Perilla leaf is a versatile ingredient that can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. The leaves have a slightly minty flavor with hints of anise and cumin, making them perfect for adding a touch of flavor to stir-fries, soups, and stews. Perilla leaves can also be used as wraps for sushi or grilled meats.
The purple variety of Perilla is often used as a natural food coloring due to its vibrant hue. The leaves give baked goods a beautiful lavender color when used in desserts.
In addition to its culinary uses, It has numerous health benefits of Perilla. The leaves are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, effectively treating allergies and indigestion.
About Perilla:
Perilla, known as shiso, beefsteak plant, Chinese basil, and purple mint, was first grown in China. In the 8th century, it moved to Japan, quickly becoming one of the most important spices in Asian cooking. Before it was used for cooking, it was used as fuel for oil lamps, but this became too expensive to do often. Now, it has been shown that the herb has many useful qualities.
There are some Perilla with green leaves and some with purple leaves. Usually, it is used in Japanese cooking, where it is called shiso. In Asia, perilla oil is used as medicine and to flavor foods like candies and sauces. Perilla contains omega-3 fatty acids, and the leaves are used to flavor tofu and decorate tempura. This plant’s leaf is used as a garnish in many Asian dishes, like soups, salads, and sushi. It is a very pretty plant for the garden, and butterflies are drawn to it.
It is a strong-smelling plant that smells like mint. Local people have always used different kinds of Perilla. The leaves are eaten as vegetables; the seeds make healthy cooking oil. Perilla is a weed that is a problem in the United States. When cattle eat it, it makes them sick. Some types of Perilla are said to have deep red leaves that look like raw beef, which is where the common name comes from.
Plant Description For Perilla
Perilla is a perennial plant that grows from 60 to 90 centimeters (24 to 35 inches) tall. It is a good herb for your health, has a nice smell, and can be used as an ornamental plant. The plant grows in dry, rocky woods, the edges of springs, sand and gravel bars along rivers, disturbed, weedy meadows, gravelly areas along railroads, the edges of yards, areas near gardens, back alleys in cities, and various waste areas, pastures and fields, dry woods, and waste places.
The plant grows well in many different soil types, such as loam, sand, and gravel. The stem is square with sharp corners and is between 0.5 and 1.5 cm in diameter. It often has many branches, is fine to densely hairy, and is gland-dotted. Dried stalks can last all winter.
Plant Description of Perilla Leaves:
The leaves are simple, opposite, decussate, 7–12 cm (2.8–4.7 in) long and 5–8 cm (2.0–3.1 in) wide, and they get smaller from the bottom to the top of the plant. They are finely hairy to densely hairy. The petiole is 0–7 cm long and is either not there or is very small on the uppermost leaves. The blade is 2–13 cm long and 1.5–10 cm wide. The base is round to cuneate, the edge is fine to coarsely serrated and sometimes wavy, and the tip is short, pointed, or mucronate. The undersides of the green leaves have small spots of purple.
22 Health Benefits of Perilla And their Leaves
1. Anti-inflammatory properties
Perilla has been used for a long time to treat wound inflammation and upset stomachs. This is because the plant has an active chemical called Luteolin. This chemical fights inflammation and reduces its signs and symptoms by making the body make more of a chemical called corticosterone. Corticosterone is a neurotransmitter that our bodies make when we are stressed.
2. Full of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids
Perilla is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids for vegetarians or vegans. Perilla oil has more healthy polyunsaturated and unsaturated fats than other plant oils. Omega-3 fatty acids are needed for your brain to work well and for your body to grow and develop healthily.
3. Improves wellbeing
Perilla has two chemicals in it called rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid. Both of these are antidepressants, so they can help you feel less stressed and anxious. Aromatherapy also uses the herb to help people relax and relieve any stress they may be holding on to.
4. It helps relieve stomach pain
Flavonoids, found in Perilla’s leaves, help relieve stomach pain. This includes things like feeling full, getting sick, and passing gas. The oil can also help reduce stomach inflammation, improving digestion and making indigestion less painful.
5. Good for your skin
The oil from this herb is good for treating skin that is getting old and for keeping your skin’s barrier hydrated, which makes it less likely that you will lose water. The oil also has anti-inflammatory properties that can help treat skin with many problems.
6. Reduces Cholesterol
Seeds aid in preventing cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, strokes, and even cancer by reducing LDL or bad Cholesterol and boosting HDL or good Cholesterol. It also aids in the prevention of atherosclerosis.
