Dating as far back as the Egyptian culture, dill has been used as a medicinal plant to treat everything from baby colic to stomach ulcers. Many different cultures and countries, including India, have used dill and continue to use it as a staple in their medicinal arsenal. Dill was found in the Roman Ruins in Great Britain and used in the Middle Ages to ward-off witchcraft. The Greeks would cover their heads in dill while they slept and Christopher Columbus is said to have begun his journey on the lookout for fragrant spices like dill.
In today’s world, we mostly think of dill as an aromatic dry herb that we use to season our food. But it’s actually doing a lot more than that. The National Institutes of Health say dill in the diet can help aid in digestion and contains enough anti-inflammatory qualities that it is showing great results in helping to stop the spread of cancer and flush out carcinogens. It’s even combined with milk and rubbed on the joints to ease arthritis pain. That’s a pretty amazing task for such a tiny little plant.
Dill, also known asAnethum Graveolens, is a medicinal herb found in Southwest Asia and Southeast Europe, as well as, in the Mediterranean and in the Black Sea. The plant itself is in the celery family and has slender stems and alternate leaves. Its seeds are not actually seeds but are instead a tiny brown fruit that resemble the seeds of the fennel plant. It grows to be about 90 cm tall. Dill seed oil is extracted from the fruit of the plant and dill weed oil from the leaves and stems. This powerful ingredient becomes a beauty powerhouse when it’s used in creams and serums.
Here are 4 reasons why you need to add this amazing ingredient to your beauty routine today:
Reason 1 - Flush Out Toxins
Dill contains super detoxifying enzymes called GST and GSH. When they combine together they help protect against free radicals that work to damage your cells. These same enzymes help to remove toxins and carcinogens from your body.
Reason 2 - Boost Elasticity
Your skin is your biggest and most accessible organ so it’s constantly being bombarded by sun damage and the elements. As we age, this can cause our skin to lose its bouncy, taut appearance. Adding dill to your beauty routine can help your face appear smooth because it helps to bind together the enzymes (called tropoelastin) that free radicals are working to destroy. Dill also contains an impressive number of antioxidants to help rejuvenate your skin.
Reason 3 - Fight Bacteria
Dill is antimicrobial and antifungal which means it naturally keeps the bacteria that may land on your skin at bay. When bacteria is unleashed on your face, it can lead to breakouts and can make your acne worse.
Reason 4 - Diminish Fine Lines.
The NIH (US National Institute of Hleath) says that dill can work to smooth wrinkles and in one such study concluded that the “face contours appeared remodelled” after being tested using dill.
Dill may be small, but it packs a huge punch.
Further reading:
Dill - webMd
Dill - a traditional medicine and spice
Glutathione_S-transferase
Glutathione - Wikipedia
Skin ageing - antural weapons and strategies
