Medicinal Mushrooms

Unique Benefits for Different Types of Mushrooms

Here are the major types of disease-fighting mushrooms you should try to regularly include in your diet for their protective, immune-enhancing effects:

REISHI MUSHROOMS have been used for thousands of years as a way to fight chronic disease. Today, we know from scientific studies that they’re in fact capable of doing what the Chinese have always speculated they could: fighting inflammation, cancer, heart disease, hormonal imbalances, neuro-degenerative problems, mood disorders and more.

Reishi mushrooms, a type of bitter, woody fungi, are known as one of the top natural superfoods in existence. Reishi mushrooms are a type of powerful adaptogen that help the body deal with stress, whether physical or psychological, so they’re a natural remedy for anxiety.

When taken in tincture, capsule or tablet form, they have the unique ability to increase energy and also bring on a feeling of calm at the same time, making them an all-around mood booster and “brain food.” They can help heal adrenal fatigue and are sometimes called the “medicine of kings” because they can improve memory and concentration while also helping bust stress and facilitate restful sleep.

How do reishi mushrooms do so much? Their beta-glucans increase the immune system’s T-cell levels, which means they help lower inflammatory responses caused by stress, stimulants, a poor diet or other environmental factors. This is especially beneficial for people suffering from immune disorders or adrenal or chronic fatigue.

This immune boost that you receive from reishi mushrooms can help reduce cancer cell growth and the spread of tumors, but that’s not all — they also contain ganoderic acids that lower cholesterol, triglyceride levels and blood pressure, as well as reduce the risk of blood clots and even help correct heart arrhythmia. Reishis also contain lanostan, an antihistamine that can act as a natural arthritis cure and also soothe muscle aches.

SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS (Lentinus Edodes). It is a flesh, gilled mushroom that grows on wood. contain many chemical compounds that protect your DNA from oxidative damage — for example, lentinan, a substance that can heal chromosome damage caused by anti-cancer treatments. In Japan, shiitake mushrooms provide this special chemical component known as lentinan, which is used to prolong longevity and act as a natural treatment for cancer.

Eritadenine substances are also found in shiitakes, which help reduce cholesterol levels, while lentinula edodes mycelium (LEM) helps prevent and treat cancer (especially of the stomach and digestive organs), heart disease, hepatitis, high blood pressure and infectious diseases.

In addition, revealed in the Journal of Nutrition, shiitake mushroom nutrition benefits include antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal effects, as well as helping to control blood sugar and reduce the symptoms of inflammatory diseases. Shiitakes are also unique for a plant since they contain all eight essential amino acids along with a type of essential fatty acid called linoleic acid. Look for them in most grocery stores, especially Asian markets.
TCM -CORDYCEPS MUSHROOMS

Cordyceps are sometimes known as anti-aging mushrooms since they can help increase stamina and endurance due to their ability to help the body produce ATP, the primary fuel our bodies run on. In fact, in Chinese folk medicine they’re known to be “invigorants” and believed to act as a gentle stimulant, a tonic and an adaptogen used to increase energy and reduce fatigue.

They also act as protectors of mitochondria by scavenging reactive oxygen species, inhibiting mitochondrial swelling and increasing the activities of antioxidant substances, which makes them a natural anti-aging food.

Similar to reishi mushrooms, numerous studies find that cordyceps mushrooms can help as a natural cancer remedy by inhibiting cancer cell division and growth. Cordyceps interfere with how cancer cells make proteins and stop metastatic spread of cancerous tumors. They’re usually hard to find fresh, so look for them dried or in capsule or tablet form.
MAITAKE MUSHROOMS

In addition to being loaded with vitamins, maitake mushroom ((Grifola frondosa). ) nutrition benefits are due to special polysaccharide components called beta-1,6 glucan, which stimulates the immune system. Many of maitake’s compounds are even classified as host defense potentiators and are used in Asia as an adjunctive treatment for cancer. They can even help minimize toxic effects of radiation or chemotherapy.

In studies, maitake mushroom nutrition is linked to enhanced immunity and the ability to balance hormones naturally and reduce the growth of cancerous tumors. Maitake mushrooms have even improved the health of AIDS patients and the blood sugar levels of diabetics. They may also reduce hypertension and protect people from heart disease.

OYSTER MUSHROOMS (Pleurotus Ostreatus) is a fleshy, gilled mushroom growing in shelf-like fashion on wood. nutrition benefits include the ability to naturally reduce joint pain and muscle aches due to their anti-inflammatory effects — for example, they’re shown to reduce tightness in tendons. They’re also a heart-healthy fungus with the ability to strengthen blood vessel walls and lower the risk for heart attack or a stroke.

