Pyongyang, September 23 (KCNA) -- The Korean people have used perilla leaves in diet from olden times.

According to Tonguibogam (encyclopedia of traditional medicines of Korea), perilla helps warm body, remove poison, make up energy, relieve coughing, improve the liver function and replenish marrow.

Salted, pickled and fried perilla leaves are peculiar in their tastes, fragrance and medicinal effect.

Perilla leaves salted in mid-August and early September can be preserved long to go with rice at meals.

Perilla leaf, with a large amount of iron and flavonoid, is efficacious for aging prevention, cell regeneration, stanching and blood vessel purification.

Taking roast meat and sliced raw fish, wrapped with perilla leaf, is good for removing saturated fatty acid and cholesterol.

Oil abstracted from perilla leaves is used in making cakes, toothpaste and others.

It was discovered recently that the leaf's edible fibre is efficacious for preventing diabetes, fatness and cancer and killing bacteria.