Have you ever wondered why you’re starting to see mushrooms in everything nowadays? From mushroom coffee to mushroom tea, people everywhere are starting to take advantage of the health benefits of mushrooms like chaga and reishi. In this article, we are going to be taking a deep dive into the health benefits of mushrooms, and why you may want to start incorporating them into your daily routine.
The Most Powerful Medicinal Mushrooms
For this article, we’re going to be focusing on the benefits of reishi and chaga, as these are some of the most potent medicinal mushrooms out there. They also work great in tisanes, decoctions and coffees so it is easy to take advantage of their many health benefits.
Chaga Can Help Lead to Lower Blood Sugar
During the course of a 3 week study, a group of diabetic mice was given chaga extract and they saw a 31% reduction in total blood sugar. While this study has not yet been replicated in humans, there does seem to be a promising link between the consumption of chaga and lower blood sugar.
Reishi is also thought to lower blood sugar. In a series of animal and human trials, the compounds in reishi were found to lower the blood sugar of the participants.
Cancer Prevention
While it is no substitute for proper treatment, the compounds in these mushrooms may help to reduce the risk of cancer. Let’s take a look at each mushroom and see what it can do to help in the fight against cancer.
Reishi vs Cancer
A 2016 study found that reishi was able to increase the production of white blood cells, which can help fight off cancer. Several test-tube studies have also shown that it can lead to the death of cancer cells, but more research will be needed before it can be listed as a treatment.
Chaga vs Cancer
Because chaga is so rich in antioxidants, it is thought to be a potent weapon in the fight against cancer. In a study in mice with cancer, chaga supplements resulted in a 60% reduction in tumor size and in a test-tube study, chaga extract prevented the growth of cancer in human liver cells. Similar results were observed with cancer cells of the lung, breast, prostate and colon.
Cholesterol
Lowering cholesterol can be one of the more challenging health conundrums, but luckily the mushrooms are here to help with that as well! Chaga has been shown to reduce cholesterol in various studies, making this a great choice for anyone battling to keep their LDL down.
In an eight-week study in rats with high cholesterol, chaga extract reduced “bad” LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing antioxidant levels. Similar studies have also been conducted and found that while chaga can lower “bad” cholesterol, it can actually raise HDL or “good” cholesterol levels.
Depression and Fatigue
Often overlooked when it comes to a discussion about health is mental health. Depression is considered to be the most common disability and a healthy diet can actually be a way to prevent some of its worse effects. Reishi can actually be a powerful tool when it comes to managing your symptoms of depression.
In 2005 there was a study done on 132 people with neurasthenia, a condition associated with aches, pains, dizziness, headaches, and irritability. It was found that fatigue was reduced and well-being was improved after 8 weeks of taking reishi supplements. Also, a 2012 study on people with breast cancer found that taking reishi powder reduced fatigue, anxiety, and depression and improved quality of life after 4 weeks.
You’ll notice these studies were done on people with pre-existing conditions, and they have not been replicated in people that are “healthy” so more research may need to be done but so far, it looks promising.
Immune Support
Certain mushrooms are known for having immunomodulatory effects. If the immune system is too weak, you run a higher risk of sickness or infection. If the immune system is too strong, sometimes your body can have issues with inflammation. Mushrooms like reishi and chaga may help you strike that balance, helping to strengthen your immune system while reducing inflammation.
How Chaga Can Help Your Immune System
By promoting the formation of beneficial cytokines, specialized proteins that regulate the immune system, chaga can improve the production of white blood cells, which are important in the fight against harmful bacteria and viruses. As a result, this mushroom may be able to help the body against everything from minor colds to major infections.
How Reishi Can Help Your Immune System
Like chaga, reishi has also been found to increase the production of white blood cells, which are crucial in the body's fight against pathogens. In addition to this, reishi may also be able to alter the actual inflammation pathways within our white blood cells.
According to a 2007 study, Reishi was also found to improve the function of lymphocytes, which help fight infections and cancer, when it was tested on athletes exposed to stressful conditions.
As you can see, there are so many different health benefits to these magical mushrooms! If you really want to take advantage of these benefits, the easiest way is to extract them in a delicious mushroom tea.
Our Chaga blend is crafted with love and care by a family of herbalists and it is wild foraged on the banks of one of the world’s cleanest lakes. If you don’t want to miss out on the plethora of mushroom benefits, this is the tea for you!
