Turkey tail vs. reishi: what you should know

An introduction to reishi mushrooms

Before we compare turkey tail vs reishi, it’s important to give them both a proper introduction. Reishi goes by several names, including lingzhi in Chinese and the scientific name Ganoderma lucidum. However, its most interesting moniker is the nickname ‘the mushroom of immortality’. It acquired this thanks to both its wellness-supporting properties and a legend that claimed it only grew on three Chinese islands – which were home to immortals.

Once rare and expensive, reishi is now a popular medicinal mushroom that’s cultivated worldwide. So you don’t need to choose between turkey tail vs reishi based on which is easier to get hold of! Reishi is large and a dark orangey-red, sometimes with pale rings around the edges. The fungus has broad, flat, glossy caps shaped like fans, and grows naturally in hot, humid environments across Asia.

The potential health benefits of reishi explain why the mushroom has long been a popular ingredient in traditional medicine systems. And interestingly, modern scientific research suggests they may be on to something – even if reishi won’t grant you eternal life! We’ll talk more about how the fungus could support wellbeing below. But first, let’s look at the other contender in the turkey tail vs reishi contest.

An introduction to turkey tail mushrooms

Moving on to turkey tail, or Trametes versicolor to be scientific, this fungus got its common name through looks alone. Not unlike reishi, it has flat, semi-circular, fan-like caps. However, they are adorned with colourful concentric rings that can be purple, blue, grey, green, yellow, or black. The outer edge is normally white and wavy, resulting in a similar appearance to a turkey’s tail. It typically grows on dead hardwood trees throughout Europe, Asia, and North America.

Because of its pleasing aesthetic, over the years people have used turkey tail for all sorts of decorative purposes. That includes as table ornaments and even hat accessories! Today, however, we primarily think of it as a medicinal mushroom. There are many potential health benefits of turkey tail – chiefly for your gut and immune system – as we’ll discover below. This is why, just like reishi, it’s long been a popular ingredient in traditional medicine systems.

So, if they both have the ability to support wellness, how do you decide between turkey tail vs reishi? Ultimately, it comes down to the specific type of advantages you’re hoping to get from consuming a medicinal mushroom. Let’s dig into the details.

Turkey tail vs reishi: comparing the benefits

One reason it’s hard to choose between reishi and turkey tail mushrooms is that they have several shared benefits. For instance, they’re both rich in antioxidants – compounds which help to reduce the damage caused by oxidative stress.(1) This is advantageous because oxidative stress increases the risk of developing harmful conditions like heart disease.

A few other mutual reishi and turkey tail benefits arise because they both contain beta-glucan. This is a type of fibre that offers impressive wellness-supporting effects. As an example, it may assist in lowering blood sugar levels and decreasing cholesterol.(2) That’s good news for both blood glucose management and heart health.

Another similarity you’ll find when comparing reishi vs turkey tail is that they both function as adaptogens. These are plants that help to reduce the negative impacts of stress on the mind and body. They can boost your resistance to both long-term and short-term stress of all different types.

And regardless of which side you choose in the turkey tail mushroom vs reishi debate, you’ll benefit from their anti-inflammatory properties. Just like oxidative stress, chronic inflammation raises the risk of a number of damaging conditions. That makes this another key advantage of adding medicinal mushrooms to your diet.

This is all pretty positive news. However, it doesn't help us pick which fungus to take. It’s time to explore the individual strengths of reishi mushroom vs turkey tail.

Turkey tail benefits

There are two principal areas in which turkey tail stands out. The first of these is gut health. The fungus acts as a prebiotic, nourishing the good bacteria in your gut.(3) This not only supports digestive health, but also many other aspects of wellbeing. For instance, experts have linked a diverse and flourishing gut microbiome to a healthy heart and a strong immune system.(4)

Perhaps most interestingly, the condition of your gut affects your brain and mental health.(5) One reason for this is that several neurotransmitters are produced in the gut as well as the brain. These include serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), both of which influence our emotions. Supporting gut health is on the list of both reishi and turkey tail benefits thanks to the beta-glucan they contain. However, overall, turkey tail takes the win in this area.

The second major benefit of turkey tail is supporting your immune system. The mushroom is rich in polysaccharide peptide (PSP) and polysaccharide krestin (PSK), both of which have a positive influence on immunity. PSP is able to increase monocyte numbers (which fight infection) and the activity of macrophages (which destroy pathogens).(6) Meanwhile, PSK activates natural killer cells and dendritic cells, which play key roles in protecting us from toxins and pathogens.(7) Again, we can count immunity support among both turkey tail and reishi mushroom benefits for health. However, the mechanisms by which the mushrooms do so are different.

Reishi mushroom benefits

We mentioned above that, because they’re adaptogens, there are both reishi and turkey tail benefits in terms of stress relief. Nevertheless, reishi has the edge here. One reason for this is that the mushroom could support your sleep. Studies show it can lengthen the duration of our slumber, and even enhance the quality of shuteye you get.(8) This may be thanks to certain sterols and triterpenoids it contains, such as beta-sitosterol.

As we’re sure you know, sleep is crucial for everything from our mood and cognitive functions to healing and recovery. That makes this a major advantage of reishi. Along similar lines, research also suggests reishi could aid in easing conditions like anxiety and depression.(9) All of which means that if you’re looking for a functional fungus to help you relax, it’s easy to pick between turkey tail vs reishi.

What about the different turkey tail and reishi mushroom benefits for immunity? Well, reishi is rich in organic compounds called triterpenes – such as ganoderic acids – which have immunomodulatory effects. It also contains polysaccharides that have the ability to stimulate certain kinds of immune cells, like macrophages.(10)

In addition, test tube studies indicate that reishi could have anti-cancer properties. It may have the potential to inhibit tumour growth and lead to the death of cancer cells.(11) The fungus might also positively influence quality of life in patients undergoing cancer treatments like chemotherapy.(12) However, further investigation is necessary to clarify these findings.