The Only Medicinal Mushroom List You Need: 6 Powerhouses for Health

Most of us are a bit more health-focused these days: trying to get our exercise in, round out our diet, and build up our immune system. Fortunately, there are many products available to aid us in our quest. From home exercise equipment to superfood supplements, there are many options to help us meet our health and wellness goals.

Medicinal mushrooms are one of the newest health trends. Though they have been trusted components of Traditional Chinese Medicine and other distant cultures for thousands of years, we, in the west, are just beginning to appreciate their potential benefits. If you are new to the promise of these superfood powerhouses, the following medicinal mushroom list is all you need to learn how they can work for you. 

Medicinal Mushroom List: 6 Superfoods to Support Your Goals

There are literally thousands of mushroom species and just a fraction of them have been cataloged and studied. A few of these have earned superfood status throughout centuries of use by healers around the globe. Some are considered adaptogens—substances that help the body maintain its homeostatic balance. Others are classified as nootropics. Due to their potent bioactive compounds, food-based nootropics hold promise for promoting healthier brain aging and nervous system health.

Medicinal mushrooms have many characteristics in common, including their nutritional profile. They all contain prebiotic fiber, antioxidants, and polysaccharides that benefit the immune system. In addition, each medicinal mushroom contains unique bioactive chemicals that support health and wellness. Which ones you choose will depend upon the desired purpose and your specific goals.

Let’s take a look at a few medicinal mushroom species and their perceived benefits:

1. Lion’s Mane for Brain Health

You are probably aware of the concept of brain food—nutrition that supports neurological health. Lion’s mane is recognized as a nootropic, a substance that supports cognitive functions and impacts learning. That’s because the bioactive substances found in this superfood mushroom have been known to support the nervous system. As a food-based nootropic, lion’s mane holds promise for supporting brain health as we age by facilitating nerve cell outgrowth and branching.^‡

Where to find lion’s mane: Om Mushrooms has lion’s mane products in single-species and curated blends. One special product that features lion’s mane for brain health is the mocha-flavored Brain Fuel+ Mushroom Drink Mix. This combination of lion’s mane and reishi mushroom powders with Rhodiola rosea and folates provides a blend that supports focus and alertness while promoting mental clarity.^‡  Start your day with the cognitive support of lion’s mane.   

2. Reishi for Stress Relief

 

Reishi is a medicinal mushroom, long-revered for calming anxiousness and promoting restful sleep. About 400 different bioactive compounds have been identified in reishi, including triterpenoids, polysaccharides, nucleotides, sterols, steroids, fatty acids, proteins, peptides, and trace elements. A study with adults in China revealed that daily use of reishi improved fatigue and brought a greater sense of wellbeing. 

 

Where to find reishi: For a supplement that supports stress response, try Om Gently Zen Mushroom Capsules. Each three-capsule serving combines 1500mg of reishi with vitamins B6 and D3, magnesium, and a stress-relieving proprietary blend containing ashwagandha, GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid), and L-theanine. Regular use of reishi may support your body’s response to stress and its ability to adapt to whatever the day brings.^‡ 

3. Chaga for Beauty and Longevity

Chaga is a mushroom that grows on birch trees. It has been used for centuries across the northern hemisphere. Its high antioxidant content makes it beneficial for combating tissue damage due to oxidative stress. The antioxidant properties of chaga make it the mushroom of choice to support beauty and healthy aging.^‡

Where to find chaga: For convenient access to the age-defying power of chaga, try Om Chaga Organic Mushroom Powder. Its high level of antioxidants promote youthfulness and graceful aging.^‡ This whole mushroom powder may be added to smoothies or stirred into recipes. 

4. Cordyceps for Energy Support

 

Cordyceps is a medicinal mushroom that lists energy support among its many benefits. Research suggests that this is due to an increase in ATP production, the molecule that provides energy at the cellular level. This has implications for both exercise endurance and muscle recovery when taken consistently.^‡

 

Where to find cordyceps: To harness the power of cordyceps, try the lemon-lime flavored Om Energy+ Mushroom Drink Mix. Available in convenient packets that can be shaken up in your water bottle, this blend combines cordyceps with lion’s mane, reishi, and natural botanicals. Use it to fuel your workout.

5. Turkey Tail for a Healthy Immune System

While all medicinal mushrooms have immune benefits, thanks to its many bioactive compounds, turkey tail qualifies as an immune system powerhouse. Research suggests that the mycelium of turkey tail and its fermented growth medium each have unique and separate immune-activating bioactivities. Regular consumption of turkey tail may offer support for a healthy immune system.^‡

Where to find turkey tail: To put turkey tail to work for you, select Om's Turkey Tail mushroom supplements, which include the primordia (baby mushrooms), mycelium, as well as its fermented growth medium containing extracellular bioactive compounds. This whole food approach ensures that you have access to all of the immune-supporting compounds of its full-spectrum life cycle.

6. Maitake for Metabolic Health

The mushroom of choice for efficient digestion and metabolism that supports healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels is maitake. This medicinal mushroom can be used to support weight management and metabolic health by promoting healthy gut flora. Maitake may also support healthy blood pressure.^‡

Where to find maitake: For the metabolic support of this functional mushroom, try Om Maitake Organic Mushroom Powder. This versatile powder may be stirred into hot and cold beverages or mixed into recipes to add its powerful potential to your daily routine.

Finding Quality Products to Support Your Wellness Goals

Under the direction of knowledgeable mycologists and wellness experts, Om Mushrooms has developed a line of organic mushroom supplements to support your health and wellness goals. From versatile powders that can be mixed into foods and beverages to convenient capsules to hot and cold flavored drink mixes and broths that simply mix with water, our products are designed with your needs in mind. Check out our quality ratings and third-party certifications for assurance that you are getting the highest quality products. 

Use this medicinal mushroom list to identify your health and wellness goals, then put the appropriate species to work by adding them to your daily routine. Om Mushroom has created an extensive array of mushroom products from single-species powders and capsules to specially curated blends that combine the beneficial bioactive capabilities of multiple mushroom species. Identify the mushroom powerhouse that can help you reach your wellness goals, then stock up to harness its potential in your daily routine.

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^‡These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Functional mushroom products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.