5 of the best functional mushrooms – How do they work and what are their benefits?

01/03/20232 min read

selection of mushrooms on a white background

Extensive research has shown that there are many different chemical compounds in mushrooms that are responsible for their health-giving properties including vitamins, minerals, alkaloids, proteins and terpenoids.

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So, what are functional mushrooms?
Reishi Mushrooms
Lion's Mane Mushrooms
Shiitake Mushrooms
Chaga Mushrooms
Maitake Mushrooms
The final say

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Nutrition

For centuries, particularly in China and Japan, certain mushrooms have been valued for their health benefits.

Today, many of these so called “functional” mushroom species have been recognised as containing super nutrients that may boost immunity, energy levels, cognitive performance, sleep, and gut health - as well as helping us to cope better with stress.

So, what are functional mushrooms?

1. Reishi Mushrooms

In ancient China and Japan, Reishi mushrooms, also known as Lingzhi, were considered extremely valuable. Their first recorded use dates back more than 2000 years. At the time, Reishi was known as “the mushroom of immortality”.

2. Lion's Mane Mushrooms

Lion’s Mane mushrooms have been valued for millennia as plants that support health and longevity, calming the mind, aiding meditation, and improving memory.

3. Shiitake Mushrooms

Shiitake mushrooms, once rare in the west, come from the warm climates of south-east Asia. In ancient China, Shiitake mushrooms were considered to be a gift from the gods. It was believed that they helped boost Qi, or life energy.

4. Chaga Mushrooms

Chaga mushrooms include a cocktail of triterpenoids, melanins, polysaccharides, polyphenols and flavins that act as prebiotics as they inhibit the proliferation of endogenous pathogens in the gut. A healthy microbiome is essential to our health and longevity.

5. Maitake Mushrooms

Maitake mushrooms are known as the ‘dancing mushroom’ in Japanese as it is said that people danced in happiness when discovering their healing properties.

The final say

So, could functional mushrooms give you the nutritional boost you need most? The best way to find out is to give them a try!

Since people have been using these mushrooms for centuries with no harmful effects, they’re certainly safe for most people to use.

Choosing a convenient mushroom supplement capsule is the most consistent and pure way to benefit from a dose of the active ingredients. But your body may need time to get used to the new “superfood” you are giving it; we recommend you start low with small servings when trying mushroom supplements for the first time and go slow.