6 Medicinal Mushrooms that Boost Immunity

On that note, what exactly are the most popular medicinal mushrooms?

What do they offer? How do you consume them? Where can you find them?

Lots of great questions and I’ve got all your answers!

First and foremost, before launching into the world of medicinal mushrooms, it’s important to outline your own personal health goals. Ask yourself why you’re seeking a medicinal aid? Once you’ve got some goals outlined and clarified, take a deep dive into the following medicinal mushrooms to find the perfect single or mixture!

1. Chaga Mushroom

Familiar to the medicinal practices in Siberia, Russia, Northern European countries, and other parts of Asia, Chaga mushroom has been used for a variety of health benefits and ailments including boosting immunity and improving overall health.

With that said, this mushroom can’t really be classified as attractive. Chaga forms into a “woody growth, or conk, which looks similar to a clump of burnt charcoal — roughly 10-15 inches (25-38 centimeters) in size,” yet inside you’ll discover a “soft core with an orange color.”

Known as an “antioxidant powerhouse”, Chaga mushrooms are excellent for “fighting free radicals and inflammation.” Various studies have shown this mushroom to be effective at combating oxidated stress, — “linked to skin aging” — slowing the “growth of cancer”, and it has also been found to “lower low-density lipoprotein LDL, the ‘bad’ cholesterol.” This is why Chaga mushroom is best used to fight the signs of aging, reduce inflammation, and help manage cholesterol.

Unfortunately, there aren’t any human studies that have determined Chaga’s “safety or appropriate dosage,” therefore it’s up to the consumer to find a reputable supplement company, as well as speak with a medical professional before consuming the product. While Chaga is generally safe, it’s been known to “interact with some common medications, causing potentially harmful effects,” such as those taking insulin for diabetes, those taking blood-thinning medications, or those suffering from autoimmune diseases.

2. Cordyceps

This parasitic fungi “grows on the larvae of insects.” How does it work? The fungi actually attack their host and replaces its tissue with “long, slender stems that grow outside the host’s body.” What you’re left with are the “remains of the insect and fungi” which are “hand-collected, dried” and have been “used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries.”

Of course, there’s not just one type of cordyceps. In fact, there are over “400 species of Cordyceps discovered,” yet two specific varieties “have become the focus of health research: Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris.”

Turns out Cordyceps sinesis is particularly “difficult to harvest and carries a price tag of more than $9,000 USD per pound,” which means that most of these mushrooms are actually synthetically grown. You’ll want to look for “brands that carry the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) or NSF International (NSF) seal,” referring to third-party organizations that weed out impurities and verify ingredients.

3. Lion’s Mane

Lion’s mane mushrooms go by many traditional names including hou tou gu and yamabushitake and have been used far and wide in both culinary and medicinal practices in countries including China, India, Japan, and Korea. In its natural, unadulterated form, the lion’s mane mushroom is large, white, and shaggy, resembling a “lion’s mane as they grow,” hence the Westernized name. As a medicinal aid, lions mane is generally dried and used as an extract in a powder form. When it comes to cooking, this meaty mushroom is a great seafood replacement, oftentimes compared to “crab or lobster.”

Lion’s mane is particularly special in that it produces “bioprotein nerve growth factor (NFG) and myelin (insulation around nerve fibers),” both of which are “crucial to brain health.” Along with being a wonderful brain-boosting agent, lion’s mane is linked to increased concentration and memory, better cognition, and even a decreased level of anxiety and irritability (most likely from all those brain-boosting effects!).

4. Reishi

One of the more widely-recognized and popular medicinal mushrooms, reishi also happens to be one of the more affordable and easily accessible!

Also known as “Ganoderma lucidum and lingzhi,” reishi mushroom is a “fungus that grows in various hot and humid locations in Asia.” Reishi is a wonderful medicinal agent due to “several molecules, including triterpenoids, polysaccharides, and peptidoglycans, that may be responsible for its health effects.” This medicinal mushroom happens to be one of the varieties safely eaten raw, yet powdered forms are more widely used.

Reishi is well-known for its calming properties — “all of which are thanks to the compound triterpene, which reishi has its fair share of.” This mushroom is known to aid sleep, decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression, and can even increase focus. On top of that, reishi has been known to promote healing.

5. Shiitake Mushrooms

Shiitake mushrooms happen to be uber popular — in fact, they “are one of the most popular mushrooms worldwide.” Along with offering some great health benefits, shiitake also have a wonderful savory flavor.

Shiitake mushrooms are “native to East Asia” and are found growing “naturally on decaying hardwood trees.” Most shiitake mushrooms are sourced from Japan — around “83 [percent] in fact” — yet they’re also grown in the “United States, Canada, Singapore, and China.” In their natural state, they are “tan to dark brown, with caps that grow between 2 and 4 inches (5 and 10 cm).” While they’re most popularly consumed raw, you can also find shiitake mushrooms in powder and extract forms.

This particular medicinal mushroom is one of the few that has a full nutrition profile offering fiber, protein, vitamins, — riboflavin, niacin, folate, B5, B6, and D — and minerals — copper, selenium, manganese, and zinc.

6. Turkey Tail

Turkey Tail also goes by Trametes versicolor and versicolor, yet gets its more friendly name “due to its striking colors.” This is yet another super popular medicinal aid, having been used to “treat various conditions” for centuries. One of the most recognized qualities of turkey tail is its immune-boosting powers!

Turkey tail “contains a compound called polysaccharide-K (PSK) that stimulates the immune system.” This compound is also an effective cancer-fighting agent and has been found to “improve the immune system of people receiving chemotherapy.” This mushroom also contains high amounts of antioxidants, lending to its cancer-preventing and immune-boosting properties.

While turkey tail is “considered safe,” some people have experienced “digestive symptoms like gas, bloating, and dark stools when taking turkey tail mushroom.” On top of that, another potential side effect of consuming turkey tail mushroom is the “darkening of the fingernails.” Very strange, but it’s a documented side effect!

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/medicinal-mushrooms-that-boost-immunity/