There are two nationalities in the whole world – Russian and Japanese – that use this secret ingredient for their inside out beauty from the time immemorial.
Today, many cosmetic giants offer beauty products with exotic mushroom extracts. But even if they cost a fortune and have sophisticated names, they are far from being as effective as manufacturers advertise.
Used traditionally as both food and medicinal ingredient by Japanese and Russian women, mushrooms are magical and mysterious. There is so much to learn about their health benefits and beauty secrets.
There are two nationalities in the whole world – Russian and Japanese – that use this secret ingredient for their inside out beauty from the time immemorial. Mushroom. Today, many cosmetic giants offer beauty products with exotic mushroom extracts. But even if they cost a fortune and have sophisticated names, they are far from being as effective as manufacturers advertise. That’s why Russian and Japanese women prefer homemade recipes that come from the ancestors, from the very origins of national traditions.
If you don’t use mushrooms in your routine beauty care and diet, you are missing the best ingredient for your inside out beauty.
What do mushrooms contain?
Though neither meat nor vegetable, mushrooms are known as the “meat” of the vegetable world. There is more protein in a kilogram of white mushrooms than in a piece of beef of the same weight. However, the bioavailability of the protein in mushrooms is about 50% lower than in meat because of its association with choline.
100 Grams of mushrooms contain higher than 20% of the Daily Value (DV) of B vitamins, 37% DV of selenium and 25% DV of copper. They are also a good source (10-19% DV) of phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, magnesium, sodium, calcium, chlorine, vitamins A, C, D, and PP. Besides, mushrooms are rich in specific fungal sugar mycosis and glycogen (“animal starch”) and have enzymes that accelerate the breakdown of nutrients contributing to better absorption of food.
Russian and Japanese women prefer homemade recipes that come from the ancestors, from the very origins of national traditions.
The secret ingredient of Russian beauties – wild mushrooms
In each Russian woman lives the image of a forest witch who collects secret wild mushrooms and prepares a special magical mix for irresistible beauty.
In summer and autumn Russian girls pick fresh mushrooms in the forest and use them for their homemade beauty recipes; in winter they use tinctures and powder from ground dried mushrooms. However, the simplest way to have fresh mushrooms for your DIY beauty care is just buying fresh shiitake or champignons in a supermarket.
I remember white mushrooms being strung separately on twine and hung close to the kitchen ceiling in my grandma house. They are well suited to drying – their flavour intensifies and its resulting texture is simply delicious. Collecting mushrooms in a forest is so exciting that is usually called the “mushroom hunt”, but it’s a different story.
In Russian cuisine, Boletus edulis is held in high regard. Cooked, marinated or dried, wild mushrooms have been a staple food for Russians for millennia.
Wild mushrooms are much better than cultivated ones
In Russia, there are many wild edible mushrooms but the king of the entire mushroom kingdom is white mushroom – Boletus edulis. Widely distributed in Russia, it does not occur naturally in the Southern Hemisphere. It is low in fat and digestible carbohydrates, and high in protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Although it is sold commercially, it is impossible to cultivate it. Available fresh in autumn, it is most often dried or frozen, packaged and distributed worldwide. It keeps its flavour after drying or freezing, and it is then reconstituted and used in cooking. Wild white mushroom is one of the few fungi sold pickled.
Mushrooms – the secret beauty ingredient of Japanese women
Mushrooms are a particularly common ingredient in the Japanese cuisine, and have been used in cooking since about the 17th century. Generally known for having a healthy diet, Japanese women consume about 15 g of various kinds of mushrooms per day, which accounts for 0.68% of their total food intake. They can be eaten cooked, raw, grilled or as a garnish to a meal.
Why do Japanese women love mushrooms so much?
Being a low-calorie but rich nutrition food, mushrooms invigorate the immune system, can lower your blood sugar level, and have anti-obesity effects. The Japanese perfectly know about all of these great qualities, but they love mushrooms because its umami can’t be replaced by anything else.
Umami
The savory and meaty taste of foods, umami is one of the core fifth tastes including sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Umami means “essence of deliciousness” in Japanese, and its taste is often described as the meaty, savory deliciousness that deepens flavor.
Umami comes from three compounds that are naturally found in plants and meat: glutamate, inosinate, and guanylate. The first, glutamate, is an amino acid found in vegetables and meat. Iosinate is primarily found in meat, and guanylate levels are the highest in plants.
Mushrooms used in the Japanese cuisine
Various mushrooms are used in the Japanese cuisine. Some of the most popular ones are introduced below:
- Shiitake are one the most popular mushrooms in Japanese cooking, a staple of Japanese cuisine, and is also well known outside of Japan. They are available fresh or dried, with the latter being soaked in water before being used. Shiitake mushrooms can be found in various dishes such as hot pot, boiled dishes and tempura.
- Oyster mushrooms are very popular in Japan. Their thick, meaty stems are usually sliced and incorporated into sauteed or grilled dishes.
- Maitake mushrooms are another very popular mushroom in Japanese cuisine. They grow in large colonies and are sometimes referred to as the king of mushrooms.
- Matsutake are highly priced gourmet mushrooms that cannot be cultivated and are available only in autumn. They are found under pine trees (matsu), and are most valuable when picked just before surfacing with the umbrella still closed. Matsutake are enjoyed in various ways such as grilled or cooked with rice.
- Enoki is a cultivated mushroom with a crunchy texture that is often used in hot pot dishes.
The Japanese “beauty from the inside out” philosophy
The holistic approach of Japanese women to health and beauty exemplifies the “beauty from the inside out” philosophy. They consider the skin as the body’s largest organ, the first line of defence, protecting us against a myriad of invading pathogens that can potentially harm the body internally and externally. The special attention paid to powerful superfoods such as mushrooms, which are renowned for their potent healing and anti-aging properties. Rich in antioxidants and many other goodies, mushrooms are natural anti-inflammatory agents that help protect skin cells from accelerated ageing and premature death, balance skin pH and lipid levels.
Enjoy mushrooms for your inside out beauty: it’s the food to eat and wear.
