A long time ago, in ancient China lived Shennong, known as the "God of Chinese Herbal Medicine." According to folklore, men were responsible for teaching the practice of herbal medicine, thus laying the foundation of traditional Chinese medicine. Past documents recount his many achievements, including the invention of tea and the discovery of a mushroom he claimed could extend human life.
As the legend of Shennong was passed down from generation to generation, fact and fiction gradually became increasingly difficult to distinguish. However, the immortal mushrooms he mentioned are real. While it doesn't exactly turn a normal person into a Highlander, it does contain some ingredients that can improve health, extend life, and reverse aging. The Chinese call this mushroom Ganoderma lucidum .
Reishi mushroom's durability and other beneficial properties have attracted many followers, but it can cause some complications if not extracted and consumed properly.
Crack Ganoderma
Before we delve into how to extract reishi, it’s a good idea to learn more about it and why it’s so popular in the health and wellness world.
Reishi is a magic mushroom said to treat anything from seasonal illnesses like the flu to fatal illnesses like cancer. These health benefits may be directly related to the compounds of this mushroom.
Several studies have been conducted to test whether there is any truth behind this. One study involving 58 species of basidiomycete mushrooms found that reishi was the most effective at killing cancer cells.
Includes leukemia and cancers breast, colon, prostate and ovary. It also helps in overcoming stage one bladder cancer. Likewise, reishi can replenish Qi and may relieve wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath.
polysaccharide
This compound has antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties that extend lifespan and strengthen the immune system, giving reishi health and anti-aging benefits. It’s worth reminding that reishi stimulates the immune system and can be dangerous for people taking medications that suppress the immune system.
triterpenoids
Triterpenoids, another bioactive ingredient, also contribute to Ganoderma’s anti-aging abilities. Additionally, they may prevent high blood pressure, allergic symptoms, and tumor growth. The bitterness of triterpenoids reflects the quality of the mushroom, so the bitterer the reishi, the better.
beta-glucan
Reishi mushrooms are rich in beta-glucan, which helps inhibit the growth and spread of cancer cells.
The benefits of Ganoderma are not only physical but also mental. Traditional Chinese medicine has long recognized the connection between reishi and mental health, with monks and mountain hermits using it to balance their emotions. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners also prescribe Ganoderma to calm the mind and reduce anxiety.
Ensuring the highest quality Ganoderma products
Harvesting mushrooms correctly is a long and winding process. First, it is important to grow very slowly on natural wood in a nutrient-rich environment to ensure high levels of Ganoderma polysaccharides.
Commercial reishi products often use different parts of the mushroom. These include mycelium, fruiting bodies, and ruptured spores. The spores are the most valuable part of the mushroom and are rich in triterpenes—naturally occurring substances with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antitumor, antiviral, and immunomodulatory properties.
However, spores have a hard and strong double-walled structure. If you eat the spores before they burst, you will prevent the effective absorption of the nutrients this mushroom provides. Therefore, rupturing the spores is necessary to ensure proper nutrient uptake. Simply put, the higher the breakage rate, the easier it is for the body to absorb nutrients efficiently.
However, it's worth noting that mushrooms' active compounds can be destroyed by heat or acid-based substances. In this regard, the extraction of high-quality Ganoderma products involves the use of high-efficiency, low-temperature spore wall lysis technology. Spores are scarce and require a tedious extraction process. Therefore, products using the broken spores of Ganoderma lucidum are often more expensive than certain parts of the mushroom.
Produces a variety of Ganoderma consumables
Our advice is to leave this extraction business to the experts. After all, you can easily find reishi mushrooms in ready-to-eat products. For example, broken spores come conveniently in capsules that you can take as an herbal supplement. If you're looking for something easier to drink, opt for reishi coffee or tea. You can also mix reishi powder with other ingredients like cocoa or add it to drinks or cookies. Recently, the company has also chosen to use Ganoderma lucidum as an ingredient in anti-aging skin care products.
Although it comes in many forms, always make sure to get your product from a reliable source. Reishi mushroom spores are difficult to crack, but once you're inside, you'll find that it has no shortage of benefits for your overall health.
