Perilla seed oil is a natural oil with both medicinal and edible values, mainly extracted from the seeds of perilla. Therefore, it contains a very high amount of alpha-linolenic acid, which has a significant effect on the human body’s metabolism. Then, for such a good edible oil, can babies eat it? How should it be added to complementary foods?

Perilla seed oil is called Renhuimayou in Japan and some western regions, which is rich in alpha-linolenic acid and is the food with the highest content of alpha-linolenic acid among terrestrial plants. It is known as the ‘land deep-sea fish oil’. Its metabolites are DHA, which is very critical for the intellectual and visual development of babies. Babies should be given perilla seed oil from the beginning of weaning, which can be used to steam egg custard, mix with salad, rice, soup, or make cakes.

The nutritional value of perilla seed oil

Perilla is a treasure all over, and it is one of the first batch of plants approved for both medicinal and food use in China. The alpha-linolenic acid contained in perilla seed oil is an essential fatty acid for the human body, which is converted into the life-active factor DHA and EPA (plant brain gold) necessary for metabolism in the human body. It does not contain cholesterol and has more significant health care functions and medical effects on the human body. Then, what are the nutritional values of perilla seed oil? Let’s learn about it in detail!

The main components of perilla seed oil are alpha-linolenic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, vitamin E, 18 kinds of amino acids, and various trace elements. Perilla oil is the edible plant oil with the highest content of alpha-linolenic acid (a-LNA) known so far, and perilla seed oil has the best quality, with the content of alpha-linolenic acid reaching about 70%. In view of the importance of alpha-linolenic acid and the common situation of insufficient intake among humans, the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations recommend special supplementation of alpha-linolenic acid. Alpha-linolenic acid is an essential fatty acid for the human body that cannot be synthesized internally and must be obtained from food. A deficiency of alpha-linolenic acid in the human body can lead to various functional disorders and metabolic disturbances. The deficiency of alpha-linolenic acid in humans has been identified as a global issue, especially harmful to the brain development of fetuses, infants, and children. Medicine has confirmed that 60% of the brain is composed of specific fatty acids, and only alpha-linolenic acid can be synthesized into DHA to complete the brain development needs. Therefore, it plays a substantial role in improving the brain development and brain nerve function of children from fetal to school age, enhancing the information function of brain cells, and promoting the normal development of the human brain.

Therefore, the nutritional value of perilla seed oil is very high, especially for friends with babies at home, it is recommended to let children eat more perilla seed oil to promote their brain development.