Like most medicinal mushrooms, Tremella mushroom benefits are likely vast, yet underappreciated.
This beautiful mushroom has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years to enhance beauty. It also is traditionally used to strengthen the immune system and much more.
Yet there is so much we don’t know (based on science) about this beauty mushroom today.
Still, there is no reason you shouldn’t enjoy the possible benefits of this medicinal mushroom unless, of course, you are allergic to mushrooms!
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What makes Tremella mushrooms unique?
The Tremella mushroom (Tremella fuciformis), also known as snow fungus or silver ear mushrooms, is beautiful and delicate like snow.
Used by the legendary beauty in China named Yang Guifei, who attributed her youthful appearance to Tremella, snow fungus became coveted as a beauty hack early on.
Only royalty could afford to use the beautiful Tremella back then!
While most mushrooms naturally grow on wood or trees, the snow mushroom grows on other types of mushrooms and fungi. This makes tremella mushrooms a type of mycoparasite. Because of this, mushroom growers now understand how to cultivate this fascinating mushroom.
This makes Tremella affordable for us all now.
Tremella is a type of jelly fungus, which should give you some clues as to how it may work in the body. Because of its soft, moist texture, it is also hydrating in the body. Let’s get into that more.
Tremella mushroom benefits overview
While extensive research still needs to be done on Tremella mushrooms, there is some good research to support its health claims from days gone by.
Snow fungus benefits are likely cumulative over time, so getting on a regimen of using these mushrooms daily is your best bet.
According to a research review in Amazonian Review of Plant Research, the proven benefits of tremella mushrooms are [R]:
- Improving skin, reducing wrinkles
- Better memory/learning
- Lowers cholesterol
- Helps with nerve damage repair
- Maintains normal blood sugar
- Reduces inflammation on the skin and in the body
- Reduces chronic coughing
- May reduce cancer
- Helps protect the liver
- Reduces chances of osteoporosis
- Improves stomach health and intestinal health
- May aid weight loss
- Helps protect the cardiovascular system
- Anti-aging effects
Research also shows that tremella mushrooms are high in vitamin D, fiber, and antioxidants, although exact amounts of these nutrients aren’t available [R].
Skin health
Snow mushrooms are rich in polysaccharides that increase the skin’s moisture retention, which lends to its purported benefits of keeping skin looking beautiful [R].
In fact, many people say it works better than hyaluronic acid for this purpose.
Tremella mushroom extract for skin is also great because it helps protect the skin from damaging UV radiation from the sun.
Immune system benefits
Although research is still early, Tremella mushroom benefits likely extend to immune-enhancing effects by increasing lymphocytes [R].
Most medicinal mushrooms do have immune-modulating properties, so it’s not a stretch to think that Tremella mushrooms also help the immune system.
Tremella is rich in beta-glucan, which is a prebiotic fiber that has well-known immune-enhancing properties [R].
Anti-inflammatory
Another benefit of Tremella mushrooms is that they help dampen down inflammation by reducing a compound called NFkB, which is a big driver of inflammation in the body [R].
More research also shows that snow mushrooms help to dampen inflammation because of their high antioxidant content, which neutralizes free radicals [R].
Blood sugar
Tremella mushrooms may also help reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes because it helps to reduce high blood sugar levels according to an animal study [R].
While more research is needed in humans to prove this benefit, many kinds of mushrooms, including snow fungus, help to improve metabolic issues related to diabetes.
Heart Health
Most mushrooms, including Tremella mushrooms, are beneficial for our circulatory system because they help lower cholesterol and triglycerides in a healthy way.
Tremella is very rich in beta-glucan, which is well-known to help reduce cholesterol levels and support heart health.
In this way, they may help prevent heart disease if snow fungus is included in an overall healthy diet.
They also provide a rich amount of nutrients that support healthy blood vessels [R].
Brain benefits
Using Tremella mushrooms may also help protect the brain and nerves in our body.
One research study found that tremella mushroom extract reduced the toxicity of beta-amyloid, a substance that can build up in people’s brains who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease [R].
Another early study found that Tremella helps to improve memory in rats [R].
Digestive health
Like other medicinal mushrooms, Tremella mushrooms may improve digestion by dampening down inflammation in the gut, which may even help protect from colitis [R].
Fascinatingly, Tremella may also help improve the gut barrier function, reduce ulcerative colitis symptoms, and reduce inflammation in the gut according to research in the International Journal of Macromolecules [R].
Another major benefit of Tremella is that they likely help restore bacterial balance in the gut, also known as the gut microbiome [R].
Related post: The 8 Best Mushroom Coffee and Shroom Coffee Substitutes
Anti-aging
If you are looking for anti-aging benefits, tremella mushrooms are hard to beat.
Among its many health benefits, Tremella helps slow the aging process because it is rich in antioxidants and nutrients.
And aging is more than skin deep. That is why it helps to use Tremella mushroom powder or extract orally to help fuel the body well.
Lung health
Long thought to be a lung tonic, research related to Tremella and lung health remains scant.
Still, Tremella mushroom extract was able to reduce the growth of lung cancer cells in a cell study [R].
What we can say is that because it has antioxidant properties, it likely does support lung health. It also supports a healthy immune response, which means it may indeed help reduce coughs.
But, we just don’t know to what extent.
Liver health
According to early research, Tremella fungus helps to reduce liver injury due to toxins and also increases liver antioxidant levels [R].
Phenolics, triterpenes, polysaccharides, and peptides are a few of the compounds in medicinal mushrooms that help protect liver tissue.
Although more research is needed in this area, this seems to confirm the folk uses of Tremella to help keep the liver healthy.
How to use
You can find dried Tremella mushrooms to eat in soups and to add to many dishes, including smoothies and stir-fry dishes.
Most people in the United States, however, supplement Tremella in powder or capsule form.
Because snow fungus is an edible mushroom, there is no upper limit to the dose, but typically people take 2 capsules daily or eat 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of mushroom powder daily.
If you are new to Tremella, start with ¼ teaspoon per day and increase as desired.
Side effects
No known side effects of Tremella mushrooms are expected or observed in research, but if you are allergic to mushrooms or fungus, it is best to avoid Tremella mushrooms.
Where to find Tremella
While tremella isn’t as easy to find as other medicinal mushrooms like Reishi, its increasing popularity makes it readily available with many reputable mushroom growers.
The best Tremella mushrooms on the market that I could find are Real Mushrooms Tremella Extract Capsules.
This brand is hot water-extracted from 100% Tremella fuciformis mushrooms, which enhances their absorption of active compounds in the body.
Real Mushrooms contain all the non-water soluble components of the mushroom as well. They are Certified Organic, Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, and Vegan.
Additionally, Tremella by Real Mushrooms contains>10% Beta-glucans and has 100% pure fruiting body of Tremella. This means that they also are free of added starch, mycelium, or grain of any kind.
Each pill contains 500mg pills and they are verified for quality at accredited 3rd party labs.
You can also get the Tremella mushroom powder here: Real Mushrooms Tremella Extract Powder, which is a great way to add them to smoothies, make mushroom coffee or add to just about any food dish you can imagine.
The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other medical body and is shared for educational purposes only. While The Healthy RD’s posts are backed by research, you are unique, so you must seek care from your own dietitian or healthcare provider. This post is not meant to diagnose or treat any conditions. Consult your doctor or healthcare provider before making changes to your supplement regimen or lifestyle.
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