Yes, beefsteak plant (Perilla frutescens) is edible. The leaves, seeds, seedlings, and seed oil are all consumed by humans, and the plant has been a staple culinary herb across East Asia for centuries. It’s known as shiso in Japanese cooking and kkaennip (perilla) in Korean cooking, where it appears in everything from sushi to stews. That said, there are a few safety considerations worth knowing, especially if you’re foraging it wild or handling it for the first time.
Which Parts You Can Eat
The leaves are the most commonly eaten part. They’re used fresh as a culinary herb, wrapped around rice and grilled meat, or tossed into salads. Seedlings and seed oil work well in salads, while the seeds themselves are used as a garnish or condiment. Both the leaves and seeds contain meaningful amounts of minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and plant compounds like flavonoids and polyphenols.
What It Tastes Like
Beefsteak plant belongs to the mint family, and the flavor reflects that lineage. Most people describe it as a blend of mint, basil, anise, and cinnamon, though the exact taste varies between the two main varieties.
Green shiso has a brighter, more minty and lemony flavor with some bitterness. It’s often paired with rich or fatty foods to cut through heaviness. In Japanese cuisine, green shiso shows up as a garnish on sushi rolls and nigiri, or as an individual wrap for fatty fish like salmon and yellowtail. The reddish-purple variety is milder and is most famously used to make umeboshi, the sour pickled plum that’s a staple in Japanese cooking.
In Korean cuisine, perilla leaves are larger and frequently used to wrap rice and meat, or added to stews, pickles, and stir-fries for depth of flavor.
Nutritional and Health Properties
Beefsteak plant is more than a garnish. The leaves and seeds contain vitamins, minerals, and a range of beneficial plant compounds including polyphenols, vitamin E, and carotenoids. Perilla seed oil is notably rich in alpha-linolenic acid, a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid.
Lab and animal studies have identified anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-allergic, and antibacterial properties in various extracts from the plant. One human study found that consuming red perilla extract helped protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation, a process linked to cardiovascular disease. The plant’s polyphenols appear to enter the bloodstream and integrate into LDL particles, offering a protective effect. These findings are promising but still preliminary, and most of the research so far has been conducted in lab settings or animal models rather than large human trials.
Safety Concerns to Know About
While beefsteak plant is safe for people when eaten in normal culinary amounts, it comes with caveats. The plant produces a compound called perilla ketone in its essential oil, which is a potent lung toxin for livestock and laboratory animals. Cattle, horses, and goats that graze on the plant can become seriously ill or die. Researchers have noted that the widespread use of perilla in food and traditional medicine “suggests possible hazards to human health as well,” though there’s no documented pattern of lung toxicity in humans eating the plant in typical food quantities.
Some people develop a skin rash from handling the plant, so it’s worth wearing gloves if you’re harvesting it for the first time and aren’t sure how your skin will react. Eating too many seeds can also trigger allergic reactions in some individuals.
Foraging Wild Beefsteak Plant
If you’ve spotted beefsteak plant growing wild and you’re wondering whether to pick it, there are a couple of things to consider. The plant is classified as a nonnative invasive species in parts of the United States. In Missouri, for example, the Department of Conservation notes it occurs statewide and recommends against planting it or allowing it to spread, since it crowds out native plants wherever it establishes colonies.
Wild strains tend to be less flavorful than cultivated varieties bred for culinary use. If you do forage it, you’re actually helping control an invasive species. Just be confident in your identification: the leaves are distinctively broad and serrated, often with a purplish tinge on the underside, and the plant has a square stem typical of the mint family. As with any wild foraging, avoid plants near roadsides, agricultural fields, or other areas where herbicides or pesticides may have been applied.
Green vs. Purple: Choosing a Variety
If you’re buying beefsteak plant at an Asian grocery store or growing it in your garden, the choice between green and purple comes down to what you’re cooking. Green shiso is the more versatile everyday herb, great for fresh applications like sushi, salads, and as a counterpoint to rich dishes. Purple shiso is the better choice for pickling projects, coloring rice, or making umeboshi. Both are fully edible and nutritious, so it’s really a matter of flavor preference and intended use.