Shepu Bhaji: Nutrition, Vitamin C, Glycemic Index & Health Benefits

The fragrant, feathery green

Shepu bhaji is the Marathi and Hindi name for dill leaves (Anethum graveolens). In the West, it's mostly known for flavoring pickles or pairing with salmon. But in Indian kitchens, it's treated like a proper vegetable, stir-fried on its own (bhaji), cooked into lentils (dal), or kneaded into flatbread dough.

Its flavor is its signature: fresh, grassy, and distinctly tangy, with a hint of anise that reminds people of fennel (though they're different plants). It's a taste that can divide a room, but its nutritional profile is far less controversial. It's a genuine superfood, without the fancy label or the high price tag.

Shepu bhaji nutrition facts

Here's the nutritional breakdown for a 100-gram serving of raw shepu bhaji — that's a pretty generous bunch, about what you'd use to make a side dish for two people.

The numbers speak for themselves. For just 43 calories, you get a decent bump of protein and fiber. But the absolute showstopper is the vitamin C. At 85 milligrams, a single serving provides nearly your entire recommended daily intake. That's more vitamin C than you'll find in a medium orange. It's also a good source of Vitamin A (as carotenoids) and minerals like manganese, though the vitamin C is the main event.

A truly low-carb green

With only 7 grams of carbs, 2.1 of which are fiber, the net carb count is less than 5 grams per 100g. This makes shepu bhaji an incredible food for anyone managing blood sugar or following a low-carb or ketogenic diet. It adds bulk, flavor, and huge nutritional value for almost no carbohydrate cost.

Shepu Bhaji's Glycemic Index

There's no official glycemic index rating for shepu bhaji, and there's a simple reason why: it's unnecessary. Leafy greens like dill, spinach, and fenugreek have so few digestible carbohydrates that their effect on blood sugar is tiny, or 'negligible'. For all practical purposes, its GI is close to zero. It's a food you can eat freely without worrying about a blood sugar spike.

How to get the most out of it

To maximize the flavor and nutrition of shepu bhaji, a little technique goes a long way.

What shepu bhaji is good for

What to pair shepu bhaji with

Shepu bhaji's strong flavor loves to be paired with starchy or creamy textures that can balance its sharpness.

Eat freely — or be mindful?

Three ways to cook it

Here are three simple, traditional Indian preparations that treat shepu bhaji as the star of the show.