Vegetable Omega-3 from Perilla is highly valued by vegetarians because it replaces Omega-3 of animal origin without sacrificing the benefits that these unsaturated fatty acids offer to balance cholesterol levels in the body. Particularly in lowering LDL cholesterol (known as bad cholesterol) and increasing good cholesterol or HDL.
Let’s first get to know this plant: Perilla frutescens is a herbaceous plant from Asia. It grows in a moist and sunny environment and measures between 50 and 60 centimeters. Its color can vary from green to purple and the leaves are round with a heart-shaped tip, irregular edges and a small point at the tip.
The plant contains essential oils and rosmarinic acid, which gives it a mint flavor. Perilla leaves are edible and can be added to salads and other culinary preparations.
Its refreshing taste and sweetness make this plant a beneficial and healthy food. However, the most valuable treasure of the perilla are the seeds, from which a rich and very healthy oil for the human body is obtained.
Omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid perilla oil
The seeds of this plant are rich in oil, a class of omega-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Approximately 50% of its composition consists of the fatty acid ALA.
This unsaturated oil cannot be produced by the human body itself. Therefore, it should be taken with food or as a dietary supplement.
The main advantage of perilla oil is that, as a vegetable oil, it oxidizes more slowly than fish oils, for example salmon or so-called fatty fish, which are also rich in Omega 3 but oxidize more strongly.
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The plant-based Omega-3 in Perilla is popular with vegetarians because it replaces animal sources of Omega-3 without losing the benefits of these unsaturated fatty acids in balancing cholesterol levels in the body. Especially when it comes to lowering LDL cholesterol (the so-called bad cholesterol) and increasing good cholesterol or HDL.
Why is cholesterol created?
First of all, it must be made clear that cholesterol is an important substance for the human body; Without them, the formation of cell membranes and hormones cannot occur properly.
Problems arise when cholesterol levels become unbalanced, whether due to nutritional deficiencies, side effects of certain treatments, or the body’s own production.
In Western countries, the increase in diseases related to bad LDL cholesterol has become a health problem affecting millions of people, including children.
This is mainly due to poor eating habits. Therefore, it is necessary to increase social awareness that a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are essential for the quality of life in adulthood.
Most of the cholesterol in our body comes from its own production, which in some ways suggests that we don’t need to add a lot of fat to our diet since most cells can produce cholesterol.
Through a balanced diet, the body is responsible for avoiding excessive production of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream.
Why are Omega-3 fatty acids useful?
A balanced diet includes omega-3 fatty acids, which act as transporters for the transport of cholesterol so that it does not deposit and adhere to the walls of the blood vessels.
As cholesterol builds up on artery walls, blood circulation slows as blood channels narrow in places with fatty deposits but still have to continue circulating, causing blood pressure to rise. And with it the following risks: General cardiovascular system.
Let’s remember that omega-3 fatty acids are necessary for human metabolism due to their anti-inflammatory effects, their antioxidant effects and their protective effects on cardiovascular health.
Omega 3 helps reduce fat, thereby reducing the risk of cholesterol building up in the arteries, which can lead to serious health problems such as cardiovascular disease.
Omega-3 fatty acids should not be missing from the human diet, regardless of whether they are obtained from fish or a strict vegetarian diet. In this case, plant-based Omega 3 also helps to reduce the production of fat cells, thereby breaking down fatty tissue and thus boosting metabolism.
People with high cholesterol and diseases associated with this imbalance can benefit from the plant-based omega-3 fatty acids contained in perilla oil.
We find this oil both in the form of kitchen ingredients and in the most convenient and practical form of capsules to promote the daily supply of essential omega-3 fatty acids.
Based on the article by Jenny Blandon. Perilla oil, a natural way to balance cholesterol levels!