Mushrooms for many people are a common delicacy found in restaurants that can work wonders for many types of meals, either adding a nice flavor of their own or working to bring out the taste in whatever else on the plate is begging for garnishment. What many of these same people might not realize, though, is that some types of mushrooms can also enhance a person’s health in a various positive manners.
Taste good; feel good? Apparently so.
In this new abbreviated, highly focused series on various mushrooms available in supplement form, we will single out a handful of mushrooms that offer potent and popular natural remedies that, between them, cover a varied assortment of health benefits. The one we have picked to lead off this series is the reishi mushroom, a type of fungi found growing in many parts of the world, particularly Asia, Europe and North America. It is known for its reddish-brown cap and woody stem.
Used for centuries in traditional Chinese medical practices, along the way earning the nickname of “the 10,000-Year Mushroom,” the reishi mushroom can alleviate many health issues by such means as providing a needed boost to your immune system or tamping down the nagging, sometimes debilitating one-two punch of stress and anxiety. Reishi mushrooms get their bang as a restorative herb by virtue of the plant’s abundance of component compounds such as beta-glucans, triterpenes, and antioxidants, in ways that we are about to illustrate.
4 Health Benefits of Reishi Mushrooms
With that note, let’s take a quick look at four of reishi mushrooms’ more significant health benefits, noting of course, that reishi is available in supplement form, making it a handy addition to your daily regimen:
Bolster the immune system: Reishi mushrooms, formally known as Ganoderma lucidim, have the potential to strengthen your immunity by virtue of their ability to impart positive effects on the genes of your white blood cells. Reishis also have the capacity, in some cases at least, to alter the inflammatory process in those white cells.
Fend off fatigue and depression: This condition is a double whammy that can severely hamper one’s quality of life. The good news is that these companion conditions might be alleviated by herbs and supplements that are specifically equipped to do so, such as reishi mushrooms. How do reishis do this? They possess what are called adaptogenic properties, which apparently assist the body in adjusting to stress and anxiety. It’s why this type of mushroom has been used as an ingredient in some medicines formulated to enhance relaxation and sleep.
Enrich antioxidant impact: Two of the compounds found in reishi mushrooms –polysaccharides and triterpenoids – possess antioxidant effects that help protect you from the ill effects of free radicals. These are molecules that contain reactive oxygen with free electrons that can damage cells and tissues. What antioxidants can do is “donate” electrons that can stabilize free radicals and thus transform them into a harmless state.
Protect heart health: Various studies have shown that reishi mushrooms can be effective in reducing blood-sugar levels as well as triglycerides. It can also help regulate proper cholesterol levels/ratios by reducing LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and elevating “good” (HDL) cholesterol. Another older study suggested that reishi might slightly lower elevated lipid levels as well.
It’s always good news to learn that there are natural remedies that can also double up as tasty garnishments at the dinner table, and reishi mushrooms fit into that category, although in its case, it is best ground into a powder first. Like any other supplement or herb, though, if you are considering adding reishi to your daily regimen of vitamins and supplements, you are advised to discuss its use with your personal physician or other licensed healthcare professional to make sure it won’t be a problem for you. A little extra caution is always advisable.