Perilla oil is obtained from the seeds of herbs of the genus Perilla

Perilla

Perilla is the common name of the herbs of the genus Perilla of the mint family, Lamiaceae. In mild climates, the plant reseeds itself. There are both green-leafed and purple-leafed varieties, which are generally recognized as separate species by botanists. The leaves resemble stinging nettle...

, usually from the species Perilla frutescens

Perilla frutescens

Perilla frutescens is an edible herb and ornamental plant in the Lamiaceae family. Its common name is perilla; it is also called beefsteak plant, Chinese basil, wild basil, purple mint, rattlesnake weed, or summer coleus.Perilla is a perennial herb and can grow to 3-5 feet tall...

. The seeds contain 35 to 45 percent oil which is obtained by pressing. Perilla oil is used along with synthetic resins in the production of varnishes. Perilla oil dries faster than linseed oil

Linseed oil

Linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil, is a clear to yellowish oil obtained from the dried ripe seeds of the flax plant . The oil is obtained by cold pressing, sometimes followed by solvent extraction...

 and on drying forms a film that is harder and yellows more than that formed by linseed oil. The paint and varnish industry accounts for the largest usage. Perilla oil also is important in the manufacture of printing inks and linoleum, and in more ancient times was a critical component in creating durable earthen floor

Earthen floor

An earthen floor, also called an adobe floor, is a floor made of dirt, raw earth, or other unworked ground materials. It is usually constructed, in modern times, with a mixture of sand, finely chopped straw and clay, mixed to a thickened consistency and spread with a trowel on a sub-surface such...

s.

In parts of Asia, perilla oil is used as an edible oil that is valued more for its medicinal benefit than its flavor. Perilla oil is a very rich source of the omega-3 fatty acid

Omega-3 fatty acid

N−3 fatty acids are essential unsaturated fatty acids with a double bond starting after the third carbon atom from the end of the carbon chain....

 alpha-linolenic acid

Alpha-linolenic acid

α-Linolenic acid is an organic compound found in many common vegetable oils. In terms of its structure, it is named all-cis-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid. In physiological literature, it is given the name 18:3 ....

 (ALA). About 50 to 60% of the oil consists of ALA.

In Korea, perilla is mainly cultivated in Chungcheong, Gyeongsang, and Jeolla Province, so the locals there often consume perilla oil. In Korean cuisine, it is used for marinating namul

Namul

Namul is a general term for a Korean seasoned vegetable dish. The name of the dish may vary slightly depending on what vegetables are used and how they are prepared, but they will nonetheless still be a type of namul....

(seasoned vegetable dish), coating grilled gim

Gim (food)

Gim , also spelled as kim, is the Korean-word for edible seaweed in the genus Porphyra. In Welsh this food is called laver...

(Korean laver), or pan-frying jeon

Jeon (food)

Jeon , buchimgae, jijimgae, or jijim refer to many pancake-like dishes in Korean cuisine. It has been also called jeonyueo or jeonyuhwa, especially in Korean royal court cuisine. Sometimes, jeonya is used as an abbreviated term for the two...

(pancake-like dish), where it is called deul gireum (들기름) or beopyu (법유) in Korean

Korean language

Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...

. In North Korea

North Korea

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

, it is called deulkkae gireum (들깨기름).^photo