Pregnancy is always hard because of the drastic changes. Some moms have to suffer from a bad appetite during pregnancy. Some others have to throw up every single day for the first trimester.
However, the hard times will usually be extended until the ninth month. Yet, the hardest thing is that moms have to gain unbelievable weight because of the uncontrollable appetite.
Most of the time, pregnancy brings a different kind of mood in eating. Women will be craving all the time during pregnancy. And something like dill will be irresistible. Is Dill safe to eat during pregnancy? We have to learn the facts in order to get a reliable answer.
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What is Dill?
Dill is a herb that belongs to the Apiaceae family. The scientific name of the Dill is Anethum graveolens. The herb is beneficial for various culinary recipes. Besides, it also gives excellent efficacies for medicinal requirements.
It is the tangy and appetizing taste of dill that makes this herb so delicious. Besides, it has excellent flavor. Also, it contains flavonoids, amino acids, chemical compounds, and minerals. All of them are important for pregnancy.
We can say that dill is an aromatic herb with feathery, green leaves. The appearance looks like parsley. A fresh and dried dill leaves (sabbasige soppu) are also popular as a dill weed.
People usually use fresh dill because this herb loses the smell rapidly. Dill seeds (Suva seeds) are also important spices. Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines use dills in many dishes such as dill pickles, dill sauce, dill dip, and dill cheese.
Is It Safe to Use Dill during Pregnancy?
Dill is POSSIBLY UNSAFE as a medicine if you are pregnant, especially during the first trimester. According to WebMD, the wrong dosage of dill might lead to a miscarriage. Excessive dill might promote menstruation. It can simply put the pregnancy at risk.
It is true that dill seeds and leaves (Shepu) are good for several medicinal needs. Yet, the therapeutic doses are hazardous during pregnancy.
For breastfeeding moms, dills should not be taken too much because there is no sufficient trusted information about the safety of taking dill while breastfeeding.
Meanwhile, dill is LIKELY SAFE when consumed as food. According to the SCOGS database, dill is generally recognized as a safe food substance by the FDA. However, moms use only a small amount of it and should really limit the quantity.
It is still okay to have a dash of dish pickle. Yet, it is recommended that moms avoid taking concentrated dill oil. It is dangerous to use the concentrated dill oil since it can cause a harmful impact on the fetus.
Learn more about 15 Amazing Health Benefits of Cherries during Pregnancy
So, Is Dill Safe to Eat During Pregnancy? It can be both safe and dangerous. Moms need to watch the amount and dills will be safe even during pregnancy. Besides, dills have various benefits for pregnancy.
16 Incredible Benefits of Eating Dill during Pregnancy
- Improves Digestion. Dill is an appetizer. Therefore, this herb is used in many culinary applications. This herb also has the essential oils (Dill oil) that are proven to be an active agent to activate secretion. We can thus use it as a digestive dill juice or dill tea. Because of the function, we can say that dill is good for constipation problems.
- Great source of vitamin A and C. Based on the Jonny Bowden & Allison Tannis explanation, dill offering about 40% of your daily requirement of each in one ounce (28 g).
- Improves Sleep. We know only little when it is about essential oil uses. In Dill, the essential oil works so uniquely. It gives a sedative and hypnotic effect which can prevent insomnia. Therefore, pregnant moms will need to actually include this on the menu.
- Dills for Stronger Bone. Dill contains a good amount of calcium. It means it will be also important to protect bones.
- Reduces the Risk of Diabetes. Dill has a property that is helpful for insulin level management. Only little studies conducted for this fact. Yet, dills are proven to be effective in reducing the fluctuations of serum lipids.
- No More Excessive Gas. Dill will save the ladies from the embarrassing condition of excessive gas. The carminative in dills help bodies to force gas downward for a safer exit.
- Boosts Immunity. Dill has antimicrobial activity that will be helpful to prevent any potential infections in wounds.
- Calming Hiccups. Hiccups can occur due to many reasons. Basically, it occurs because of the gas and repeated movement of the as through the food pipe. Once again, the carminative agent of dill will help the gas to reduce the formation. That way, hiccups will be gone in a second.
- Diarrhea Natural Remedies. When diarrhea is caused by indigestion, dill will be helpful. The monoterpenes and flavonoids in dills will work as a natural bactericidal. It helps to cure diarrhea by inhibiting micro bacterium infections.
- Cures Dysentery. Dills are also helpful for fungal infections that cause dysentery. It is the essential oil in dills that can be a natural disinfectant that inhibits fungal infection rapidly.
- Dill for Arthritis Pain. Because Dills is also effective as an anti-inflammatory herb, it will be good to use it as an anti-inflammation agent.
- Dill for Promoting Menstruation. This is not a benefit if it is for pregnancy. Even, women have to avoid eating too much dill in order to avoid miscarriage potential.
- Dill Treats Respiratory Illness. This dill is also powerful with its Kaempferol and unique compounds of flavonoids in the essential oils. That makes dill a natural herb that clear congestion and cure respiratory problems.
- Oral Care. We can use dill seeds and leaves / shepu bhaji as mouth fresheners.
- Preventing Cancer. Dill is also a good source of monoterpenes which have the feature of chemopreventive that can activate the secretion of glutathione-S-transferase as an antioxidant. It is an effective agent to neutralize carcinogens. The agent is fighting against free radicals and protect human bodies from cancer.
- Promotes Body Strenght. Eating dill can give the effect of relaxation and increase strength to the bodies.
Side effects of Dill during Pregnancy?
Dill can be both safe and dangerous. When consumed as medicine, dill can sometimes cause allergic reactions and might lead to a miscarriage, but there is not enough reliable information about the side effects of taking dill as a medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Just like other home remedies and supplements, moms need to consult anything that they consume with specialists or pharmacist,s or other healthcare providers. Besides, moms need to only watch the amount of dill. If it is only a little amount, it will be fine and even give excellent benefits.
Precautions & Warnings
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: The wrong dosage of dill might lead to a miscarriage. For breastfeeding moms, dills should not be taken too much because there is no sufficient trusted information about the safety of taking dill while breastfeeding.
Allergy to plants in the carrot family: For those who are allergic to plants in the carrot family should also avoid dill.
Diabetes: Dill is good for those who suffer from high blood sugar levels. However, when the patients are taking other diabetes medication, they need to be very careful. Dill extract will lower blood sugar drastically.
Surgery: It is recommended that patients stop taking dill at least 2 weeks before the surgery to avoid too low blood sugar levels.
