We all want to stay healthy and taking dietary supplements is one way of making sure your body functions properly. However, with so many supplements in the market today with some working and others having no scientific backing about their health benefits, it’s hard to know what to look for in mushroom supplements.
Most people assume that all dietary supplements have therapeutic potency, but the problem comes in when your body can’t digest and absorb the supplement. Medicinal mushrooms have been researched and studied in depth with many proven health benefits.
They have been historically used for the prevention and treatment of many diseases and even believed to extend your lifespan. But not all mushroom supplements are equal. This article will show you some things you should be aware of when choosing a quality medicinal mushroom supplement.
Types of mushroom supplements
Table of Contents
There are powders, extracts, capsules, and tinctures so it depends on the kind of mushroom supplement you want. Or you can opt to eat fresh or dried mushrooms instead of taking it as a supplement. However, this option isn’t good for humans because your system can’t breakdown the chitin (stuff that makes up the shells of lobsters, crabs, and other insects) that makes the majority of the mushrooms. A whole mushroom also contains a lot of fiber so you don’t need to eat a huge amount to get its medicinal benefits.
Capsules
Mushroom supplements can be taken in capsule form for your overall well-being. If you don’t have problems swallowing pills, you can take mushroom capsules which is a quick and convenient way especially if you don’t have time to make your morning smoothie or take tea. The capsules contain extracts or grounded mushrooms packed in a gelatin case. The capsules can also contain fillers apart from mushrooms so it’s good to read the label. The good thing about capsules is they mask the mushroom taste especially if you’re dealing with reishi mushrooms that have a bitter taste.
Tinctures
These are liquid extracts that dissolve in alcohol. You take a tincture by mouth, just a few drops at a time. Mushroom tinctures are the easiest way you can make your medicinal mushroom extracts. Triterpenoid is the anti-inflammatory compound found in reishi mushrooms that don’t dissolve in water, so the only way to make it available is by taking it as a tincture. This is a quick and convenient way if you’re on the go.
Powder
This is the most common and versatile way of taking mushroom supplements. It’s easily absorbed by your body once you ingest it and you can mix it in your tea, smoothies, coffee, or even in chocolate bars or cookies. It’s available in large quantities so it lasts longer and you can easily measure out with a scoop for a single serving.
What you need to look for in mushroom supplements
With so many mushroom supplements in the market today, not all are of the same quality. This can make your selection process very difficult, but the following factors will help you choose the ideal supplement.
Ingredients
If you’re buying mushroom supplements pay more attention to the actual ingredients. Some supplements are made with different mushroom species while others use only one single type of mushroom.
Strength
The potency or strength of your supplement will depend mainly on the type of mushroom supplement you want. To find out how strong a supplement is compared with others before you buy, read the customer reviews.
Fruit bodies
Look for a supplement made from whole fruit bodies, but avoid supplements that contain mycelium because they contain more rice or grain than mushroom. Fruit bodies are much more potent than mycelium grown rice.
Organic
Organic mushrooms are of higher quality, are healthier for your body, and more beneficial. Some of the mushroom supplements aren’t organic so you need to be aware of what every product is made of before buying.
Extracts
The simple mushroom powder isn’t digestible by humans only extracts are is digestible. Extracts are also have a high amount of potency than powders. Some of the extracts use water or alcohol extraction.
Quantity
The quantity you choose to buy will determine how long you’re planning on taking the supplement. You can choose to buy the supplements in capsules, powder, or tinctures that will last you through the entire period.
Beta-D-glucans
This is the most important nutrient in mushroom supplements. Avoid buying supplements that haven’t listed this compound on their label. Some honest companies will tell you exactly what is contained in their products and guarantee their potency that will confirm the supplement contains a certain percentage of beta-glucans, triterpenoids, polysaccharides, and other active compounds that you’re looking for.
Mushroom product blends
You will find many superfood blends in the market with mushroom extracts which is a very easy and delicious way of including mushroom in your diet. This may be more convenient for you and your kids to incorporate mushrooms in your food.
However, you should remember that any blend you choose should contain a good amount of the actual mushroom in its formula to have positive results on your health with time. It should at least contain about 750mg of mushroom extract per serving to be worth your money.
Recommended dose
It’s advisable to strictly follow the dosage prescribed by the manufacturer or medical personnel. This will help you to avoid having adverse effects that usually occur when you take the supplement in excess.
Ingredients to avoid
Fillers like mushroom mycelium on grain, brown rice, or wheat are a list of ingredients you look out for in mushroom capsules. Some brands also add flow aid that helps to improve the capsuling process. Although there isn’t anything inherently wrong with flow aids, the problem is you don’t know what you’re consuming so it’s best to avoid them. Even though something is vegetarian, it doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Go for organic mushroom capsules that are free of microcrystalline cellulose, silicon dioxide, or hypromellose.
Final thoughts
When choosing medicinal mushroom supplements what you need to look for in mushroom supplements will determine if there will be positive results in the long run. Go for organically certified products, look for supplements that contain fruit bodies, and the mushroom species that suit the health benefits you’re looking for.
