  This is the perfect antidote for those time when life is stressful and overwhelming. Another great way to diffuse it is with bergamot and lemon. Both of these are citrus scents and combine with the more herby dill to create a refreshing aroma. The qualities of all three oils complement each other. The ability of it to lessen stress works with the bergamot’s ability to calm and soothe, while the lemon is uplifting and helps put you in a positive mood. It also blends well with other citrus aromas like lime, lemon, and orange. When cooking, combine it with almost any other flavorings to create something tasty and unique. For something zesty combine with marjoram and oregano.

Conclusion

If you are concerned about maintaining the health of your digestive tract, regularly ingesting dill can offer the support that your body needs. It’s antioxidant properties also help protect your body from the free radicals we are exposed to every day. Whether you are merely having a stressful day, or you desire something to relax you before you sleep at night, it’s soothing properties help reduce your feelings of stress and alleviate anxious moods. It is is also great if you want to add some depth of flavor to your food or make pickles from the cucumbers in your garden.

Disclaimer

Although it has been used as a flavoring and a medicine for thousands of years, medical science is still endeavoring to learn more about it. While some studies have shown great promise, information is limited. The antioxidant and antibacterial properties need more research completed on them. Certainly, some people have used it with great success to aid digestion. Others swear that inhaling the aroma helps to decrease stress and anxious moods. At this time, however, the Food and Drug Administration has not approved dill essential oil for use as medicine and should not be used in lieu of pharmaceutical options.