The Magic Of Functional Mushrooms & 5 Things A Nutritionist Want You To Know About Them
Posted by Anna Wechsel onBy now you'll be well aware that we're huge proponents of animal foods and nose-to-tail eating. However, unlike some of our friends in the meat space, we're not opposed to plant foods as long as they've been properly farmed (organic) and prepared (cooked, soaked, fermented, etc). And we're actually huge fans of a few foods that sit in the grey area between animals and plants... namely; Functional Mushrooms.
Medicinal mushrooms such as Lion's Mane, Cordyceps, Reishi & Chaga have been used by humans since ancient times as a natural method of healing and performance enhancement. Hailing from China and made famous for their profound benefits by Traditional Chinese Medicine, modern technology has not only given the world access to these incredible mushrooms, but has enabled us to extract them into powder concentrates, condensing the healing and performance enhancing compounds within them.
Now for those of you not familiar with our mushroom range or functional mushrooms in general, below we're created a medicinal mushrooms 101 covering the benefits, how/why to include them into your routine, which mushrooms might be right for you 👇
What Are Functional Mushrooms?
They’ve been around for millions of years, and have become especially popular in the wellness community in the last several years.
Functional mushrooms are just like other natural mushrooms, but with incredible benefits. Think of them as mushrooms with added superpowers.
These mushrooms have many properties that make them so important, from enhancing immunity to boosting brain power, improving athletic performance and even promoting deeper sleep.
As a health coach and nutritionist, I’ve been working with these mushrooms for years both for my own wellbeing and my clients’, and they’ve consistently shown incredible benefits.
So, here are 5 things I want you to know about them! 👇
1) They’ve been used for thousands of years: Yes, these mushrooms all have scientific studies to back up their benefits, but they also have thousands of years worth of experience too. In ancient times, Shaolin Buddhist monks took Lion's mane for its cognitive powers and ability to enhance deep meditation. Reishi has always been used to enhance immunity in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where it’s known as the ‘mushroom of immortality’; Chaga was used throughout Russia, Siberia and Eastern Europe for everything from diabetes to gastrointestinal issues, and Cordyceps has been used throughout TCM to invigorate the lungs and boost overall energy and endurance.
2) They each have a special superpower: There’s really something for everyone when it comes to functional mushrooms, which is what makes them so useful to have on hand.
Lion's Mane is best for enhancing cognitive function, focus and clarity, whilst also protecting brain cells and even encouraging them to grow. There’s research also linking Lions Mane to prevention of Alzheimer’s.
Reishi is amazing for immunity, stimulating key immune cells, increasing cytokine production, and offering antioxidant protection. The high concentration of triterpenes it contains promote a calmer nervous system and deeper sleep too.
Cordyceps is best for boosting athletic performance and recovery, but also for enhancing lung health. The compounds within this mushroom improve oxygen uptake, circulation and lung function, as well as speeding up recovery from exercise by enhancing the body's natural healing processes.
Chaga has been used for thousands of years to enhance the immune system, reduce inflammation, improve sleep, promote relaxation and aid calmness.
3) They’re easy to incorporate into your routine: Through my work as a nutritionist, I’ve realised that when I recommend a protocol or supplement, it needs to be simple and do-able in order to fit into people’s busy lives. Functional mushrooms are so easy to incorporate into your routine, and they work in so many different ways.
My top ways to use these mushroom powders:
☕ Mixing lion's mane or cordyceps into coffee for an extra boost (you can also open the Dawn capsules and mix the contents into coffee, sas they contain a powerful blend of both lions mane and cordyceps!)
🥛 Adding cordyceps to a pre-workout snack like yoghurt
🍵 Making a reishi tea with hot milk and honey to induce relaxation and deep sleep
If you're stuck or not enjoying the flavours in drinks, snacks or smoothies - you may want to try a capsule version like Dawn & Dusk, which are blends of the above powders 😊
4) They’re often a great natural alternative to synthetic drugs: Now, I’m definitely not advising anyone to throw away their prescribed medication, but the benefits of these mushrooms can often work incredibly well for a range of problems that we might otherwise turn to synthetic pills or drugs for. For example, lions mane can work wonders for anxiety and mild depression, as well as symptoms associated with ADHD, whilst reishi is a great alternative to sleep aids (without the side effects!). If you currently take pre-workout supplement or drinks loaded with caffeine and sugar, it’s worth experimenting with cordyceps instead to give you a clean boost of energy. This definitely isn’t medical advice, just food for thought.
5) They aren’t psychedelic… Many people hear ‘mushrooms’ and think of hallucinations and trips… and I can assure you these aren’t those type of mushrooms! For anyone thinking of trying functional mushrooms for the first time, know that they’re gentle, they’re safe to use any time, and they can be used consistently as part of your regular routine to give your physical and mental wellbeing a serious boost.
Written by Emma Newlyn
Emma is a health and nutrition coach who specialises in blending ancient wisdom and modern health techniques to help people feel well inside and out.Emma brings over 12 years of experience in the health industry to APE Nutrition, and specialises in answering your nutrition and supplement questions, and creating articles on many different areas of wellbeing.
