Can patients with cough eat perilla?

Jun 20, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Ren Yi
Introduction
In general, if a cough is caused by wind-cold, consuming perilla (Zi Su) may be appropriate. However, if the cough is due to wind-heat, perilla should not be used at this time. Perilla is also a type of traditional Chinese herb and should be used according to medical advice. To avoid unnecessary harm to the body, it is recommended to have the cause of the cough evaluated by a qualified physician before deciding whether to consume perilla.

Generally speaking, if coughing is caused by wind-cold, purple perilla (Perilla frutescens) may be consumed. However, if the cough is due to wind-heat, purple perilla should not be used at this time. Purple perilla is also a type of traditional Chinese herb and should be used according to medical advice. Detailed explanations are as follows:

If coughing is caused by a wind-cold type of common cold, symptoms may include a heavy-sounding cough, thin white phlegm, nasal congestion, and clear nasal discharge. In such cases, purple perilla may help alleviate these symptoms to some extent. This is because purple perilla has a warming nature and can induce perspiration and relieve superficial symptoms, thus providing some auxiliary therapeutic effects for cough caused by wind-cold感冒.

Wind-heat cough typically presents with frequent coughing, coarse breathing, sore throat, yellow sticky phlegm, or white sticky phlegm. Since purple perilla has the effect of relieving surface symptoms and dispersing cold, individuals suffering from wind-heat cough may find that consuming purple perilla not only fails to relieve their symptoms but may actually worsen their condition. Therefore, purple perilla is not recommended for patients with wind-heat cough.

To avoid unnecessary harm to the body, it is recommended that individuals consult a qualified physician to determine the cause of the cough before deciding whether to consume purple perilla. Additionally, during episodes of coughing, it is important to maintain a light diet, drink plenty of water, avoid spicy and greasy foods, and follow medical guidance for proper treatment.

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