Are you looking for new essential oils to use that have amazing benefits? Then you should definitely use dill essential oil!

Why You Should Use Dill Essential Oil!

What do you think of when you think of Dill?

I think of pickles!

I’m guessing that’s what comes to mind for most of us! But today we are not going to talk about pickles! (Don’t be sad, we are going to talk about how to make homemade fermented pickles in the near future;)

Today we are going to discuss the many dill essential oil uses!

Scientific Name

First let’s look at the scientific name of Dill Essential Oil. The scientific  name is: Anethum graveolens.

As we discussed in my post Why You Should Use Frankincense Essential Oil, knowing the scientific name of an essential oil is very important.

Some essential oils have lots of different species. Some of these species can be harmful to certain people or could be used for different things.

So it is important when purchasing an essential oil to make sure that you read the full scientific name so that you know what you are getting.

For example, eucalyptus essential oil is an oil that I use on my kids for respiratory concerns and immune support, however some varieties of eucalyptus essential oil can actually stop a small child’s breathing! We’ll discuss this more in a future post.

Dill Essential Oil

What is dill essential oil and where does dill oil come from?

Dill (Anethenum graveolens) is an annual herb and it is used in many countries. It is very popular in culinary dishes across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

It is an herb that you will often find growing in home gardens. As I mentioned above it is very popular in the U.S., as well as other countries, for flavoring pickles!

Dill essential oil is harvested from the dill seeds.

Dill Essential Oil History

Dill oil has a pretty cool history!

It was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans for more than just the flavoring of foods. They used Dill as a symbol of wealth and believed that it would bring good fortune.

Soldiers would also apply dill seeds to wounds to help them heal.

It was also believed in olden times that dill would help to protect people from witchcraft and that it had the ability to take powers away from witches.

Dill Essential Oil Uses

Now that we’ve discussed some dill essential oil facts and folklore, let’s see what dill can do for us today!

Let me first say that I am not a doctor! All of the information that I provide on this site is for educational purposes only and is in no way intended to diagnose, treat or prescribe.

Please read my disclaimer page and/or the disclaimer at the bottom of this page for a full disclaimer statement.

Dill’s Antifungal Properties

According to studies and historical use dill has the ability to inhibit the growth of fungus.

Pubmed.gov displays the results of a study (details in the references below) that discusses Anethum graveolens (Dill) and how it ‘showed high efficacy in terms of fungicidal activity’.

According to Be Young’s Total Health Desk Reference, dill essential oil is also a natural preservative with antifungul properties.

Dill’s Antibacterial Properties

Dill is said to also inhibit the growth of bacteria in addition to fungus.

Pubmed.gov also has the results of a study (listed in the resources below) that shows the effectiveness of Dill as a natural preservative due to its antioxidant and Antibacterial activities.

Here is an excerpt from the study results: ‘Several Bacteria strains were isolated from wild and reared fish and shellfish. The chemical composition of several essential oils, including Anethum graveolens (Dill EO) were studied. The essential oils’ antioxidant and antibacterial activities against the isolated microorganisms were studied. Low concentrations of the essential oils were needed to inhibit the growth of the selected bacteria. The selected essential oils can be used as a good natural preservative in fish food due to their antioxidant and antibacterial activities.’

Blood Sugar and Insulin

According to Be Young’s Total Health Desk Reference, Dill Essential Oil has been shown, in a study at Cairo University, to be one of the best resources for stimulating the pancreas and liver and for promoting the proper production of insulin.

Also, according to research results published on Pubmed.gov (resource listed below), dill seed extract was fed to diabetic mice in a high-fat diet and was shown to decrease glucose levels.

I use dill essential oil in my blood sugar regulator that you can find on my website.

Milk Production

 In another study listed on Pubmed.gov (resource listed below) Anethum graveolens was given to ruminants in British Columbia, Canada for increasing milk production.

Additional Dill Essential Oil Uses

According to Be Young’s Total Health Desk Reference some more traditional and alternative uses for dill essential oil are:

G.I. Disorders

Loss of Apetite

Flatulence

Fevers and Colds

Cough

Sleep Disorders

Contraindications

A contraindication is a medical reason for not using something.

In this case it is a medical reason for why you should not use dill essential oil. Below are a list of possible contraindications.

Pregnancy: It’s possibly unsafe to use Dill if you are pregnant. Dill seed  can start menstruation which might lead to a miscarriage.

Allergy to plants in the carrot family: Dill may cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to plants in the carrot family.

Diabetes: Dill extract might lower blood sugar in people with diabetes. Watch for signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and monitor your blood sugar carefully if you have diabetes and use dill extract in amounts larger than usual. Also, using Dill extract along with diabetes medications might cause blood sugar to drop too low.

Surgery: Dill extract might lower blood sugar. There is concern that using dill extract might interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgery. Stop using dill extract at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Drug Interaction Warning: Lithium- Taking dill might decrease how well the body excretes lithium.

Quality

You also want to make sure that you are using a good quality dill essential oil.

As an Aromatherapist I would never recommend buying an essential oil at a local store.

I can almost guarantee you that it is not a pure oil.

There are no government regulations on essential oils, so an oil can be diluted by up to 50% and still be marketed as a pure oil.

Which brand of essential oils should I use?

Make sure that you know and trust your source.

If you have a brand that you feel confident in you can use that.

But if you aren’t sure about where to get Dill Essential Oil, or if you would like to check out the brand that I use, you can find it on my business website Healing Blends For Life.

Where to buy at discounted prices!

If you are interested in learning how you can buy my preferred brand of essential oils at a discounted price check out my Essential Oil page!

I hope you enjoy Dill Essential Oil!

 What do you like most about dill oil?

Do you enjoy the smell of dill, or did you experience any results after using dill? If so what were they? Do you have any additional uses to add to the above list?

If you would like to learn about more essential oils then check out one of these posts:

1.Why You Should Use Frankincense Essential Oil!

2.Why You Should Use Myrrh Essential Oil!

3.Why You Should Use Roman Chamomile Essential Oil!

4.Why You Should Use Turmeric Essential Oil!

5.Why You Should Use Geranium Essential Oil!

6.Why You Should Use Birch Essential Oil!

7.Why You Should Use Cypress Essential Oil!

8.Why You Should Use Helichrysum Essential Oil!

9.Why You Should Use Clove Essential Oil!

10.Why You Should Use Ginger Essential Oil!

11.Why You Should Use Nutmeg Essential Oil!

Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is for educational purposes only. I do not prescribe, diagnose or treat any medical conditions. Please consult your health care provider before implementing any of the information provided on this site.
The information provided on this site is completely my own opinion and does not reflect the opinions or beliefs of any other entity.
Any statements or claims regarding health benefits of foods, supplements or essential oils listed on this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease.

You can read my full disclaimer here.

References:

1. Be Young’s Total Health Desk Reference

2. Pubmed.gov PMID: 28017987 Antifungal efficacy of plant essential oils against stored grain fungi of Fusarium spp.

3. Pubmed.gov PMID: 27782086 Laurus nobilis, Zingiber officinale and Anethum graveolens Essential Oils: Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities against Bacteria Isolated from Fish and Shellfish.

4. Pubmed.gov PMID: 23681751 Dill seed extract improves abnormalities in lipid metabolism through peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α) activation in diabetic obese mice.

5. Pubmed.gov PMID: 17324258 Ethnoveterinary medicines used for ruminants in British Columbia, Canada.