How to take mushrooms

Introducing medicinal mushrooms

Before we talk about how to take mushrooms, let’s quickly recap what functional fungi are. Medicinal mushrooms are specific varieties of mushroom that offer impressive health benefits to those who consume them. To be clear, none of the fungi we’re talking about here have hallucinatory effects. This isn’t an article about how to take magic mushrooms!

Practitioners of traditional medicine systems have been harnessing the power of functional mushrooms for generations. And today, scientific research is finding persuasive evidence to back up their wellness-boosting reputation.

The best part is that it’s easy to incorporate functional fungi into your diet, as this article will show you. But first, it might be useful to discuss how they could benefit your wellbeing in more detail. After all, it’s important to know why you’re using them before you get into how to take mushrooms!

Why take medicinal mushrooms?

The simple answer to this question is that functional fungi can be a natural and effective way to support your health. And they do so in several ways.

First, medicinal mushrooms function as adaptogens. This means they enable the mind and body to cope with stress more effectively. That includes long-term and short-term stress, whether it’s physical or emotional. The idea is that they help you get back to a healthy equilibrium.

In addition, functional fungi are rich in a type of soluble fibre called beta-glucans. These potent polysaccharides are bursting with potential health benefits. As prebiotics, they nourish the good bacteria in your gut and work to keep the bad bacteria in check.(1) This is more important than you might think, because the condition of your gut affects everything from immunity to brain health.

Speaking of immunity, this is another area in which medicinal mushrooms shine. The beta-glucans they contain are able to activate certain types of immune cells, such as macrophages and natural killer cells.(2) This could help you ward off diseases and infections more effectively.

As if that wasn’t enough, medicinal mushrooms also possess powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This is a key reason to know how to take mushrooms, because both chronic inflammation and oxidative stress can cause damage. Experts have linked them to numerous harmful health conditions, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

And that’s not the only way that functional fungi may support the health of your heart. Studies suggest beta-glucans also work to improve cholesterol levels, thereby lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.(3)

That covers the why, so let’s now turn to the question of how to take mushrooms.

How to take mushrooms: which functional fungi to choose

The first thing to consider when thinking about how to take mushrooms is which type you want to use. While they all share the benefits discussed above, each variety also has its own unique advantages. This is thanks to individual secondary metabolites they contain, like cordycepin in cordyceps and erinacine A in lion’s mane.

We have separate articles dedicated to the benefits of each medicinal mushroom we offer, so we recommend checking those out. However, here’s a brief overview of their strengths:

• Agaricus blazei – supports cardiovascular health and protects cells from oxidative stress
• Cordyceps – boosts athletic performance, increases endurance, raises VO2 max, reduces fatigue, and enhances post-exercise recovery
• Lion’s mane – balances mood, supports focus, and enriches cognitive health
• Reishi – supports the immune system, helps you relax, soothes anxiety, and improves the quality and duration of your sleep
• Shiitake – increases energy, strengthens immunity, and enhances cardiovascular health
• Turkey tail – supports a healthy gut microbiota and bolsters the digestive system
• Chaga – fights free radical damage, improves blood sugar levels, and supports skin health

Remember that you don’t have to stick to just one type of functional fungi. The only caveat is that you shouldn’t exceed the daily recommended dosage overall. So, for example, we recommend taking half a teaspoon of mushroom powder at a time, up to twice a day. It’s up to you if that’s two half-teaspoons of the same powder or different ones.

Ultimately, only you can decide which is the right medicinal fungus for you. Have a think about which potential benefits you’re most interested in, then pick the mushroom that best suits your needs.

How to take mushrooms

Once you’ve chosen your fungi, it’s time to address the key issue of this article: how to take mushrooms. While it’s possible to source and consume fresh mushrooms, this can be tricky. Some species are difficult to get hold of, while others have a tough texture and bitter flavour.

If you do use fresh fungi, ensure you check the specifics of how long to cook them for. Some, like shiitake, are easy to work with. Others, like reishi, need to be cooked for longer to extract the nutrients.

Another option for how to take mushrooms is capsules. While these are convenient, it’s not always clear exactly what’s in them. If they don’t disclose the amount of active ingredients they contain, you can’t be sure of their potency. In addition, the capsules themselves often include gelatine or other animal-derived ingredients you may want to avoid. It’s therefore important to scrutinise the information about the capsules you’re considering. That way, you can be confident about what you’re putting into your body.

Personally, we think the best choice of how to take mushrooms is as a powder. Companies make these by drying the fungi and then finely grinding them. Powder is therefore both a more natural and versatile option than capsules, and an easier method than fresh fungi.

You can also go for a dual extract mushroom powder. These are made by using water and ethanol to draw out certain beneficial compounds, creating a more concentrated product. Both whole powders and extracts have their advantages, and you use them in the same way.

