The Power of Functional Mushrooms

The winter season is well and truly upon us and so plenty of people are looking for natural ways to boost their immune systems. There are a number of natural remedies that can serve this purpose, but at the very top of our list are - you guessed it - mushrooms! Mushroom extracts have long played a key role in traditional Chinese and Japanese cultures [1], and we couldn’t be more excited that the rest of the world is now following suit.

To explain the health benefits of mushrooms in greater detail, we’ve teamed up with the experts at Nourished Life. Read on to discover which mushrooms may help you to feel better this winter season.

Find the right type of mushroom

Before you head out to the nearest supermarket, it’s important to note that not all mushrooms are superfoods. To reap mushroom health benefits, you’ll need to find “functional mushrooms”. Unlike regular mushrooms, these mushrooms are packed with antioxidants and nutrients, and are adaptogenic, meaning they may help the body manage physical, chemical, and biological stress.

In addition to helping regulate various physiological processes, functional mushrooms are thought to be one of the best ways to boost your immune system [2]. For this reason, they’re a fantastic addition to your wellness routine all year round, but particularly during this season. Functional mushrooms are so easy to add to your daily routine, simply add them to you tea, coffee, smoothies, soups and many other recipes!

Discover the best mushrooms for your wellness routine

Two of the most powerful mushrooms are Turkey Tail and Reishi, they can be found in our range of Life Cykel mushroom products. Our Turkey Tail Double Extract and Reishi Double Extract contain a high amount of polysaccharides, long chain carbohydrates that may activate immune cells. Once activated, these cells are known to send signals throughout the immune system, which may help boost your immune response [3, 4].

Interested in learning more about the health benefits of mushrooms? Check out the full article here and discover more healthy living advice on the Nourished Life blog today!

These statements have not been evaluated by the TGA or FDA. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

References:

[1] Cheung, P.C.K. (2008). Mushrooms as functional foods. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley

[2] Prasad S, Rathore H, Sharma S, Yadav AS (2015) Medicinal Mushrooms as a Source of Novel Functional Food. Int J Food Sci Nutr Diet. 04(5), 221-225.

[3] Hobbs, C. (2004). Medicinal Value of Turkey Tail Fungus Trametes versicolor (L.:Fr.) Pilat (Aphyllophoromycetideae). A Literature Review. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 6(3), pp.195–218.

[4] Lin, K.-I., Kao, Y.-Y., Kuo, H.-K., Yang, W.-B., Chou, A., Lin, H.-H., Yu, A.L. and Wong, C.-H. (2006). Reishi Polysaccharides Induce Immunoglobulin Production through the TLR4/TLR2-mediated Induction of Transcription Factor Blimp-1. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 281(34), pp.24111–24123.