What Are Medicinal Mushrooms?

Medicinal mushrooms - the natural fuel that nourishes your body

Mushrooms are a low-calorie food that is rich in nutritional components. Thus, daily consumption of mushrooms would support various health needs.
There are different kinds of mushrooms, with thousands of varieties discovered over the years. Some strains have become popular due to their historical medicinal use, like cordyceps, reishi and more.

What are medicinal mushrooms?

Medicinal mushrooms contain a high concentration of polysaccharides compared to other mushrooms. They can provide several benefits to those consuming them regularly.
As opposed to edible mushrooms, medicinal mushrooms are not only nutritious (and mostly delicious) but have also been proven by different studies to possess qualities that support the immune system, the heart, healthy blood sugar levels and more.
This is why Mycospring cultivates, studies and develops medicinal mushrooms to spread the word about their natural healing capabilities, make them more accessible, assist people in strengthening their bodies and souls and improve their quality of life in various ways.

Let's clarify the basics and explain how they differ from psychoactive or culinary mushrooms.

Due to their historical use for thousands of years, many ask what these mushrooms are and how they differ from psychoactive or edible mushrooms.
When someone mentions medicinal mushrooms, psychoactive and edible mushrooms will typically come up.
Shiitake, Portobello and Maitake are renowned edible mushrooms and are some of the few varieties that can be eaten in their natural form.
These mushrooms provide the body with nutrients and are rich in proteins and fibers that can be added to one’s daily diet.
Psychoactive mushrooms are somewhat different.
They are cultured mushrooms that contain psilocybin, a hallucinatory substance.
Although studies have proven that hallucinatory mushrooms can also contribute to physical and mental health, they are different than medicinal mushrooms and are illegal in many countries.
Compared to psychoactive mushrooms, medicinal mushrooms’ benefits are obtained without hallucinatory properties, making them safe to consume when adequately processed, of course.

Not just genetics. What influences medicinal mushrooms' capabilities?

Genetics – just like the human body, the DNA and essence of every mushroom is different.
For example, not all cordyceps mushrooms have healing properties. This only occurs in specific varieties that have gone through natural processes causing them to develop these properties.
At Mycospring, we have conducted trials and studies for many years aimed at improving these varieties in the lab.

Food – the mushroom’s healing properties become stronger in correlation to what it feeds on in nature.
At Mycospring’s controlled cultivation rooms, we put a great deal of emphasis on sustaining the mushrooms with high-quality nourishment to magnify their healing properties.

Living conditions – humidity, temperature, light and the duration of growth are factors that affect the mushroom’s metabolic processes.
At Mycospring, we augmented the mushroom’s growth time in the lab. This permits the mushroom to go through secondary metabolic processes that affect its active ingredients. Hence, slow growth produces a very high-quality mushroom.

Cordyceps

Cordyceps naturally improves a person’s vitality and endurance by supporting the respiratory system and the body’s oxygen supply mechanism and ATP synthesis.
The improvement stems from the increase in ATP production, ATP being the molecule that supplies energy on a molecular level.
Consequently, muscles’ endurance and resilience naturally increases. Read More >

Hericium

Hericium is a medicinal mushroom that supports memory and brain functions by stimulating the synthesis of nerve growth factor (NGF). This protein promotes the growth and proper operation of nerve cells.
Hericium is also an edible mushroom that can add various proteins, carbohydrates and bio-active compounds to your diet. Read More >

Reishi

This powerful medicinal mushroom contains high quantities of beta-glucans that support the immune system. When regularly consumed, the reishi mushroom can sustain white blood cells and promote good sleep quality.
It is also an adaptogen that improves the body’s ability to cope with stress. Read More >

Turkey tail

As one of the most widely researched medicinal mushrooms, turkey tail has been used in many Eastern cultures as a mushroom representing longevity, health, spiritual alignment and infinity.
Its natural polysaccharides make it a top choice for assisting the body’s natural response to inflammation and reinforcing the immune system. Read More >