One of the most sought-after beauty ingredients today is the mushroom, and for good reason. Believed by the Chinese to be the key to everlasting youth, mushrooms-which are available in thousands of varieties-give skin a youthful glow and smooth, healthy texture while slowing the aging process.
Although the most widely-used mushrooms for beautifying purposes are shiitake, reishi and matsutake-because of their anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and brightening abilities-all mushrooms are packed with essential vitamins and nutrients.
In fact, according to Penn State researchers, mushrooms are a better natural source of ergothioneine than other foods. They found that portobello and cremini mushrooms contain the highest concentration of this potent antioxidant; however, even the common button mushroom contains about 12 times more than wheat germ and four times more than chicken liver, which in the past was believed to be the ultimate source of ergothioneine. The study also found that even if you cook mushrooms, the potency and levels of ergothioneine don’t decrease.