So, let’s look at how to take mushrooms in powder form. You’ve got plenty of options to choose from!

Related reading

• When to take lion’s mane
• Benefits of mushroom coffee

How to take mushrooms as a powder

Powder is a fabulous option for how to take mushrooms because it’s so versatile. This enables you to find the perfect technique to suit your needs and lifestyle. Here are some ideas:

If you want a traditional method of how to take mushrooms, you might like to try making mushroom tea. Simply stir half a teaspoon into hot – but not boiling – water and leave it to steep for a few minutes. The only downside to this is that some people find the taste a little earthy and bitter. However, you can counter that by adding lemon, ginger, agave nectar, and other delicious natural ingredients.

Alternatively, you could mix mushroom powder into coffee and take your morning cup of joe to the next level. Another of our favourites is to use fungi powder to make a decadent mushroom hot chocolate. These might sound like strange combinations, but both cocoa and coffee complement the astringency of mushroom powder beautifully.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, functional fungi also work brilliantly in food recipes. The key thing to remember with this option for how to take mushrooms is that hot water draws out the powder’s nutrients. As such, dishes like soups, risottos, and stews are particularly effective choices for getting the most out of mushroom powder.

The earthy flavour of functional fungi goes well in a wide variety of meals, so feel free to experiment. However, if you want some inspiration, you might like to try our cream of broccoli soup with reishi or chocolate fudge with cordyceps. Trust us, they’re delicious!

How much mushrooms to take

For most medicinal mushrooms, there is no standard accepted advice on how much to take. That’s why it’s important to follow the guidelines on the specific product you buy. Some might be more potent than others, which means the physical amount you need to take could vary.

When it comes to how to take mushrooms from our range, we recommend half a teaspoon of powder up to twice a day. This is a safe amount to consume, and sufficient for you to enjoy the health benefits of your chosen fungi.

How long do mushrooms take to work?

While functional fungi are quite potent, you shouldn’t expect results overnight. It makes no sense to ask ‘how long does it take mushrooms to kick in’ with these species. Instead, focus on how to take mushrooms consistently. Whichever method you choose, you will probably need to take functional fungi for a few weeks before the benefits appear. So be patient and let them do their thing!

If you want to get the most out of them, consistency is key when thinking about how to take mushrooms. However, we also recommend using them in cycles. For example, you could take a break for a fortnight after 6-8 weeks of taking functional fungi daily.

The principal reason for doing so is that these mushrooms are immunomodulatory. That means they can affect the functioning of the immune system, for instance by activating certain types of immune cells. Having a break helps you to avoid over-stimulating your immune system or developing a tolerance to the fungi.

How to take mushrooms safely

Using them in cycles is only one aspect of how to take mushrooms safely. Another key point to remember is that functional fungi might not be suitable for everyone. More specifically, you should not take them if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Likewise, you should never give medicinal mushrooms to children. This is because there is currently not enough research to say whether functional fungi are safe for these groups.

If you have an existing health condition or are on any medication, speak to a doctor before using medicinal mushrooms. The reason for this is that functional fungi may interact with certain types of pharmaceutical drugs. For example, reishi might interfere with immunosuppressants and anticoagulants. Getting medical advice on how to take mushrooms can help you avoid any unwanted side effects.

How to take mushrooms: focus on quality

As we mentioned above regarding functional fungi capsules, quality is key when thinking about how to take mushrooms. That’s because it has a direct impact on the results you get from using them. Which is why we always have quality at the forefront of our minds when creating our mushroom powders.

We work with expert mycologists, who combine 20+ years of experience with the latest research findings to cultivate our fungi. Our team grows our mushrooms on natural and organic substrates, under meticulously controlled conditions in Europe. We specially design these substrates to give the fungi all the nutrients they require. In turn, this means you get the maximum nutritional value from them.

The only exception to this is our chaga. Our growers wild-harvest this fungus in the forests of Finland, where it grows naturally. Whether they’re cultivated on substrates or harvested in the woods, we don’t use any chemicals on our mushrooms.

Once the fungi are mature, we carefully dry them and grind them into a fine powder. We never add filler ingredients, so what you get is 100% pure mushroom.

Perhaps the strongest indicator of quality in functional fungi is the level of bioactive compounds they contain. In line with this, we have all our mushrooms checked by an independent and accredited quality checker. We can therefore say with complete confidence that our powders are rich in beta-glucans and key secondary metabolites. In fact, they are among the most potent on the UK market. That’s why we’re proud to offer them as a convenient and effective option for how to take mushrooms!

Final thoughts on how to take mushrooms

We hope this article has shown you how many great options there are for how to take mushrooms. Whichever you choose, functional fungi are a wonderful way to support your wellbeing – so why not give them a try?

Related reading

• Benefits of reishi mushroom
• How to make mushroom tea