There’s a plant-based ingredient that can often get overlooked when it comes to healthy oils – perilla seed oil. Perilla frutescens is the beautiful, minty green (and sometimes purple) plant that the vital oil comes from. The perilla plant is in the same family as mint and basil – hence its delicious aroma and flavor. And when it comes to health benefits, perilla seed oil doesn’t fall short. Continue reading to learn some of the potential health benefits of perilla seed oil and how you might use it.

Perilla Seed Oil Benefits: How Might This Oil Support Your Health?

Perilla seed oil may provide your body with a little extra support when it comes to joint and heart health. It’s also a pretty significant source of omega-3 fatty acids – and you know how good omega-3 fatty acids are for you.

Now, sometimes it’s hard for vegetarians to find omega-3s … they usually don’t want to take fish oil or krill oil. But perilla oil is plant-based. So, it’s a really good option for vegetarians who need to up their omega-3 intake. It’s also rich in alpha-linolenic acid – which can support your cardiovascular system.

Perilla Seed Oil: Potential Benefits For Skin

When used topically, the high omega-3 content can help nourish your skin as well. Perilla oil also supports a healthy skin barrier and has hydrating properties. This means it can be beneficial for areas where your skin might be a little drier. Not only that, but it’s full of vitamin E – another skin-nourishing ingredient. But, one of the main reasons perilla oil appears to be getting some buzz around skin health is because of its high rosmarinic acid content. Rosmarinic acid can support skin health in a variety of ways including helping to fight free radicals.¹

So, How Can I Cook With Perilla Seed Oil? 

If you’re looking for interesting recipes that utilize perilla oil, look no further than Korean Cuisine. Many Korean cooks use perilla seed oil in their delicious dishes. In fact, perilla seed oil is quite often used for sautéing vegetables. You can also find it in a lot of Korean salad dressings. But Korean dishes aren’t the only way to benefit from consuming perilla seed oil. Perilla oil is also great when added to a stir-fry, cooking eggs or Miracle Noodles, or used as a dressing for any salad. It can also be used for a super-aromatic twist on pesto.

In The End…

When you’re considering the use of oils to better support your health, put perilla seed oil high on your list.

Sources

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12482446