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Parsley vs. Dill — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

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Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan by Ani Harutyunyan | Last updated on February 28, 2023
Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel Article author photo Igor Bussel
Parsley
vs
Dill

Summary

Dill is richer in manganese, calcium, potassium, and B-complex vitamins. However, parsley is higher in vitamin C. Parsley covers the DV of calcium 53% more than dill. Dill is richer in carbs and calories. Parsley provides more dietary fiber

Introduction

This article compares two herbs - dill (1) and parsley (2)- regarding nutritional differences and health impact

Actual differences

Parsley and dill are nutritious herbs that differ in taste and appearance. Parsley is a leafy herb, while dill has soft leaves on slender stems. Parsley has a mild, bitter flavor, dill has a sweet, grassy taste

Both are used as fresh herbs or dried spices. Dill is often paired with potatoes, fish, and yogurt-based sauces. 

Nutrition

This section will compare nutrients in 100g amounts of dill and parsley. Check the infographics below for the visual representation of the distribution of nutrients. 

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
:
4
Dill
Contains more Protein +16.5%
Contains more Fats +41.8%
Contains more Carbs +10.9%
Contains more Other +11.4%
Equal in Water - 85.95
3% 6% 88% 2%
Protein: 2.97 g
Fats: 0.79 g
Carbs: 6.33 g
Water: 87.71 g
Other: 2.2 g
3% 7% 86% 2%
Protein: 3.46 g
Fats: 1.12 g
Carbs: 7.02 g
Water: 85.95 g
Other: 2.45 g
Contains more Protein +16.5%
Contains more Fats +41.8%
Contains more Carbs +10.9%
Contains more Other +11.4%
Equal in Water - 85.95
 

Calories

Dill and parsley are classified as low-calorie foods. Dill contains 43 calories per 100g, while the same amount of parsley provides 36 calories

Fats

Dill and parsley are plant food products. Hence, they contain neglectable amounts of fats. However, dill is slightly higher in fats than parsley. 

Both herbs do not contain any amounts of cholesterol. 

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
:
2
Dill
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +30.5%
Contains less Saturated Fat -54.5%
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +171.9%
24% 54% 23%
Saturated Fat: 0.132 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.295 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.124 g
6% 84% 10%
Saturated Fat: 0.06 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.802 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.095 g
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +30.5%
Contains less Saturated Fat -54.5%
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +171.9%
 

Carbs

Dill and parsley are low-carb foods. Dill is one gram richer in carbs than parsley. 

Parsley contains more fiber than dill: it provides 3.3g of dietary fiber compared to 2.1g in dill. Parsley contains small amounts of sugars, but dill does not contain any quantities. 

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison
:
0
Dill

Protein 

Dill and parsley have small amounts of protein. Dill is a little higher in proteins than parsley. 

Vitamins

The vitamin content of parsley is higher.

Parsley is higher in vitamins C and A, while dill provides more B-complex vitamins. Parsley contains vitamins K and E. Dill does not provide any amounts of those vitamins. 

Dill covers 62% of the DV of vitamin B2.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
:
3
Dill
Contains more Vitamin C +56.5%
Contains more Vitamin B1 +48.3%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +202%
Contains more Vitamin B3 +19.6%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +105.6%
Equal in Vitamin A - 7718
Equal in Vitamin B5 - 0.397
Equal in Folate - 150
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 506% 15% 0% 444% 22% 23% 25% 24% 21% 114% 0% 4100%
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 464% 0% 0% 284% 15% 69% 30% 24% 43% 113% 0% 0%
Contains more Vitamin C +56.5%
Contains more Vitamin B1 +48.3%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +202%
Contains more Vitamin B3 +19.6%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +105.6%
Equal in Vitamin A - 7718
Equal in Vitamin B5 - 0.397
Equal in Folate - 150
 

Minerals

Dill is the winner in this section. 

Dill is higher in calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Parsley is higher in zinc. Parsley covers 50% of the DV of copper.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
:
6
Dill
Contains more Zinc +17.6%
Contains more Calcium +50.7%
Contains more Phosphorus +13.8%
Contains more Potassium +33.2%
Contains more Manganese +690%
Equal in Iron - 6.59
Equal in Magnesium - 55
Equal in Sodium - 61
Equal in Copper - 0.146
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 42% 233% 36% 25% 49% 8% 30% 50% 21% 1%
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 63% 248% 40% 29% 66% 8% 25% 49% 165% 0%
Contains more Zinc +17.6%
Contains more Calcium +50.7%
Contains more Phosphorus +13.8%
Contains more Potassium +33.2%
Contains more Manganese +690%
Equal in Iron - 6.59
Equal in Magnesium - 55
Equal in Sodium - 61
Equal in Copper - 0.146
  

Glycemic index

Dill and parsley are classified as low-GI foods. However, parsley’s GI is two times higherparsley’s GI equals 32, while dill’s GI is 15

Check our glycemic index chart page for more information about the GI of other foods. 

