Despite all our love for plants, there is one “plant-like” miracle of nature that we could not get past. Frilly, translucent, and oddly beautiful, this medicinal mushroom grows on decaying wood and looks like an ethereal flower from another planet.
Tremella fuciformis, also known as Silver Ear, Snow Mushroom or Yin Er (银耳), grows in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. This gelatinous mushroom has been used for thousands of years in China and East Asia for food (see Tremella Snow Fungus Soup Recipe), medicine, and cosmetics.
Tremella Health Benefits
Chinese Medicine classifies tremella as a Yin tonic. Tremella is often prescribed to nourish fluids in the body, tonify stomach and lung yin, treat coughs, fight colds, and strengthen the immune system. Modern research shows that tremella possesses a wide spectrum of medicinal properties, pretty impressive for a strange-looking jelly mushroom!
Immune System Improvement
There are macrophages, white blood cells, which destroy bacteria and damaged tissues in our body. Tremella mushroom contains unique beta-glucans or polysaccharide that stimulates the activity of macrophages and thus helps your body to better fight diseases and infections.
Heart-Care Function
The compounds in tremella extract are effective in preventing and treating heart disease. In particular, they help lower cholesterol levels and prevent atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries) as a risk factor for stroke and high blood pressure.
Chronic Inflammation Fighting
Chronic inflammation in the body carries a high risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Its appearance is associated with increased levels of pro-inflammatory markers. In turn, tremella extract normalizes and reduces the level of these markers, thus stopping inflammatory processes.
Brain Health Promotion
Studies have proven many tremella fuciformis benefits for our brain. The extract of this mushroom is able to reduce beta-amyloid, a protein that contributes to the development of Alzheimer's disease. The use of tremella supplement significantly improves memory, especially short-term memory. The polysaccharides in this mushroom protect our brain nerve cells from damage and degenerative diseases.
Tremella Skin Benefits
The value of Tremella fuciformis for skin beauty cannot be overestimated as it has been proven for centuries. For example, Yang Guifei, a royal concubine from the Tang dynasty famed for her legendary beauty, is said to favor the snow mushroom for maintaining her flawless complexion. Whether it is a legend or not, modern research proves the healing and aesthetic properties of tremella.
Super Hydration
Snow mushroom binds up to 500 times its weight in water, making this an extraordinary hydrating powerhouse. Already known polysaccharides in the composition form a transparent film when applied to the skin. This film improves water retention in the skin against sun and UV exposure.
Anti-Aging Effect
The anti-aging effect of tremella is achieved primarily due to the high content of vitamin D. It promotes the growth of skin cells and also increases its elasticity, firmness, and again moisture. Thus, tremella-based skin care products significantly reduce wrinkles and fine lines.
Complexion Improvement
Sun spots and hyperpigmentation can be the result of environmental aggressors, unhealthy diets, or bad habits. Rich in antioxidants, tremella extract fights any damage and thus improves complexion, evens out texture, and restores skin radiance.
Skin Healing Promotion
When applied to the skin, tremella-based creams and ointments activate certain chemicals that prevent cell death and combat oxidative damage and physical injury. Thus, the healing process is greatly accelerated and simplified.
