Mushroom supplements have become fashionable in recent years. The use of medicinal mushrooms has its origins in ancient Chinese medicine and Tibetan medicine books from thousands of years ago. Although the use of mushrooms for medicinal purposes has been around for a long time, it is only now that their use is becoming more widespread in the West;
Mushrooms are an essential food for a healthy diet
Mushrooms commonly purchase at grocery stores, such as portobello, shiitake, button mushrooms, and white mushrooms, fall into the same category. Technically they are fungi, but for culinary purposes, mushrooms are classify as vegetables. Consuming mushrooms provides the body with a great source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Among the most notable nutritional benefits of mushrooms are the number of antioxidants and the soluble fiber beta-glucan , which has been show to improve heart health.
What are the benefits of mushroom supplements?
The mushrooms use in cooking are grown and produce in the same way as those find in mushroom supplements. The difference between the two is precisely that mushrooms use in supplements are consider more beneficial to health. Such benefits are classify as functional foods, which means they offer more nutritional benefits. More than 100 medicinal properties produce mushrooms.
Among the main benefits of mushroom supplements, the antioxidant properties, cardiovascular prevention, antibacterial properties and anti-inflammatory properties stand out. In the health field, few clinical studies have been conduct on the benefits of mushrooms, so further research is need. However, it is prove that the consumption of mushrooms is safe and not harmful to health in general.
Another term you may hear or see in relation to mushroom products is adaptogens. In this sense, adaptogens are herbs and mushrooms that help balance the stress experience by the body. In this case, the pituitary and adrenal glands intervene in response to stress, so that the adaptogens help to stabilize the balance of the organism. Another functional benefit of mushroom supplements is adaptogens.
Also read: Music and magic mushrooms against depression
5 Types of mushroom supplements and their health benefits
Mushroom supplements are make by drying raw mushrooms and extracting them with hot water. They are then turn into a fine powder, similar to the products we find in stores. When purchasing mushroom supplements, it is important to note that they are not regulate by the US Food and Drug Administration and you must only purchase from reputable sources.
A variety of mushrooms can be use for making supplements depending on their medicinal properties. The most commonly use mushroom supplements are reishi , lion’s mane , chaga , Cordyceps , and turkey tail. There are many more varieties of mushrooms, but these are the ones most commonly feature in supplements. Due to the number of varieties available, it is usually difficult to differentiate which ones have functional properties and when to use them;
Reishi supplements
Reishi supplements are scientifically also call Ganoderma lucidum and may also be known as lingzhi. The word lingzhi, in Chinese, symbolizes divine power and longevity, which is why this variety of mushrooms is consider to be link to eternal youth. This variety of reishi mushrooms has a bitter taste and a hard texture. These reishi mushrooms grow on deciduous trees.
Reishi mushrooms are commonly use to boost the immune system and possibly help fight free radicals in the body. Reishi mushroom beta-glucans are consider to stimulate the immune system, which can give them this effect The unique characteristic of this mushroom is its relaxing properties derive from triterpene, which can improve mood, reduce anxiety, relieve depression and even improve sleep.
Few human studies have been conduct, however, research is ongoing to determine the possible benefits of reishi supplements.
Lion’s mane supplements
Lion’s mane supplements are one of the funniest looking mushrooms. These mushrooms are large, white in color, and contain many long, white spines that resemble a lion’s mane. They are usually grow on dead, decaying hardwood trees or can be grown at home with substrate.
Like most mushrooms, lion’s mane also contains a good amount of antioxidants that can keep cells healthy. One of the positive effects is that it promotes mental clarity. Some studies have show that lion’s mane has compounds that can stimulate the growth of brain cells. In addition to helping memory, it can also support emotional responses and anxiety and depression.
In order to easily remember the function of the lion’s mane, try to associate the lion’s mane that is on the head, and the brain that is inside it.
Chaga supplements
Chaga supplements often grow on the bark of birch trees in cold climates. Although the appearance of Chaga mushrooms resembles a mass of burnt tree bark, they do have functional properties. Originally, Chaga was ground and use to make tea, but today it can be consume in supplement form.
Chaga has been show to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, which can help reduce physical signs of aging in the body.
It is recommend to consult your GP or nutritionist before trying Chaga mushrooms. Unlike other varieties of mushrooms, Chaga contains a protein that can impair blood clotting. Likewise, these chaga supplements contain a high content of oxalates, which increases the probability of suffering from kidney stones.
Turkey tail supplements
Turkey tail supplements, despite its name, does not contain turkeys. This name was select because the fungus itself resembles a turkey tail and is brightly color. These fungi often grow on tree trunks in wooded areas. Turkey tail supplements are the most popular because of its immune and antioxidant properties, and because it contains compounds that can stimulate and strengthen the immune system.
Cordyceps supplements
Cordyceps span more than 400 species, however, two types are the most research and use in Cordyceps supplements. Their most common use is to improve energy, as they increase the production of a molecule that provide energy to the muscles. Traditionally, cordyceps supplements has been use to reduce fatigue and increase strength and sex drive. Like many other functional mushrooms, they can also slow down aging. Given the difficulty of harvesting cordyceps, pharmaceutical products are often use.
Coffee, tea and mushroom cocoa
Mushroom coffee is one of the most common ways to supplement with mushrooms, and is a great herbal alternative to traditional coffee. It is also know as Ganoderma coffee, and it often comes in packets containing mushroom extract and instant coffee. Each packet is add to hot water and mix to obtain the mushroom coffee. For tea and hot cocoa, the same process is follow, that is, the previously measure packet is add to the water. Although drinking mushroom coffee in the morning sounds fancy, it’s really just plain black coffee mix with one or more of the functional mushroom extracts.
For mushroom coffee, the mushrooms are dried and extracted for the beneficial compounds, then mix with regular coffee. Mushroom coffee generally has less caffeine than regular coffee, which may be more beneficial for some consumers. Likewise, in the case of coffee with mushrooms, the same ideas of limiting the amount of sugar, cream and other additives that are use in coffee apply.
Expert Tip: Try adding one variety at a time
When adding any type of mushroom supplements to your diet, try to incorporate one variety at a time so that you are able to keep track of any benefits you may experience. In this regard, remember that before starting a new supplement, including mushrooms, check with your medical provider to ensure safety, especially if there are any pre-existing conditions.
