Why perilla
Perilla is a common kitchen herb in East Asia and the source of one of the most ALA-rich plant oils. Here is what it is and what we know about it.
The plant
Perilla (Perilla frutescens) is an annual herb in the mint family, Lamiaceae. Like mint and basil, it has a square stem and leaves arranged in opposite pairs.
The leaves are broad, with a toothed edge and a pointed tip. Some varieties are green, some deep purple, and many are green on top and purple underneath. The purple comes from anthocyanins, the same family of pigments that colours red cabbage and blueberries.
The seeds are small and round, about the size of a sesame seed. In Japanese they are called egoma, in Korean deulkkae.
On the table
Perilla has been grown for food across East Asia for centuries.
In Japan, green shiso leaves are served with sashimi and in salads, and red shiso gives pickled umeboshi plums their colour. In Korea, kkaennip leaves are pickled or used to wrap grilled meat and rice, and toasted perilla seed oil, deulgireum, is a common seasoning. In China, zisu leaves are cooked with fish and crab.
ALA, a plant omega-3
Omega-3s are a family of fatty acids. The body cannot make alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), so it has to come from food. ALA is found in plants such as flax, chia, walnuts and perilla.
Perilla seed oil is one of the richest plant sources of ALA: more than half of its fatty acids are ALA.1 Each Perilland softgel contains 750 mg of perilla seed oil.
Perilla seed oil and fish oil
Fish oil provides two other omega-3s, EPA and DHA. Perilla seed oil provides ALA.
The body converts only a small share of ALA into EPA and DHA,23 so the two oils are not interchangeable. Perilla seed oil is a plant source of omega-3; it is not a plant version of fish oil.
| — | Perilla seed oil | Fish oil |
|---|---|---|
| Main omega-3 | ALA | EPA and DHA |
| Comes from | Pressed perilla seeds | Oily fish |
References
- 1Asif M. Health effects of omega-3,6,9 fatty acids: Perilla frutescens is a good example of plant oils. Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine. 2011;11(1):51–59.
- 2Baker EJ, Miles EA, Burdge GC, Yaqoob P, Calder PC. Metabolism and functional effects of plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids in humans. Progress in Lipid Research. 2016;64:30–56.
- 3National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. ods.od.nih.gov.