#5 CLEANSER
Korean cosmetics might be all the rage today, but a concern for beauty goes far back into the history of the country.
According to the Dongui Bogam, a book of traditional Korean medicine published in 1613, a mixture of ground mung beans, azuki beans and soybeans called jodu makes for an excellent facial cleanser, softening skin and providing a whitening effect. Mung beans contain high amounts of saponin, a chemical compound that produces a soap-like foam when shaken in water.
In 2013, a study led by scientists from Korea University showed that mung bean saponin indirectly slows inflammation by preventing the multiplication of immune cells known as T helper cells. Saponins from other plants are currently being developed for applications ranging from surfactants to cancer treatments.
