top of page
bgcs-as1.com

The Beloved Perilla Leaves: Why You Should Be Eating This Complex and Delicious Treat

Updated: Aug 17, 2022

As a very commonly used herb in Korean cuisine. Perilla is also known as shiso or perilla mint and has a distinctive flavor that can be difficult to describe. It's more earthy than leafy and has a hint of citrus and mint. The leaves have been used in various Korean dishes for centuries but they're not just limited to being an ingredient—perilla leaves can also be eaten raw as well!

Perilla Leaves

Perilla(Perilla frutescens)


Perilla Leaves

Perilla Leaves

Perilla Leaves
Perilla Leaves from my garden

What are perilla leaves?

Perilla leaves have a distinct flavor, and they're also known as perilla mint. Many people use them in salads or wrap them around meat with the leaves to add more layers of texture and flavor. The Perilla leaf is dark green on the top of the leaf and on the underside has a purplish tint to it. The leaves are also used in many different types of traditional Korean dishes!



What's the Difference Between Sesame Leaf vs Perilla?

Sesame leaf is a little bit of an unusual herb to describe. It's often used in Korean cooking, but it doesn't have the same flavor as sesame seeds or even perilla leaves which are also very common for use in Korean dishes. The taste of the two herbs can be a little difficult to compare since they're not similar at all! Sesame leaves are a little bit earthy and nutty, while perilla leaves are a lot more minty.


Is Sesame Leaf Korean?

Sesame Leaf refers to the plant which is most notable by its seeds but they also have an edible part too. The leaves are often used in Korean cuisine and it's a very popular plant. The seeds can be eaten raw or cooked with different dishes to add a unique flavor, while the leaves themselves have a much more subtle taste compared to most other types of herbs.

Uses for Perilla Leaves

Perilla leaves can also be used to decorate other dishes, and they work great as a garnish on various things. They're often paired with rice or noodles in Korean cuisine. People sometimes use them instead of basil when making pesto sauce. There are many ways to try experimenting with using perilla leaves included adding them into your salads, pasta, soups, appetizers, and main entrees!


You can also grow them as microgreens, which are basically seeds that have been sprouted and harvested before they fully grow into adult plants.


Perilla Leaves

Perillas can even be made into tea where they are pressed together and steeped in hot water. Perilla is a wonderful and healthy addition to any home garden, and it will help you maintain optimum health!


Tasty Ways to Eat Perilla Leaves

If you want to know how perilla leaves taste, then just try some of these tasty recipes! You can make a spicy mint salad or use them as the main ingredient in your stir fry. Try making an Asian beef dish by wrapping it with perilla leaves. Many people use them when they are steaming fish because their flavor enhances whatever dish that is being cooked.


Perilla leaves are also used in many different types of food like kimbap, rice cakes, pancakes, and even desserts! It's an ingredient that can be added to almost anything because it adds another layer of flavor.


You can also add its seeds to your favorite cookies, cakes, desserts, etc., in place of sesame seed for extra crunch!


Perilla Leaves vs Sesame Leaves

Perilla is often confused with sesame leaves since both plants have edible parts which people use for cooking. While they're similar looking at first glance, the two herbs do not taste alike at all. Sesame has a very distinct flavor whereas perilla has more of an earthy tone to it along with hints of citrus and mint flavors as well. There are some slight similarities between the two but they aren't interchangeable when you want them to contribute their own unique tastes.


Health and Nutrition of Perilla Leaf

Their seeds are also used in cosmetics due to their excellence for oil extraction since it has high-quality essential fatty acids such as linoleic acid which helps maintain healthy skin by retaining moisture within our cells while reducing inflammation. It can be found in many anti-aging creams or facial oils available at retail stores today!


Perilla leaves may be eaten in a variety of ways. They can be added to salads, soups, and rice dishes for an extra kick of flavor and nutrition. The perilla leaf is also used as a garnish or in the form of oil extracts in many herbal supplements and traditional medicines around Asia.


The nutritional value of perilla leaves is impressive. Perilla leaf extract contains phytoestrogens which have been associated with lower bad cholesterol levels and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and breast cancer. Perilla leaf extract also contains omega-three fatty acids similar to those found in fish, which have been shown to decrease the chance of heart disease and lower bad cholesterol levels. Perilla leaves are a good source of dietary fiber as well, so they can help combat high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases including stroke or heart attack.


Finally, perilla leaves are an excellent source of calcium, iron, and vitamin A. Calcium is needed to prevent osteoporosis in older adults while iron is essential for healthy blood cells which carry oxygen throughout the body. Vitamin A helps maintain good vision by stimulating white blood cell production that fights off infection or foreign substances in the eyes or respiratory system.


Thank you for reading about Korean perilla leaves. If you enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and family on social media! You can also leave a comment below if there is anything else that we can help answer or explain to you.



Thank you for reading about Korean perilla leaves. If you have fancied this post, please share it with your friends and family on social media! You may also leave comments below if there is anything else that we can help answer or explain to you.

91 views

Σχόλια


Recent Posts

bottom of page