Functional Mushrooms

The Lion’s Mane mushroom is considered one of the rarest treats in the wild. This functional mushroom is an incredibly versatile superfood that is native to Asian mountains but has also been discovered in Europe and North America. Lion’s Mane is also known as the Hericium Erinaceus and is popular as a bearded tooth fungus and is a part of that edible mushroom species group. Used as both a culinary delicacy and medicinal support, Lion’s Mane fungus is a true superfood. The mushroom possesses two special compounds: the hericenones and erinacines which have been found to stimulate brain cell development...

The Cordyceps mushroom is among the most discussed functional mushrooms. Its beginnings read like the opening of a horror story — a parasitic mushroom that invades the body of its host and uses it for nutrients. Wild cordyceps mushrooms grow on ghost moth larvae, and emerge when they become caterpillars, mummifying the host. Despite the terror-inducing origin story, there’s growing demand for products that can offer Cordyceps mushroom benefits, and new, more accessible means to acquire the mushrooms. Why the fuss? Cordyceps mushrooms are composed of numerous bioactive compounds, many of which are shown in research to provide benefits to...

Of all the functional mushrooms, there’s none more insidious in appearance than chaga. The Chaga mushroom grows naturally in birch forests, typically seen attached to the side of a tree, growing in charred black clusters, similar in appearance to a patch of burnt tree bark. It’s a look that doesn’t encourage your appetite, but crack a chaga mushroom open, and a golden brown interior is revealed, one which promises a variety of health benefits. Chaga’s heaping antioxidant content and high concentrations of adaptogens holds great promise for bolstering immune response, as well as combating oxidative stress in the body. New...