Reishi Mushroom

Name: Reishi mushroom, also called lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum and related species) — a glossy, reddish-brown, fan- or kidney-shaped, woody bracket fungus that grows on trees. It is a medicinal mushroom, too tough and bitter to eat as food.

Description

Reishi has been used in traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean medicine for more than 2,000 years, where it is known as the “mushroom of immortality” and was reserved for emperors and nobles. It is now cultivated on logs and sawdust, and sold as dried slices, powder, tea and extracts.

Because the fruiting body is woody and intensely bitter, it is not eaten as a mushroom. It is simmered into a tea or broth, or processed into an extract, and is promoted for stress, sleep and immune support, though human evidence is limited.

Main nutrition value

Reishi contains beta-glucan polysaccharides and triterpenes (ganoderic acids) that are studied for immune and other effects, but it is not a significant source of everyday nutrients.

How best to be consumed

Reishi is taken as a tea, broth or extract, not eaten like a mushroom.

1. Simmer dried slices in water for 30 to 60 minutes to make a bitter tea, often with ginger, honey or dates.
2. Add dried reishi to herbal soups and broths, and remove the pieces before eating.
3. Follow the label for powders and extracts, which are concentrated.
4. Buy from reputable brands, which test for contaminants.
5. Treat it as a supplement, not a replacement for medical treatment.

Overconsumption could cause…

Reishi is used in small amounts, and concentrated products carry some risks.

1. Possible interactions with medicines such as blood thinners, diabetes drugs and immune-suppressing drugs, so people on medication should check with a doctor before using concentrated extracts or supplements.
2. Increased bleeding risk, since it may thin the blood, so it should be avoided before surgery and with blood-thinning medicines.
3. Dry mouth, stomach upset, dizziness or rashes in some people, and liver problems in rare cases with powders.
4. Not recommended in pregnancy or breastfeeding, according to caution in the absence of safety data.

GroupsMushroomsFungi (mushrooms)

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Wikipedia — Ganoderma lucidum, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganoderma_lucidum