Functional Mushrooms

What’s the fuss with functional mushrooms? We learn more about these powerful fungi and how they can support our health and wellbeing.

What they are and how to use them in your daily routine.

You might’ve heard of them, but maybe you haven’t – because functional mushrooms aren’t anything ordinary.

I didn’t quite know what to expect with functional mushrooms. How do you consume them? What do they taste like? As it turns out though, it’s really easy to add the power food to your daily routine (and it isn’t at all like eating a regular mushroom!). Today you can enjoy the impressive health benefits of functional mushrooms in capsule form, in your

ancupdof morning co ee, hot chocolate, or even added to your dessert!

WHAT ARE FUNCTIONAL MUSHROOMS?

So, what exactly does it mean for a mushroom to be ‘functional’?

Generally rich in antioxidants, functional mushrooms – including Lion’s Mane, Tremella, Turkey Tail, Reishi, Chaga, Shiitake and Maitake – are used to support immune function, healthy sleep, brain focus, stamina, healthy ageing, and more.

“Functional mushrooms have been renowned for their health benefits in the eastern world for hundreds of years – and it seems that our western world is finally catching on,” says Rebecca Baylis, registered naturopath and medical herbalist at HealthPost.

They were even being used for health benefits in ancient Egypt!

“Egyptian hieroglyphics depict mushrooms as the plant of immortality, with mushrooms being referred to as ‘sons of the gods’ and being transported to Earth on lightning bolts by the god Set,” shares Dave Wylie, founder of Flow State. “As a result, mushrooms were exclusively consumed by nobility and pharaohs. The Aztecs also possessed sacred mushrooms, which they called ‘the flesh of the gods’ and ingested as part of religious ceremonies.”

Misty Day Plant Potions’ Rachel Dawson adds: “People assume that functional mushrooms are some new and trendy ingredient that has just popped up in the last few years, but they have actually been used traditionally in Asia and Europe for centuries. In fact, one functional mushroom, Reishi, is mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing which is an Ancient Chinese herbal bible thought to have been written in about 200CE but developed from oral traditions from the previous 2,0003,000 years.

“Reishi was considered so esteemed it is represented as the link between heaven and earth and depictions of them are all over ancient Chinese art and in places like the Forbidden City.”

In more recent years, with the amplified awareness of the important role our microbiome plays, mushrooms such as this have made a return – bringing with them an array of health benefits to the microbiome and our immune wellness.

“Each mushroom yields di erent compounds, but there are similarities – like beta glucans (healthy immune support) and polysaccharides (prebiotic bowel support) within many of them,” explains Baylis. “When we a ectionately call them ‘shrooms’, we’re not meaning their‘ magic mushroom’ psi locyb in containing cousins–but functional mushrooms are no less interesting!”