Reishi mushrooms can enhance mental clarity, boost energy levels, and improve overall well-being. However, a common question most people ask is—how do I benefit from Reishi supplements?
So, are you looking for a way to use reishi mushroom powder daily? If so, you're in luck! In this blog post, we'll discuss how to use reishi mushroom powder and some of its benefits.
Reishi Mushroom Background: What Is It?
Reishi mushrooms—known by their scientific name, Ganoderma Lucidum—are essential supplements for health and fitness enthusiasts. In their natural form, Reishi mushrooms are shiny, orange to red-brown, and have a distinct fan-shaped appearance.
Read More: Are there any Reishi mushroom look-alikes?
They are found on the base of aged deciduous trees, making the wild form of the mushroom rare. You might be a little apprehensive about trying Reishi as it is firmly bitter, woody, and hard in texture.
The most common way to enjoy the benefit of Reishi is to use its manufactured products—Reishi powder, in this case, is the most commonly used product. Compared to fresh Reishi, it is often easier to deal with the mushroom taste when it is powder.
Read More:Learn about the Reishi mushroom taste.
Read on to learn how to use reishi powder!
How To Take Reishi Mushroom Powder?
You can use organic mushroom Reishi powder in many different ways. Research shows that each of these ways offers maximum reishi mushroom benefits.
Regarding how to eat reishi mushroom powder, you might want to start by doubling up on the recommended serving size every day for the first two weeks. Doubling up the reishi mushroom powder dosage for the first two weeks allows the mushroom to build up in the body so that you can start enjoying its benefits.
Read on to learn the best way to take reishi mushroom powder.
Reishi Mushroom Tea
While there are numerous recipes for taking reishi mushroom powder, the tea recipe is the easiest. Often considered the best way to take a mushroom powder, this method takes minimal time and doesn't require complicated cooking equipment.
To make Reishi mushroom tea, boil 8 cups of water. You can put the mushroom powder into the cups of boiling water and let it simmer till the water reduces to half. This will take about one hour.
You can drink the hot, healing cup of this mushroom tea daily for a month. You can also refrigerate the tea for up to a week.
The mushroom has a bitter flavor, so you might not enjoy the tea. However, you can always opt for other ways to incorporate the mushroom into your lifestyle.
Also, if you find that the mushroom's bitter taste is too off-putting, but you still want to add tea to your list of how to take mushroom powders, you can consider using a sweetener.
Read More: Want to try a different type of mushroom tea? Learn about the Chaga mushroom tea taste.
A Hot Cup Of Reishi Coffee
If you do not like tea and are still wondering what to do with reishi mushrooms, you can always add the mushroom to your daily caffeine fix. Mushroom-infused coffee is a great way to start the day. Add the powder to a hot cup of water or warm milk.
Reishi Mushroom Capsules
Another answer to how to eat reishi mushroom powder is capsules. You can take the capsule daily before nighttime to enjoy Reishi's calming and sleep-enhancing benefits.
Read More: Learn more about Reishi’s sleep benefits.
Reishi Mushroom Powder In Your Favorite Snack
Adding a spoonful of Reishi powder to your favorite snack and meal can help you take the edge off.
Using reishi mushrooms in your daily routine will support long-term homeostatic balance and eliminate anxiety and unstable mood. You can add the mushroom powder to your favorite smoothie, electrolyte, and post-workout protein shakes.
Mushroom Powders In Broth
Reishi's earthy and woody flavor makes it an ideal addition to broths. You can use the powder in your favorite beef, chicken, vegetable, or bone broth.
The ideal reishi powder dosage for broths is one teaspoon—this should be enough to give your broth the taste and benefits of Reishi.
Add a teaspoon of the mushroom powder to every cup of the broth. You can add ginger, pressed garlic, and scallions for some aroma. Simmer for a few minutes and finish off with a dash of lime juice.
What Are The Benefits Of Reishi Mushroom Powder?
Reishi mushroom has many benefits. The mushroom has been used for centuries(1) and is a part of traditional Chinese medicine.
Regular consumption of Reishi powder supplements strengthens the immune system(2). It increases the ability of the body to detect and destroy foreign particles and disease-causing organisms.
Including Reishi powder in your post-workout smoothies and snacks can help you recover from exercise-induced fatigue(3). It also reduces blood pressure and bad cholesterol. The mushroom improves the symptoms of Asthma(4), fights against the flu, and combats oxidative injury(5) by free radicals.
In the following section, we will examine the benefits of taking powdered reishi mushroom:
1. Reishi Boosts Your Immune System
Consuming reishi mushrooms boosts your white blood cells and the natural killer cells in your body. Using dried reishi mushrooms in a beverage or simply adding them to your food enhances your body's ability to fight different diseases.
2. Reishi Fights Stress
Powder reishi offers anxiety benefits—these benefits of taking reishi mushrooms help you avoid feeling panicky or overwhelmed. The mushroom keeps you calm and relaxed.
