Better Than Flax and Local: Perilla Oil

Vegans and vegetarians stop using flax. There is a local source for Omega-3 fatty acids.  Perilla Oil as an Omega-3 supplement is way better than flax seeds as an omega-three source. The ALA content of Perilla is higher at 61 percent compared to 41 percent in Flax Seed Oil.

The average American has an Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio of 15:1 when traditional diets it was somewhere between 6:1 to 2:1. Omega three is very important for our brain function, nerve function, our happiness, our skin, eyes, and more complicated functions.

Perilla Seed oil is a great Omega 3 supplement to our diet. It's so high you will over-do-it if you make it your sole source of fat.

As of right now the standard of preservation of commercial Perilla Oil in Korea is mixed at a supermarket.They sell them in glass bottles that are darken to protect the sensitive oils from degrading in light. They are not kept  at a cool temperature but at room temperature. I wish an omega three rich oil like Perlla Seed Oil was sold refrigerated in Korea, like flax oil is sold in America. As a result, it's not going to be as fresh..

When buying oil, there are some ways to determine its quality. Is it in a glass container? Is it dark? Does it have a taste? Does it taste rancid? These are the minimum standards.

However for a higher standard oil the source of the seed and the time of it's manufacture is important. It's possible to buy oil from seeds in Korea that are made in location at large supermarkets in Korea. Finding out the location of seeds and the time when the oil made are ways to find the optimal quality available to you.

Of course the best way to get your oil fresh is to know the story of where it came from, either by knowing the manufacturer or doing it yourself.  This Korean woman is making sesame oil using a high quality press on on the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfi9Hz73jFo&feature=related

I must admit some limitations to these oils for EFAs. If you didn't already know: there are three omega-three fatty acids from the simplest ALA to EPA then DHA. Vegetables oils only have ALAs. Only animals have EPA and DHA the more complicated fatty acids. Ultimately the body converts all sources to EPA which our use to make necessary hormones. We can convert some ALA to DHA when necessary and if we provide the body with a lot we can make more the thinking goes.

Knowing this, I've made a personal choice to use Perilla Oil with fish. That's my choice to optimize my diet at the moment.  I use Perilla Oil throughout the week and eat EPA and DHA rich fish at least once a week. 

I sprinkle it on food, rather than cooking it because EFA fats are destroyed easily in cooking.

That's what I have to offer. I hope you take my information and do some more investigation yourself to scrutinize the information and make your own choices.

Thank you.