Lately, the weather has turned colder and some people in my family have been coughing. I heard from a friend that eating some perilla leaves can quickly alleviate coughing. I wanted to ask if perilla can actually treat coughs.
Can Perilla Treat Coughs?
Perilla has a certain therapeutic effect on coughs caused by wind-cold.
Perilla is a commonly used ingredient and a commonly seen medicinal herb. It has a pungent taste and a warm nature. It enters the spleen and lung meridians and has the functions of dispelling exterior, dispersing cold, promoting qi circulation, and harmonizing the stomach. It is often used to treat symptoms such as fever, cough, asthma, headache, and nasal congestion caused by wind-cold. Therefore, perilla does have a certain therapeutic effect on coughs caused by wind-cold. However, it is not suitable for treating all types of coughs.
Which Types of Coughs Should Not be Treated with Perilla?
Perilla should not be eaten for coughs caused by internal heat.
Perilla is good at treating coughs caused by wind-cold, but the treatment for coughs caused by internal heat should focus on clearing heat, moistening the lungs, stopping coughs, and transforming phlegm. Examples of such coughs include coughs with hoarseness, coughing with yellow phlegm caused by wind-heat, as well as long-term coughs with little sticky phlegm and five-center restlessness caused by yin deficiency. For these types of coughs, eating perilla not only does not alleviate the symptoms, but may worsen the original cough.
Is Perilla Effective in Treating Coughs?
The effect is average.
The main function of perilla is to dispel exterior and disperse cold. It does not have a significant antitussive effect. It has a certain alleviating effect on mild coughs caused by wind-cold, but if the cough symptoms are severe or accompanied by other discomforts, the effect of using perilla alone is very limited. It needs to be combined with other warm lung antitussive drugs, such as almonds, tangerine peel, radix bupleuri, ginger, and cyperus rotundus.
How to Use Perilla to Treat Coughs?
Ginger and Perilla Leaf Drink
Ingredients: 20g ginger, 8g dried perilla leaves, 10g brown sugar.
Instructions:
1. Wash the ginger and chop it into small pieces.
2. Put the perilla leaves in a pot and add an appropriate amount of water.
3. Bring it to a boil over low heat for about 10 minutes.
4. Filter out the residue and add ginger and brown sugar.
5. Continue to simmer for about 5 minutes.
6. Take it twice a day, in the morning and evening.
Perilla and Tangerine Peel Congee
Ingredients: 8g dried perilla leaves, 8g tangerine peel, 100g glutinous rice.
Instructions:
1. Wash the glutinous rice, tangerine peel, and perilla leaves.
2. Put the perilla leaves in a pot and add an appropriate amount of water.
3. Bring it to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, then filter out the residue and keep the soup.
4. Add the glutinous rice and tangerine peel, and cook until the porridge thickens.
Other Dietary Methods for Coughs
Stewed Pear with Fritillaria
Ingredients: 3g fritillaria, 1 pear, some rock sugar.
Instructions:
1. Grind the fritillaria into fine powder, wash the pear.
2. Cut off the top of the pear and use it as a lid.
3. Remove the core of the pear, and add the fritillaria and rock sugar, then cover it with the pear lid.
4. Place the pear in a stew pot and stew it in water for about 2 hours.
5. Let it cool slightly before consuming.
6. Suitable for treating various types of cough caused by internal heat.
Ginger and Radish Drink
Ingredients: 500g fresh white radish, 30g ginger, 30g honey.
Instructions:
1. Peel and wash the ginger and radish, and cut them into small pieces.
2. Put the ginger and radish into a juicer and extract the juice.
3. Add honey and mix well before drinking.
4. Suitable for coughs and sore throat caused by wind-cold.
