Since ancient times, people have considered Reishi mushrooms beneficial to well-being. Healers in Asia have been using Reishis for at least 2,000 years. There are many healthy reasons to add Reishi to your diet.
Reishi Mushroom Benefits
Reishi mushrooms (Also called Lingzhi mushrooms) were known to the ancients as “The Mushroom of Immortality.” Chinese herbalists consider Reishi Mushrooms to have positive benefits on par with the illustrious Ginsing root for maintaining health.
You are missing out on a good thing if you’ve never tried Reishi mushrooms. These mushrooms are full of antioxidants and nutrients. Studies have shown them to have detoxifying properties and healing properties, and more – much more.
Reishi mushrooms are readily available dried, ground in capsules, or as an extract. You can easily hydrate the dry ones by soaking them in water. Once they are moist, they can be diced and added to soups and stews. We will link to some high-quality sources for Reishi mushrooms later in this article.
10 Healthy Reasons to Add Reishi Mushrooms to Your Diet
Read on for ten reasons to include the Reishi mushroom in your diet.
1. Reishi Mushrooms Have Anti-Aging Qualities
Life-Extension Magazine published a lengthy article about the anti-aging qualities of Reishi Mushrooms. Specifically, these mushrooms contain Ganoderma lucidum peptide, a protein researchers are studying for its powerful antioxidant characteristics.
2. They Can Help to Detoxify Your Body
Reishi mushrooms are a great detoxifier, especially for the liver. They may also be useful in protecting the liver from the toxic chemicals we encounter daily.
Reishi mushrooms may also be useful in reducing levels of Hepatitis B in the livers of infected patients.
3. They May Fight Cancer
Reishi mushrooms have cancer-fighting qualities. When taken, they appear to hone in on cancer cells and help to eliminate them. It has not been approved as a first-line approach to cancer therapy, but reishi mushrooms are often recommended as a complementary therapy alongside traditional methods.
Evidence suggests that reishi mushrooms may have preventative properties against cancer, yet another reason for adding this mushroom to your health regimen.
4. They Can Lower Blood Pressure
If you are struggling with high blood pressure, Reishi mushrooms may help to control it. The presence of triterpenes in reishi mushrooms helps to improve the heart’s overall efficiency, which can result in lower blood pressure.
5. Reishi Mushrooms Can Help to Stabilize Blood Sugar
Reishi mushrooms can help to stabilize blood sugar. They can’t replace your insulin altogether, so if you have diabetes, they are not a cure, but they can help. This quality of reishi mushrooms can be useful for anyone who occasionally suffers from hyper-or-hypoglycemia.
It’s important to note that taking too much reishi in conjunction with your diabetes medication can actually cause your blood sugar to drop too low, so always use caution. Speak to your doctor before taking Reishis if you have diabetes.
6. They Can Protect Your Brain
Some research has shown Reishi mushrooms to be neuroprotective. They contain a substance called Ganoderma lucidum (GLOS), which research has shown to have neuroprotective effects. They can also help stimulate nerve growth in the brain, which is useful in conditions like Alzheimer’s. If your family has a history of Alzheimer’s, consider adding reishi mushroom extract to your diet.
7. They Can Regulate Your Sleep
Reishi mushrooms won’t make you drowsy, but they can help to promote a healthy sleep cycle if you take them daily. Adding ground reishi mushrooms to your tea or ingesting its extract may be the most efficient way to take your daily dose.
8. They can Lower Anxiety and Stress
Reishi mushrooms can also help to reduce overall anxiety and stress levels. They are among a category of plants with adaptogenic properties, which Chinese herbalists use to help the body adapt to stress.
9. They Can Help to Improve Concentration
Ancient Chinese Taoists considered the use of reishi mushrooms to be a way to increase focus during meditation. Their abilities to stabilize blood sugar and help with your sleep patterns can also improve your concentration.
10. Reishi Mushrooms are a Mood Lifter
Studies have shown Reishi mushrooms to reduce irritability, depression, and pain associated with the disease neurasthenia. While there hasn’t been substantial research into using Reishi mushrooms to treat depression or anxiety, the results with neurasthenia are promising and warrant further consideration.
Where Can I Find Reishi Mushrooms
Dried Reishi Mushrooms
If you live near an Asian market, they will likely sell dried reishi mushrooms. Asians often call them Ling Zhi mushrooms. You can buy them by ounce (or gram) and rehydrate them at home by soaking them in water. You can then cut them up and use them as an ingredient in your cooking. Reishi mushrooms are particularly good in soups.
Many people consider Japanese reishi mushrooms the purest and most beneficial reishi mushrooms available on the market.
If you don’t have an Asian market near you, here is a good source of dried Japanese red reishi mushrooms. And if you are on a budget, here is a Chinese option.
Reishi Mushroom Powder
Reishi mushroom extract powder is a good way to add Reishi Mushrooms to your diet. We like to add a teaspoon to our coffee in the morning, but you can also add the powder to smoothies or tea.
Terresoul Superfoods Organic Reishi Extract Powder is one of the better powders.
Real Mushrooms Organic Reishi Extract Powder is highly concentrated but is more expensive. Real Mushrooms has a reputation for quality products.
Reishi Mushroom Capsules
You can buy also buy Reishi mushroom extract powder in capsule form. We prefer Real Mushrooms organic powder capsules. For those on a budget, there is a cheaper but non-organic option — Reishi extract capsules from NusaPure
Grow Kits for Growing Reishi Mushrooms at Home
You can grow certain types of reishi mushrooms at home. This is a particularly good option if you are on a budget, as dried reishi mushrooms can be expensive. Here is a link to an excellent Reishi Mushroom Grow Kit. We have not tried growing Reishi mushrooms, but that would make for a good blog article, so it is on our list of things to do soon.
Foraging for Reishi Mushrooms
Lastly, if you are feeling adventurous, you can find several species of reishi mushrooms growing in the United States. We will write about this more in a separate post.
Conclusion
However you choose to take your reishi mushrooms, there are many healthy reasons to add reishi mushrooms to your diet. They are known to have anti-cancer benefits, regulate sleep, reduce stress, fight depression, and much more. Consider including reishi mushrooms as a part of your daily routine.
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