7. Reduced Risk of Heart Disease
As previously stated, Perilla’s high ratio of good fats makes it excellent for reducing heart disease. It helps to keep blood vessels healthy by preventing them from hardening and depositing plaque. Perilla’s antioxidants help prevent the oxidation of Cholesterol in your diet, keeping it out of your arteries where it may accumulate and create major issues.
8. Antidepressant and beneficial to the brain
Because of Perilla Seeds’ remarkable antioxidant capabilities, the oils significantly influence the dopamine regions in our brains, making us feel happy. It also aids in the optimization of brain function and memory. The University of Maryland Medical Center discovered that the ALA present in Perilla Seeds might aid with depression.
9. Boost Immunity
Compounds in this plant have been shown to stimulate interferon activity, which promotes immune system health and helps keep a variety of ailments at bay.
10. Relieve abdominal pain
Flavonoids found in Perilla leaves can reduce symptoms of stomach pain. This involves bloating, nausea, and gas production. The oil may also help decrease stomach inflammation, which improves digestion while lessening the effects of indigestion.
11. Lower Oxidative Stress
Several health problems can be linked to oxidative stress. They include everything from arthritis to cancer. Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals overrun the organism. Antioxidants in abundance in Perilla can eliminate excess free radicals, so the herb is often utilized to avoid oxidative stress disorders.
12. Reduce Cancer Risk
Perilla Seeds may suppress the development of cancer cells in experimental conditions due to their high antioxidant content. The more antioxidants we ingest daily, our chances of developing cancer are lower.
13. Prevents tooth decay
Perilla Seeds and the plant have a high concentration of Luteolin, which aids in preventing dental cavities. Asahi University in Japan discovered that Perilla seeds and leaves inhibit the formation of harmful germs in the mouth.
14. Effective Sun protection
When perilla leaf paste is applied to the skin, it helps to prevent sunburn. It is also reported to be effective in reducing sunstroke when consumed as a decoction. It prevents the ailments mentioned above and aids in treating sunstrokes and warts that have already developed.
15. Reduce intestinal pain
A leaf containing flavonoids, rosmarinic acid, and caffeic acid is crucial for this function. Through prokinetic (helps strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter, thus preventing acid reflux) and antispasmodic (prevents and reduces cramping) effects, research has shown that Perilla can help improve bloating, gas passage, rumbling, and feeling of fullness shortly after starting to take an extract.
16. Joint Pain and Inflammation Control
Fatty acids included in Perilla are beneficial, particularly for persons who suffer from achy and swollen joints daily. Those healthy fats maintain the joints, preventing them from becoming uncomfortable and inflamed. Supplementing with Perilla may benefit persons prone to arthritis by removing the need to use NSAIDs daily, medications known to have various side effects and hazards.
17. Effective against Asthma, Colds, Allergies, and Bronchitis
Perilla seeds include quercetin, Luteolin, alpha-linoleic acid, and rosmarinic acid, all beneficial to the respiratory system and aiding breathing. An “International Archives of Allergy and Immunology” report discovered that four weeks of therapy with Perilla Seeds significantly enhanced lung capacity.
18. Effective in the treatment of infection or edema
The plant contains rosemary acid, one of the primary components preventing skin allergies and swelling. It is known that extract from the leaves may prevent such circumstances from developing.
19. Excellent for Skin Issues
Perilla Oil is used in cosmetics and is beneficial to troubled skin. It works wonderfully for treating rashes and acne because of its anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidants, antibacterial properties, and capacity to help retain more water in the skin. It aids in the removal of wrinkles and the creation of young, attractive skin.
20. Maintaining Oral Health
According to studies conducted in Japan, this plant has anti-microbial qualities and helps to preserve dental health. When used orally, it helps to prevent gum bleeding and the formation of oral cavities.
21. Increases happiness
Perilla contains the antidepressant compounds rosmarinic and caffeic acid, which aid in the relief of stress and anxiety. The plant is also used in aromatherapy to help individuals relax and release any stress they may be carrying.
22. Reduced Allergy Symptoms and Signs
Perilla is well-known for its ability to help allergy sufferers. This is because the herb has been shown to help regulate the production of histamine in the body, which occurs when exposed to allergens. Numerous studies have shown that Perilla effectively controls a wide range of allergy signs and symptoms, including itchy and watery eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, and even shortness of breath.
References:
http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-150299
https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=32634#null
https://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/197204/
https://www.drugs.com/npp/perilla.html
https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=pefr4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perilla_frutescens
https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=3413
https://www.discoverlife.org/20/q?search%3DPerilla%2Bfrutescens
https://uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Perilla_frutescens_(PROSEA)