Health impact

Cardiovascular health

Dill and parsley may have beneficial effects on your cardiovascular system by providing different compounds to improve your health. 

Parsley contains high amounts of folate - vitamin B9, that can reduce the risk of heart disease in the human population (3). It lowers the levels of amino acid homocysteine, which harms cardiovascular health (4). 

Flavonoids found in dill have potentially beneficial effects on heart health due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties (5). An animal study shows that dill extracts have cholesterol and triglyceride level-lowering effects, but more studies are required to confirm these results (6). 

Cancer

Dill and parsley have different chemicals that show anticancer properties. 

Dill is rich in monoterpenes, especially in d-limonene. That is a type of monoterpene that can potentially prevent the development of breast, colon, and lung cancer (7) (8) (9).

Myricetin and apigenin are some of the flavonoids parsley produces. They have shown anticancer properties in animal test-tube studies (10) (11).

Bone health

Minerals and vitamins present in dill and parsley are valuable for maintaining healthy bones.

Dill is rich in magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus - essential minerals for bones (12). 

Parsley is packed with vitamin K. It is important for osteoblasts - cells that are essential for bone growth and density (13). 

References

  1. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172233/nutrients 
  2. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170416/nutrients 
  3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20395608/ 
  4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20937919/ 
  5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29072172/
  6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5088306/ 
  7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5894671/ 
  8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23117412/ 
  9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23554130/ 
  10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25738871/
  11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24818105/ 
  12.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3330619/
  13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30050932/ 
Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan
Education: General Medicine at YSMU
Last updated: February 28, 2023
Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel

Infographic

Parsley vs Dill infographic
Infographic link

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Parsley Dill
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in price ok
Rich in vitamins ok
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Rich in minerals ok
Lower in Cholesterol Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Parsley Dill Opinion
Net carbs 3.03g 4.92g Dill
Protein 2.97g 3.46g Dill
Fats 0.79g 1.12g Dill
Carbs 6.33g 7.02g Dill
Calories 36kcal 43kcal Dill
Sugar 0.85g Dill
Fiber 3.3g 2.1g Parsley
Calcium 138mg 208mg Dill
Iron 6.2mg 6.59mg Dill
Magnesium 50mg 55mg Dill
Phosphorus 58mg 66mg Dill
Potassium 554mg 738mg Dill
Sodium 56mg 61mg Parsley
Zinc 1.07mg 0.91mg Parsley
Copper 0.149mg 0.146mg Parsley
Manganese 0.16mg 1.264mg Dill
Selenium 0.1µg Parsley
Vitamin A 8424IU 7718IU Parsley
Vitamin A RAE 421µg 386µg Parsley
Vitamin E 0.75mg Parsley
Vitamin C 133mg 85mg Parsley
Vitamin B1 0.086mg 0.058mg Parsley
Vitamin B2 0.098mg 0.296mg Dill
Vitamin B3 1.313mg 1.57mg Dill
Vitamin B5 0.4mg 0.397mg Parsley
Vitamin B6 0.09mg 0.185mg Dill
Folate 152µg 150µg Parsley
Vitamin K 1640µg Parsley
Tryptophan 0.045mg 0.014mg Parsley
Threonine 0.122mg 0.068mg Parsley
Isoleucine 0.118mg 0.195mg Dill
Leucine 0.204mg 0.159mg Parsley
Lysine 0.181mg 0.246mg Dill
Methionine 0.042mg 0.011mg Parsley
Phenylalanine 0.145mg 0.065mg Parsley
Valine 0.172mg 0.154mg Parsley
Histidine 0.061mg 0.071mg Dill
Saturated Fat 0.132g 0.06g Dill
Monounsaturated Fat 0.295g 0.802g Dill
Polyunsaturated fat 0.124g 0.095g Parsley

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Parsley Dill
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Calories diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
441%
Parsley
86%
Dill
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
49%
Parsley
69%
Dill

Comparison summary

Which food contains less Sodium?
Parsley
Parsley contains less Sodium (difference - 5mg)
Which food is cheaper?
Parsley
Parsley is cheaper (difference - $1.7)
Which food is richer in vitamins?
Parsley
Parsley is relatively richer in vitamins
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Dill
Dill is lower in Sugar (difference - 0.85g)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Dill
Dill is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.072g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Dill
Dill is lower in glycemic index (difference - 17)
Which food is richer in minerals?
Dill
Dill is relatively richer in minerals
Which food contains less Cholesterol?
?
The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Parsley - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170416/nutrients
  2. Dill - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172233/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.