Tremella, also known as “silver ear” or “white jerry leaf,” is a very popular mushroom in Chinese cuisine.  In traditional Chinese medicine, tremella extract is also used as a cough syrup for treating chronic tracheitis and other cough-related conditions such as asthma, dry cough, and heat in the lungs.  It is said that Yang Guifei (719-756, an imperial concubine in the Tang dynasty), considered to be the greatest beauty in Chinese history, believed that the mushroom was critical in keeping her face and body youthful and beautiful.  Tremella contains more than 70 percent dietary fiber such as acidic polysaccharides and is also very rich in vitamin D.  Modern research has indicated its usefulness as an antitumor agent, for lowering blood glucose and cholesterol, and in protecting against radiation.

Have you ever tried tremella mushrooms?