Checking the oil

“Why do you not mention perilla oil as an alternative source for omega-3 fats? It has no mercury worries.”

This question from an HSI member named CB arrived in response to an e-Alert I sent you last month (“Gone Fishing” 11/13/02) about the omega-3 dilemma – that is; you can easily increase your omega-3 intake by adding fish to your diet, but the fish that contain the greatest concentrations of omega-3 (like swordfish and tuna) also contain high levels of mercury.

Meanwhile, CB is absolutely right – perilla oil (derived from the Asian beefsteak plant and also known as wild sesame oil) is an excellent, mercury-free source of alpha-linolenic acid, the essential omega-3 fatty acid. In addition, studies have shown some remarkable health benefits from this “wild” oil.

Perilla oil is not new to HSI members, however. In an e-Alert I sent you earlier this year (“4321” 5/21/02) and a Members Alert in 1999, we told you how perilla oil may help prevent heart attacks, strokes and heart disease by lowering platelet-activating factor (PAF) and reducing the risk of blood clots. The overproduction of a substance called thromboxane A2 is another significant cause of blood clot formation. In a laboratory test using rats, the administration of perilla oil reduced the production of thromboxane A2 in just 7 days.

Animal studies conducted in Japan have also shown promising results in the ability of perilla oil to inhibit cancer formation. In one study, researchers found that when perilla oil constituted 25% of total dietary fat in rats, the result was a significant beneficial effect in lowering the risk of colon cancer. Other studies have reached similar conclusions, indicating that perilla oil may help reduce the risk of breast and colon tumors, as well as kidney cancer.

In addition to cutting the risk of heart disease and enhancing the immune response against cancer, perilla oil has also been shown to promote other important health benefits such as the protection of neurons in the brain, the regulation of blood sugar and glucose metabolism, and the reduction of joint inflammation.

So far, most of the studies on perilla oil have been conducted on animals, so we don’t yet have clinical information about the safety of long-term intake for humans. However, perilla oil has been widely used for many years throughout Asia, sometimes just taken by the spoonful, without any association with adverse side effects.

Since its recent introduction to the marketplace, many health-conscious consumers have replaced their fish or flax oil supplements with perilla oil, finding it less expensive, and a little easier on the stomach for those who experience digestive side effects from the other oils. In America, perilla oil supplements are widely available in capsule form. For best results, however, it’s a good idea to not take perilla oil (or any other nutritional oils) with fiber supplements or high-fiber foods, as these can interfere with optimal absorption.

And, thanks to CB for reminding me to include this healthy oil in my omega-3 mantra. Keep your questions and ideas coming.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute