Last updated: October 2026
Tremella mushroom (Tremella fuciformis), also called snow fungus or silver ear, is a white, jelly-like edible mushroom used in Chinese sweet soups and in skincare. Its sugars hold water, which is why it’s sold for skin hydration, but most of the evidence comes from lab and cosmetic studies, not supplements tested in people.
Below: the research (checked October 2026), tremella vs hyaluronic acid, forms, cooking and safety.
What is tremella mushroom?
Tremella fuciformis is a jelly fungus. Fresh or soaked, it looks like a frilly, white to translucent flower and feels soft and slippery. Other names: snow fungus, snow mushroom, silver ear, white fungus and, in Mandarin, yin er.
- In cooking: it has been grown and eaten in China for over a thousand years, mostly in sweet soups and desserts. It tastes of very little; people eat it for its silky texture.
- In skincare: “Tremella fuciformis extract” or “snow mushroom” appears on serums and creams as a moisturiser.
- As a supplement: powders, capsules, gummies and mushroom drink blends (our DIRTEA explainer shows one).
The yellow jelly fungi on dead branches in UK woods, such as yellow brain (Tremella mesenterica), are a different species: never forage them to eat. For how tremella fits with the better-known mushrooms, see our functional mushrooms UK guide.
Tremella benefits: what the research says
Mushrooms have no authorised health claims in the UK. Here is what has been studied in people:
| Study | Who | What was found |
|---|---|---|
| Korea, 2018 | 75 adults with memory complaints, 8 weeks, 600mg or 1,200mg extract a day | Better memory questionnaire and test scores than placebo |
| Thailand, 2024 | 56 adults with prediabetes, 12 weeks, a daily tremella drink | Small drops in HbA1c (6.03% to 5.96%) and waist size |
| Thailand, 2021 | 20 volunteers, a hand gel with tremella extract | Skin stayed more moist than with placebo gel for 3 hours |
That’s the whole human picture: three small studies, one on the skin rather than eaten. Reviews list lots of lab and animal work (antioxidant, immune, blood sugar and gut effects), which often doesn’t carry over to people. For memory, lion’s mane has more human trials; reishi, chaga, cordyceps and turkey tail have their own guides.
Tremella for skin: the hydration claim
The skin claim rests on one thing: tremella’s main polysaccharide, a long sugar chain called glucuronoxylomannan, holds on to water. Lab tests show strong moisture retention, which makes it a useful humectant (a water-attracting ingredient) in creams.
- On the skin: the best human evidence is the small hand-gel study. A 2023 dermatology review found most tremella skin research was in cells and animals.
- Taken by mouth: we found no published skin trial of tremella supplements in people.
- Eczema and acne: tremella isn’t a treatment for either. See our eczema guide for what helps.
So tremella is fair as a moisturising cream ingredient and unproven as a supplement. Our dry skin guide covers moisturisers, and collagen supplements and reishi for skin look at other “beauty from within” options.
Tremella vs hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid is the key molecule your own skin uses to hold moisture. Tremella is sometimes sold as “nature’s hyaluronic acid”, but its polysaccharide is a different molecule doing a similar job in a cream.
| Tremella polysaccharide | Hyaluronic acid | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A sugar chain from the mushroom | A sugar chain your skin makes |
| Role in skincare | Humectant | Humectant |
| Evidence | Small, mostly lab and formulation studies | Long, well-studied use |
Claims that tremella holds hundreds of times its weight in water, or beats hyaluronic acid, aren’t backed by peer-reviewed human studies that we could find. A 2026 lab study on human skin cells found similar effects through different routes: interesting, but early. Many serums simply contain both.
Forms: dried, powder, capsules and skincare
| Form | What it is | How it’s used | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dried whole | Frilly dried heads | Soaked and simmered in soups | Pale colour, no sour smell |
| Powder | Ground mushroom or extract | Stirred into drinks | Fruiting body, extract ratio |
| Capsules, gummies | Extract in a set dose | Taken daily | mg per serving, sugar, testing |
| Skincare | Extract in serums, creams | Applied to skin | Patch test first |
There’s no official dose (the memory trial used 600mg or 1,200mg of extract a day), so follow the label. Our guides to mushroom gummies, mushroom coffee and mushroom tea (including reishi tea) cover those formats, and how to choose a mushroom supplement explains how to read a label.
Exploring functional mushrooms? Our options
Evopure doesn’t sell tremella. Our mushroom drink uses a different mushroom, reishi:
- Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex: our reishi hot chocolate powder, with reishi mushroom extract, organic cacao, maca, coconut milk powder and coconut sugar. It contains a little natural caffeine from the cacao. More in reishi cacao benefits.
- Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex: a berry drink powder with magnesium bisglycinate and citrate (148mg magnesium per serving), glycine, L-theanine, chamomile and passionflower. Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
- Flow CBD Oil: broad spectrum CBD with 0% THC, plus ashwagandha and maca in MCT oil.
The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.
All three are vegan, UK-made, lab tested and for adults (18+) only.
How to cook tremella
The traditional dish is a sweet soup with pear and goji berries. For about four bowls:
- Soak 10g to 15g of dried tremella in cool water for 30 to 60 minutes, until soft and swollen. It expands a lot.
- Trim the hard yellowish base and tear the rest into small pieces.
- Simmer in about 1.2 litres of water with two peeled, chopped pears and a few red dates for 45 to 60 minutes, until the liquid turns silky.
- Finish with a small handful of goji berries and rock sugar or honey to taste for the last 10 minutes.
Two food-safety rules: never use tremella that has soaked for 24 hours or more, at any temperature, and throw it out if it smells sour or feels slimy. China’s CDC advises this because spoiled, over-soaked fungi can grow bacteria that make a rare but dangerous toxin (bongkrekic acid).
Tremella side effects and who should check first
Tremella is a long-eaten food, but safety research on supplements is limited. In the 2018 trial, side effects were no more common than with placebo; the 2024 trial reported none.
- Allergies: any mushroom can cause a reaction in some people (see shiitake dermatitis). Stop if you get a rash or stomach upset.
- Diabetes medicines: early research suggests tremella may lower blood sugar slightly, so check with your GP or pharmacist first.
- Blood thinners and other medicines: no interactions are proven, but research is thin, so ask your GP or pharmacist first.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: there is no safety research. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- Quality: buy food-grade tremella from sellers who name the species and test for contaminants.
FAQs
What is tremella mushroom good for?
Mainly as a food (sweet soups) and a moisturising skincare ingredient. Small human trials have looked at memory and blood sugar, but the evidence is limited and mushrooms have no authorised health claims.
Is tremella better than hyaluronic acid?
Not proven. Both hold water in skincare, but hyaluronic acid has far more research. Tremella is a reasonable plant-based humectant, and many serums use both.
Can you eat tremella every day?
As a food, it is eaten regularly in Chinese cooking. There are no long-term safety studies of daily supplements, so follow the label and check with your GP or pharmacist if you take medicines.
How do you cook tremella?
Soak dried tremella for 30 to 60 minutes, trim the hard base, tear it into pieces and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes with pear, red dates and goji berries. Never use it after 24 hours of soaking.
What are the side effects of tremella?
Few are reported in small trials. Allergic reactions are possible, and it may lower blood sugar slightly, so check first if you take diabetes medicines or blood thinners, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Where can you buy tremella in the UK?
Dried tremella, often labelled white fungus or snow fungus, is sold in Asian supermarkets and online. Powders, capsules and gummies are sold by supplement shops and health food stores.
Sources
- Mineroff J, Jagdeo J. (2023). The potential cutaneous benefits of Tremella fuciformis. Arch Dermatol Res. PMID 36757441.
- Lourith N, et al. (2021). Moisturizing snow mushroom hand sanitizer. J Cosmet Dermatol. PMID 32531816.
- Xu X, et al. (2020). Polysaccharide (glucuronoxylomannan) from Tremella fuciformis. Carbohydr Polym. PMID 32718589.
- Papakonstantinou E, et al. (2012). Hyaluronic acid: a key molecule in skin aging. Dermatoendocrinol. PMID 23467280.
- Wolosik K, et al. (2026). Tremella fuciformis extract vs hyaluronic acid in human dermal fibroblasts. Molecules. PMID 42451721.
- Ban S, et al. (2018). Efficacy and safety of Tremella fuciformis in individuals with subjective cognitive impairment. J Med Food. PMID 29319408.
- Gitsomboon S, et al. (2024). Tremella fuciformis beverage in prediabetic adults: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Nutr. PMID 38439104.
- Liao Y, et al. (2026). Advances in polysaccharides from Tremella fuciformis: a review. Carbohydr Res. PMID 41650717.
- Xiao Q, et al. (2025). Burkholderia gladioli pathovar cocovenenans from black fungus. China CDC Weekly. PMID 40620660.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Evopure makes the Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex, Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex and Flow CBD Oil, and does not sell tremella.