3. Reishi Fights Allergies
Researchers conducted a study in 2012(6) to determine the effectiveness of reishi extracts on pollen-induced biphasic nasal blockage allergy.
The researchers concluded that the daily treatment with reishi mushroom extracts decreased the pollen-induced biphasic nasal obstruction and hyperresponsiveness in the guinea pig model of allergic rhinitis. These findings implied that Reishi might be a beneficial therapeutic medication for the management of allergic rhinitis.
Read More: Learn about the Reishi allergy benefits.
4. Reishi Helps With Diabetes Treatment
Reishi powder helps manage chronic diseases—one good example is diabetes. Reishi helps with high blood sugar level management.
People with diabetes, therefore, can keep their blood sugar levels from going above the healthy range by using Reishi.
Read More: Learn about Reishi's diabetes benefits.
6. Reishi Functional Mushrooms Help With High Blood Pressure Treatment
Studies have verified the reishi functional mushroom usefulness in treating high blood pressure—in fact, the mushroom's performance in hypertension treatment is similar to that of hypertension medications.
One study conducted in 2018(7) investigated the impact of the reishi dietary supplement on high blood pressure. The researchers concluded that the health benefits of Reishi similarly lowered high blood pressure as losartan. Losartan is a drug used to treat high blood pressure; it is marketed under the trade names Cozaar and others.
7. Reishi Treats And Prevents Cancer
According to the CDC(8), cancer cases will rise by 49% by the time we reach 2050. The good news is that reishi powder can help prevent cancer.
What's more, reishi cancer benefits prevent the growth of cancer cells. Reishi is effective in many cancer cells, including prostate cancer, breast cancer, and more.
8. Reishi Keeps You Young
Reishi keeps people young in a few different ways. To begin with, Reishi offers hair health benefits, helping you avoid hair loss, balding, and greying hair. What's more, Reishi prevents wrinkles and premature skin aging.
9. Reishi Powder Treats Hormone Imbalance
The Reishi powder improves the body's response to hormonal imbalance, restoring the hormones to an ideal level. This Reishi benefit improves life quality for both men and women.
Things To Keep In Mind When You Buy Reishi Mushroom Powder
Powdered Reishi is readily available as a health supplement. However, when buying mushroom extract powder, look out for the following things:
FAQs About How To Use Reishi Mushroom Powder Daily
Purity And Potency Of The Mushroom Powder
The purity and potency of the reishi mushroom extract are essential. The concentration of the active components determines the strength of the reishi mushroom extract powder. A powder with a high concentration of active ingredients is the best way to receive maximum benefits from Reishi.
Part Of The Mushroom Used In Extract Production
Reishi, like other mushrooms, has a fruiting body and mycelium. The fruiting body is the part above the ground, and the mycelium is below it. The fruiting body has high levels of Ganoderic acids (triterpenes), which have many health benefits.
Therefore, always look for mushroom products manufactured using fruiting bodies. These products carry more nutrients and benefit your nervous system, brain, and overall wellness.
Read More: See the best mushrooms for brain health.
The Extraction Method Used
The Reishi mushrooms extraction procedure should guarantee maximum benefits from the active ingredients. The mushroom’s triterpenes are alcohol soluble, while the beta-glucans are soluble in water. A two-part extraction, comprising water and alcohol, gives the most potent form of reishi mushroom powder extract.
Organic Certification
Also, look out for mushroom powders and supplements that are certified organic. Organic Reishi is much more beneficial than non-organic Reishi.
Key Takeaways
Reishi powder is a versatile health supplement. You can use it in your favorite hot and cold beverages, broths, soups, and snacks. The numerous benefits of the mushroom for health and wellness make it one of the best functional foods.
Have you tried adding reishi mushroom powder to your daily routine? What benefits have you noticed? Let us know in the comments below! We'd love to hear about your experiences with this powerful adaptogen.
References
- Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi or Reishi), (1)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92757/
- Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides enhance the function of immunological effector cells in immunosuppressed mice, (2)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17182202/
- Anti-fatigue activity of extract form the submerged fermentation of Ganoderma Lucidum using Radix astragali as substrate, (3)http://www.m.elewa.org/JAPS/2010/6.3/4.pdf
- The traditional Chinese herbal formula ASHMI inhibits allergic lung inflammation in antigen-sensitized and antigen-challenged aged mice, (4)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4608683/
- Antioxidant Properties of Several Medicinal Mushrooms, (5)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12358482/
- Effect of Ganoderma lucidum on pollen-induced biphasic nasal blockage in a guinea pig model of allergic rhinitis, (6)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21698671/
- Hypotensive and neurometabolic effects of intragastric Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) administration in hypertensive ISIAH rat strain, (7)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29519314/
- Cancer Incidence Projections in the United States Between 2015 and 2050, (8)https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2021/21_0006.htm
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