The Story of the Reishi Mushroom

Are you familiar with the Reishi mushroom? Do you want to buy Reishi mushroom to explore its health benefits? Before you do that, you should learn a bit about this fungus and its origins.

The Chinese recognize the Reishi mushroom as “lingzhi,” and scientists refer to them as Ganoderma lucidum. Asian countries haven’t just been using them for centuries but also revering them. To them, Reishi is a medicinal substance. The potential advantages of this fungus in addressing numerous health issues have garnered attention worldwide only recently.

An Important Role

The Reishi mushroom plays a crucial role in traditional Chinese medicine and is known for its wellness benefits and striking appearance. The glossiness of the red color of these mushrooms comes from terpenoids – compounds that contribute to their health benefits.

Physical Features

When you buy Reishi mushrooms, you don’t receive the original fungi intact. Why? Using them practically is somewhat limited because of their texture, which is tough and woody. This hardness comes from the complex polysaccharides they contain, such as chitin and beta-glucan. The latter is responsible for the structure of the mushroom and supports immunity. Chitin, on the other hand, is a substance similar to insect exoskeletons and crustacean shells. It gives the fungus its rigidity and fibrous texture. These components make it difficult for people to digest the mushroom.

Unique Strategies

Even with such a challenging texture, humanity has devised ways to extract the health advantages of Reishi. They boil the mushroom to make tea or create an extract. Boiling is crucial, as it breaks their tough shell walls, making the beneficial compounds more accessible and easier for the body to absorb. The water-soluble compounds, particularly polysaccharides, known for their potential immune-boosting properties, can be extracted effectively via this method.

Another Group of Compounds

Reishi mushrooms contain another group of compounds called triterpenes. They give the fungus its bitter taste. These chemical compounds, made of isoprene units, exist in various plants and fungi. Triterpenes in Reishi are especially interesting due to their therapeutic properties, such as antitumoral, anti-inflammatory, and liver-protecting effects.

Alcohol-Soluble

Triterpenes don’t dissolve in water, but they do in alcohol. That’s why certain preparations of Reishi mushrooms use alcohol, such as tinctures, to ensure proper extraction of these compounds. Alcohol extraction tends to be more efficient in pulling out the medicinal properties of the triterpenes from mushrooms.

An Asian Native

Reishi mushrooms are found predominantly in forested regions of East Asia, such as Japan, China, and Korea. The fungus grows mostly at the base of deciduous trees, especially maple. However, it is not limited to these areas and can grow in other locations in Asia with similar environmental conditions.

A Strong Historical Presence

The Reishi mushroom has a strong historical presence in China and is often associated with areas like the mountains and woods of Yunnan, Fujian, and Guangdong. In Japan, they grow in more temperature regions, often in areas with many oak trees. The Korean peninsula, with its mountainous terrain and humid climate, creates the perfect atmosphere for Reishi mushrooms.

When you buy Reishi mushrooms, you can be sure the product came from mushrooms that grew in one of these locations.