Parsley vs. Dill — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

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

Parsley

1

Protein: 2.97 g

Fats: 0.79 g

Carbs: 6.33 g

Water: 87.71 g

Other: 2.2 g

Dill

4

Protein: 3.46 g

Fats: 1.12 g

Carbs: 7.02 g

Water: 85.95 g

Other: 2.45 g

Contains more ProteinProtein	+16.5%
Contains more FatsFats	+41.8%
Contains more CarbsCarbs	+10.9%
Contains more OtherOther	+11.4%

~equal in Water ~85.95g

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

Parsley

1

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.132 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.295 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.124 g

Dill

2

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.06 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.802 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.095 g

Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat

+30.5%

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat	-54.5%
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated 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

Parsley

0

Dill

0

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.

Parsley

5

Dill

3

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+56.5%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+48.3%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+∞%
Contains more CholineCholine	+∞%

Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+202%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+19.6%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+105.6%

~equal in Vitamin A ~7718IU

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B5 ~0.397mg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

~equal in Folate ~150µg

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.

Parsley

2

Dill

4

Contains more ZincZinc	+17.6%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+∞%

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+50.7%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+33.2%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+13.8%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+690%

~equal in Magnesium ~55mg

~equal in Iron ~6.59mg

~equal in Copper ~0.146mg

~equal in Sodium ~61mg

Glycemic index

Dill and parsley are classified as low-GI foods. However, parsley’s GI is two times higher: parsley’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/