Today we have a recipe for a delicious shiso drink—a uniquely Asian pink lemonade to quench your thirst all summer long.It’s made with purple shiso (also known as perilla), an Asian herb that when combined with acidic lemon juice makes an all natural, herbal pink lemonade.  Shiso Pink Lemonade, with Antioxidants!  This shiso drink is a thirst-quenching summer beverage that dates back to the Song Dynasty (about 1000 years ago)! I bet what caught your attention is its color.It’s thanks to red shiso, which is loaded with anthocyanins, natural plant pigments that make foods like blueberries, red cabbage, and black rice a vibrant red, blue, and purple.

They also act as powerful antioxidants, reducing inflammation.This drink is not only striking in appearance, it’s also good for you! When highly acidic lemon juice is added, it lowers the pH of the mixture, transforming the color from purple or dark red into the vibrant fuschia color that you see here.It’s so pretty and also totally natural.  What is Shiso, or Perilla?  I wouldn’t be surprised if you had never heard of shiso, or perilla frutescens.

It’s very popular in Japanese and Korean cuisine, often enjoyed with sushi or Korean BBQ.You may have also seen little crunchy black perilla seeds in Korean stews.Kaitlin is a big fan of them in Gamjatang, a Korean pork bone and potato stew.  There are three types of shiso: red shiso, green shiso, and a hybrid that is green on the

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