Perilla Leaf
紫苏叶 · Zǐ Sū Yè
Eases queasy stomach and early cold-and-flu chills
What it does
Perilla leaf settles a queasy stomach and helps shake off the first chills of a cold. In TCM, it's pungent and warming, pushing out the kind of cold invasion that brings shivers and a runny nose while moving stuck qi in the chest and gut. Cooks in Japan and Korea use it as shiso for its fresh, minty flavor. It's also a classical remedy for fish or shellfish reactions.
How to take it
Steep 3–9g of dried perilla leaves in just-boiled water for 10 minutes. Drink at the first sign of chills or a queasy stomach. Best taken warm.
Brew a cup at the first sniffle or after raw fish that didn't sit right
Use fresh perilla leaves like basil. Wrap around grilled meat, slice into salads, pickle with soy and chili, or chop over rice and noodles.
Add a few fresh leaves to your next bowl of rice or noodles
Safety
- Generally safe in food amounts and short medicinal use
- Skip if you have a yin-deficient hot pattern with night sweats and red, dry tongue
- Strongly drying. Don't use long-term for chronic deep coughs
- Talk to your doctor before starting medicinal use, especially if you take medication
Where it comes from
Perilla (Perilla frutescens) has been cultivated across East Asia for over 2,000 years. The leaf is called zǐ sū yè in TCM, shiso in Japan, and kkaennip in Korea, where it's pickled, wrapped around grilled meat, or chopped over rice. In classical Chinese medicine it appears in formulas for early-stage colds and for the 'lump in the throat' feeling that comes with stress. The whole plant is used: leaf for surface symptoms, stem for chest qi, and seed for cough.