Suddenly, exotic mushroom varieties such as reishi, chaga, cordyceps and lion's mane are turning up in everything from powders and extracts to coffees, teas, chocolates, broths and even face cream. But mushrooms are more than just a new trend. In fact, they have been used for their medicinal and health promoting qualities for thousands of years. But it is only recently that modern science has proven the ancient healers right that medicinal mushrooms are a nutritional powerhouse with a myriad of health benefits. Not only are medicinal mushrooms an antibacterial, immune system enhancer and cholesterol lowering agent, but they can also increase oxygen flow to your cells, balance your blood sugar, lower your stress levels, ensure restful sleep, and support your brain health and the nervous system.
Some of the most relevant medicinal mushrooms
Lion’s Mane
Think of lion’s mane as your brain food. Lion’s mane is great for our digestive & immune systems and has shown to support our brain and nervous systems, improve our brain power, our memory, and our mood.
Cordyceps
Cordyceps is a bit of an all-rounder, touting a broad range of health benefits, but is commonly known for its boosting effect on our energy levels, stamina, muscle recovery, kidney and liver function and even sexual libido.
Chaga
Chaga is a rich source of potent antioxidants which work to neutralise harmful free radicals, fight inflammation and support your immune system. It’s chaga’s richness of β-glucan polysaccharides that score it the highest on the ORAC scale (which measures the ability to oxidise free radicals), scoring 3x higher than acai berries.
Reishi
Reishi is one of the oldest mushrooms known to be used medicinally, having been utilised in China for over 2,000 years as a “herb of spiritual potency” or the “herb of immortality”. Reishi is known to have a profound calming effect and helps to reduce our stress, supports a positive mental state, aids quality sleep and supports the immune system.
Shiitake
Shiitake is a source of eritadenine that has shown to have cholesterol-lowering action which supports our heart health. It also has a few benefits for our skin health, such as being rich in antioxidants which helps to prevents skin damage and ageing, and kojic acid which plays a role in skin pigmentation.
Turkey’s Tail
Turkey’s tail delivers a wide range of beneficial bioactive compounds which have antioxidant action, and protein-bound β-glucans polysaccharides which are being heavily studied for their anti-cancer activity. It has also shown in recent studies to aid our digestive system and gut health due to the prebiotic fibre content.
Mother Made is Corbin Rd's favourite brand when it comes to medicinal mushroom products. They are 100% all-natural, plant based dietary capsules and powders, made from nothing but mushrooms. Brain, body, skin and gut. They have a mushroom for everything.