Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.Dill
The Seed That Soothes the Stomach
Family: Umbelliferae; (includes Carrot, Parsley)
Genus and Species: Anethum Grave-olens
Also known as: No other common names
Parts used: Fruit (”seeds”); leaves are used in cooking
Dill does more for pickles than provide flavor. It’s also a natural preservative, and food preservation was the original purpose of pickling.
Dill has been used in herbal healing since the dawn of Egyptian civilization-and for good reason. In addition to its preservative action, dill is an infection fighter and soothing digestive aid.
Deli Comes to the Nile
Records found in 3,000-year-old Egyptian tombs show that ancient physicians used fragrant dill as a digestive aid and intestinal gas remedy.
The 1st-century Greek physician Dioscorides prescribed dill so frequently it was known for centuries as the herb of Dioscorides.
The Romans chewed dill seeds to promote digestion, and they hung dill garlands in their dining halls, believing the herb would prevent stomach upset.
Traditional Chinese physicians have used dill as a digestive aid for more than 1,000 years. They recommend it especially for children because its action was milder than that of other digestive herbs such as caraway, anise, and fennel.
The Vikings were well aware of dill’s digestive benefits. In fact, our word dill comes from the Old Norse dilla, meaning to lull or soothe.
The 17th-century English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper claimed dill “stayeth the belly … and is a gallant expeller of wind.” Culpeper also recommended the herb for hiccups, swellings, and to “strengthen the brain.”
Deli Arrives in America
Colonists brought dill to North America. Its seed infusion, known as dillwater, became a favorite among American folk healers for such childhood ailments as colic, cough, indigestion, gas, stomachache, and insomnia. In adults, the herb was used to treat hemorrhoids, jaundice, scurvy, and “dropsy” (congestive heart failure).
Contemporary herbalists call dill “the herb of choice” for infant colic. They recommend chewing the seeds for bad breath and drinking dill tea both as a digestive aid and to stimulate milk production in nursing mothers.