Additionally, they’re an excellent way to address a possible iron deficiency, especially if you don’t eat much meat, which can help prevent anemia, low energy, poor concentration and weakness.

WOOD EAR MUSHROOMS
A popular ingredient in Szechuan cooking, wood ear, is also known as the tree ear, Jew’s ear or cloud ear mushroom. It owes that name to its flat earlike shape.
Wood ear has the reputation of “meat among the vegetables”. Wood Ear (Auricularia Auricula) has shown antitumor and cholesterol-lowering properties.
Its translucent brownish beige flesh is gelatinous but firm, crunchy and relatively tasteless. They absorb the liquid in which they are cooked and take on the taste of the other ingredients.
The Shanghainese Hot and Sour Soup must include shredded wooden ear to have the right texture. Adding wood ear to braised meat dishes enhances the flavour. Using wooden ear in vegetarian dishes adds an extra shine to the dish, thickens the sauce and makes everything more flavourful.

TURKEY TAIL Also known as Coriolus versicolor and Polyporus versicolor, turkeytails are a multi-coloured polypore fungus that eat dead and decaying wood. They’re to be found in the forest on fallen trees + stumps, and potentially anywhere there’s dead wood and the moisture to support their growth.
Turkey tail has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat lung diseases for many years. In Japan, turkey tail has been used to strengthen the immune system when given with standard cancer treatment. Turkey tail mushroom is best known to stimulate immune function and reduce inflammation. It has a long history of use in Asia among practitioners of TCM, who used formulations of turkey tail to promote general health, strength and longevity. A most extensively researched medicinal mushroom with large scale clinical trials. May help relieve chronic fatigue, treat infections, improve, immune function

HIMEMATSUTAKE (Agaricus blazei) This is a species of mushroom whose identification seems to have begun in the West unlike many other mushrooms and medicinal plants. It was found in the north eastern side of the US and Canada. Later on it was identified in Hawaii, California, UK, the Netherlands, Philippines, Brazil and Taiwan. Every community that uses it refers to it very fondly. Its various names are God’s mushroom, mushroom of life, royal sun agaricus, Mushroom of the sun, almond mushroom, princess, and many other beautiful names. ). This medicinal mushroom has anti-tumor and anti-viral activity, and is widely used by cancer patients in Japan and Brazil

CREMINI/WHITE BUTTON MUSHROOMS. You might suspect that the tasty, familiar mushrooms in your grocery store aren’t very valuable — but think again. What may surprise you is just how many benefits of cremini (or white button) mushrooms are proven in studies.

These ordinary mushrooms are super dense with nutrients, including having more copper, potassium, protein and selenium than either oyster or shiitake mushrooms. They’re also a good source of phosphorus, zinc, niacin and pantothenic acid, especially when you cook them down and eat more than one cup at a time.

Research shows that extracts from creminis can reduce hormonal imbalances and prevent hormone-dependent types of cancer, especially breast cancer. A benefit of cremini mushroom nutrition is the high source of conjugated linolenic acid, which is a type of fatty acid that controls the production of estrogen and can stop cancerous tumor growth in some instances by blocking certain enzymes’ effects.

Similar to white mushrooms, porcinis, portabellas and morels are also mushrooms loaded with nutrients and antioxidants, so include in these recipes often too.

CHAGA (Inonotus obliquus) is a parasitic fungus commonly found in cold climates, typically in Siberia, Alaska and Northern Canada. It is usually attached to birch trees, with the infection eventually killing the tree and the mushroom dying soon after.
Chaga tea has been used in Russia and other Baltic countries for hundreds of years to boost immunity and improve overall health.1 It is now gaining popularity in Western countries, as numerous studies are touting the nutritional components of chaga mushrooms.

It is valued for its antioxidant, antimicrobial and tumor-preventive properties.In addition to these uses, chaga tea may:
• Boost immune function — In a 2011 animal study from the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, chaga extracts were found to influence the production of cytokines that regulate the production of antibodies in the body.
• Help regulate blood sugar — A 2017 animal study from Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy shows that the polysaccharides found in chaga may have antihyperglycemic properties due to its effect on the Akt/PKB signaling pathway.
• Help keep inflammation at bay — In a 2010 study published in the Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, mice were administered chaga extracts to test its effectivity on easing inflammation. Its effectiveness was linked to its effect on the inflammatory cytokines.
Chaga tea contains vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B2, vitamin D, calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus that are essential to keeping the body at peak condition.11

If you’re caffeine-sensitive or you’re trying to limit your caffeine intake, the good news is that chaga tea is caffeine-free. It’s also free of other stimulants like methylxanthines, including theophylline and theobromine. This makes it ideal for drinking in the morning and at evening.