Mushrooms – good medicine

by Lari Laurikkala

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• We have all seen some funny looking mushrooms growing in the forest, but the parts we see account for only a tiny fraction of how big the fungi really are. Underground, the fungi spread their mycelium web to recycle dead animal and plant matter. About 90% of the world’s plants rely on fungi and the mycelium is what keeps the soil together. Those parts that pop out of the ground are called fruiting bodies and within them are some special powers.

The best mushrooms are among the safest medicinal foods, with benefits for humans ranging from enhanced physical performance to hormonal balance. At one time, they were worth their weight in silver – for a reason.

Meet medicinal mushrooms

The Asians have used mushrooms in their daily lives for thousands of years. They are present in the west as well even though we’re a bit behind the scenes. The so-called medicinal mushrooms have given us many important pharmaceutical medicines, including penicillin and the first statin drugs and anti-cancer treatments. Today, about 40% of western medicine utilizes mushrooms.

So could drinking a tea made out of a specific mushroom lower your stress levels? Or could topping your risotto with champions help prevent you from developing cancer? Out of the 150,000 known species of fungi, about 300 have shown a wide variety of medicinal properties. Some “shrooms” have a hormonal balancing effect while some enhance the immune system, just to give a couple of examples.

Two mushroom species that must be mentioned at the outset are chaga and reishi, also called the king and queen of the mushrooms. Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) strengthens the body’s own immune system and helps with fighting against viruses and bacteria. Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) produces a calming effect on the mind and nervous system. Others with a very long track record include Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus), Cordyceps (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) and shiitake (Lentinula edodes).

To adapt is to thrive

In addition to all the other amazing benefits, our favourite medicinal mushrooms are also classified as adaptogens. The term adaptogen means that the substance helps the body adapt to challenging conditions. It directs people to relax when they are under too much stress and, on the other hand, increases energy for those with low energy levels.

They are often also highly regarded as being immunomodulators, substances capable of strengthening an under-active immune system and down-regulating excessive immune system response. Extensive research on the chemistry, pharmacology and therapeutic benefits of these mushrooms has all come to the same conclusion: there is some inherent intelligence in the “shrooms.”

How to take them

It could be said that culinary mushrooms are an aid to health, but medicinal mushrooms are magic. Thus, even including some edible mushrooms in your meals every week will provide a huge benefit. So look for a mushroom that has the greatest attraction for you and find a reputable producer for it. You could run to a forest and pick your own, but we can’t stress enough that you have to be sure about your identification before eating anything from the wild.

There are a few tricks that have to happen first to achieve the best possible benefits from any of the mushrooms. Most of the medicinal mushrooms grow on trees and are fibrous and woody and if you only powder them, the digestive system cannot break down the medicinal compounds. By boiling the mushrooms, their cell walls break apart and the beneficial stuff becomes bioavailable.

Making a strong tea, also known as an extract, is the most effective way to feel the power. It is also worth noting that some of the active components are fat-soluble and therefore require a bit more effort to extract. At home, you could put the mushroom pieces or powders into a vodka bottle and wait two weeks for all the good stuff to dissolve. When both water-soluble and-fat-soluble compounds are taken out, it is called dual extraction and that’s how you get the most bang for your buck.

As the whole kingdom of fungi has been susceptible to some food racism in the past, we want people to see and feel what they can get from all these funky little mushrooms. Our strong belief is that, no matter what diet you prefer, you will receive increased health benefits from introducing a few top mushrooms to your diet.

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Lari Laurikkala is a Finnish food enthusiast and a teacher of natural living. He is changing the world one mushroom-eater at a time as the product manager of Four Sigma Foods, a US-based company specializing in medicinal mushroom products.

www.foursigmafoods.com

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