What is Reishi Mushroom Good For? A Look at Reishi Benefits

What is Reishi Mushroom Good For? A Look at Reishi Benefits

What is reishi mushroom good for? There are many healthful aspects to the reishi mushroom, which we will be sharing here today

What is reishi mushroom good for? If you are interested in healthy living, then reishi might be a great mushroom for you to learn about. Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) is well known in Asia, but this mushroom also grows here in the northeast. You can find it growing on hemlocks, often found near water. The mushrooms will begin forming in the spring and are at maximum potency for a summer harvest, once the mushroom has turned a beautiful red color. Below we look at some studies that show positive benefits from reishi mushrooms, including immunomodulating characteristics, anti cancer properties, and reishi’s impact on heart health. If you want more reishi in your life, you can grow your own reishi at home with one of our mushroom growing kits. You can also buy reishi mushroom tincture from us.

What is reishi mushroom good for? Its polysaccharides and triterpenes

According to Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition, “G. lucidum polysaccharides (GL-PSs) are reported to exhibit a broad range of bioactivities, including anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, antiulcer, antitumorigenic, and immunostimulating effects.” Furthermore, the study looks at the content of triterpenes in reishi. It states, “G. lucidum is clearly rich in triterpenes, and it is this class of compounds that gives the herb its bitter taste and, it is believed, confers on it various health benefits, such as lipid-lowering and antioxidant effects.” This study alone is talking about reishi’s constituents and how they impact human health.

What is reishi mushroom good for? Boosting the immune system and providing cardiovascular support

The study Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition goes even deeper into some of the healthful aspects of reishi. Here is more content from it on cancer: “Tomasi et al. (2004) tested 58 basidiomycetes mushrooms, of which G. lucidum was shown to be the most effective in killing cancer cells. G. lucidum induced cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in various human and rodent tumor cells, including murine lymphocytic leukemia L1210 and Lewis lung carcinoma.” Other types of cancers were also listed in the study. In Chinese medicine, reishi is often referred to as an immunomodulator, meaning it can help if the immune system is deficient or excessive. The study mentions the immunomodulating ability. “There is considerable evidence to support the immunostimulating activities of G. lucidum via induction of cytokines and enhancement of immunological effector.” Reishi has also been linked to heart health, although there are some conflicting reports. One study, Study of potential cardioprotective effects of Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi): results of a controlled human intervention trial. “Results indicate that Lingzhi might have mild antidiabetic effects and potentially improve the dyslipidaemia of diabetes, as shown previously in some animal studies.” However, there have also been some tests with reishi where no significant impact was reported. It is clear that more studies are needed, especially ones involving human subjects.

What is reishi good for? Making extract

Our reishi mushroom extract is different from other reishi supplements you’ll find in the market. We only use foraged fruiting bodies, mainly from ganoderma tsugae. Other reishi supplements I’ve seen are mycelium-based products that are grown on grain. Growing reishi on grain is good for consumption, but the efficacy of its medicinal benefits as a supplement are questionable. Furthermore, we use a triple extraction process that includes alcohol, hot and cold water. Some medicinal constituents from reishi are extracted only in water, as others are only extracted in alcohol. Using this triple extraction method is our attempt to get the most amount of available constituencies in available liquid form for our customers.

What is reishi good for? Growing at home

As mentioned above, you can grow your own reishi mushrooms at home with the help of our reishi mushroom growing kit. People do not necessarily think of reishi mushroom when they first think about getting a grow kit. However, it is an option for you! Interestingly enough, the reishi mushroom grow kit looks quite different than the multitude of other mushroom growing kits we offer. This is so because the reishi mushroom growing kit begins with the antler phase. The mushroom morphs from the antler shape to the conch shape during growth. A lot of time this happens when the mushroom is in higher CO2 and lower light environment. Our other mushroom kits start as a spawn bag with inoculated substrate. With one of our reishi growing kits you do not have to forage this wonderful mushroom. This is perfect for those living in areas where it’s difficult to find reishi in the wild. It is also great for getting fresh reishi during the winter when the mushroom is past prime and not available fresh. Have you ever used reishi mushroom before? What’s your experience like?
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