Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum, commonly referred to as “lingzhi”) mushrooms are functional medicinal mushrooms known for boosting immune systems and relieving fatigue, as well as providing occasional stress relief and bettering sleep quality.

Reishi mushrooms are an excellent source of peptides and amino acids, such as hexosamine and hydroxyproline, that activate collagen formation while speeding healing processes.

Ingredients

Ganoderma lucidum, commonly referred to as Reishi Mushrooms or Lingzhi in Asia, are esteemed medicinal mushrooms with long histories in traditional Asian medicine. Reishi mushrooms offer numerous health benefits that include immune system enhancement and overall well-being improvements. They come in fresh or dried form; also available as supplements; you can drink Reishi mushroom tea which contains powerful antioxidants and immune-supportive beta glucans.

Reishi tea can be used as an aid against morning anxiety, helping with stress relief or to unwind before bed. Reishi may help reduce symptoms associated with insomnia; its herbal tonic may even support healthy heart and lung functioning while helping lower blood pressure levels.

Reishi mushroom tea can be easily prepared by steeping dried reishi in boiling water until the desired flavor emerges. As this beverage tends towards bitterness, honey or other natural sweeteners may be added for sweetness. Or you could try adding powdered reishi into your favorite hot beverages like coffee or green tea for an earthy touch!

Reishi mushroom tea can be blended with various other ingredients to produce custom blends, including lemongrass for its detoxifying properties, cordyceps and eleuthero root which have been shown to boost energy, or rooibos leaves that compliment reishi’s sweet and soothing flavour.

Reishi mushroom tea is consumed to strengthen their body’s immune system and fight infection, and has even been proven to slow or stop cancerous cell growth in some laboratory experiments. According to one theory, Reishi tea stimulates white blood cells which can kill cancerous cells while simultaneously decreasing inflammation.

Reishi is generally safe for most individuals; however, it may interfere with certain medications for diabetes and blood pressure. Therefore, it’s wise to consult your healthcare provider prior to beginning any new supplements to ensure you won’t experience any unwanted side effects.

Preparation

Reishi mushrooms have an unpleasant odor. Though grated or chopped finely can be used as flavoring agents for tea, brewing and steeping is most often preferred to gain maximum benefits for health boosting and treating cancer, high blood pressure, hepatitis, among other conditions. There have been no reported side effects from its consumption; thus making this treatment widely utilized within both western medicine and traditional herbal practices alike.

To prepare tea, heat two cups of water in a pot over a 30-minute simmer before adding your chosen amount of reishi and leaving it to steep for another 30 minutes before straining out and saving any liquid that remains. Repeat this process with two additional cups of water before combining all four liquids into one container.

Storing

Reishi mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum) are revered for their healing powers and have long been utilized by traditional and holistic practitioners to treat cancer, high blood pressure, liver disease and nervous disorders. Reishi is considered a spiritual mushroom known for promoting immortality while in western medicine polysaccharides found within these mushrooms known as ganoderic acids are shown to support immune system functioning while decreasing blood clotting rates.

Reishi mushrooms can be found throughout the world and harvested either wild from decomposing trees and plants or grown under controlled conditions. While eating raw reishis is not typically recommended due to its bitter and tough taste, instead it’s typically used in powders, extracts and teas to harness its healthful benefits while eliminating its unpleasant flavor.

Reishi can be stored best by cutting it into strips or small pieces and dehydrating it either in direct sunlight or an indoor food dehydrator. Thin slices should be evenly cut – thick or uneven slices may spoil more quickly than thin or even ones. Once dry, store it in airtight containers in cool, dark places; once stored this way it should last at least one year before going rancid.

To create Reishi Mushroom Tea, simply combine 1 TBS of ground or chopped Reishi with 8 Cups of Water and bring to a boil. Simmer for as long as desired until desired potency has been reached; lower quality water may lead to bitterness. Honey can be added if desired as local, unpasteurized honey has been proven effective against hay fever symptoms.

Reishi tinctures provide another easy and accessible way to enjoy its benefits, provided you can handle the alcohol content. They contain both water- and alcohol-soluble components of reishi, extracting all its medicinal properties. Reishi tincture can serve as an effective immune booster, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor agent.

Drinking

Reishi mushrooms remain integral components of both natural and western medical practices due to their longstanding legacy combined with modern scientific research, creating an inimitable blend that both validates their traditional use as well as opening up novel therapeutic opportunities. Through ongoing exploration, Reishi mushroom remains part of both natural and western medicinal practices.

Ganoderma lucidum, more commonly known as Reishi or “the mushroom of immortality”, has long been used in herbal medicine to support healthy sleeping cycles, boost immune system functioning, reduce anxiety and depression levels and enhance overall well-being.

Reishi offers significant health advantages due to its potent anti-cancer and immunity-enhancing effects, evidenced through test tube experiments that it increases white blood cell activity and alters pathways cancer cells use to spread. (1)

Reishi can help boost immunity through its polysaccharides, which may stimulate and enhance immune function. Reishi also contains triterpenes – isoprene units linked with various biological activities including anti-inflammatory and liver protective benefits – which have also been found in Reishi(3).

Reishi mushroom has long been consumed both as tea and an extract, to take advantage of its numerous medicinal properties without indulging in an overwhelming quantity of the mushroom itself, which may be hard to digest. Reishi extract powders have become increasingly popular as an easy and convenient way of adding the benefits of the mushroom into meals and beverages – they utilize dual extraction processes which use water- and alcohol processing methods in order to capture water-soluble and insoluble compounds including polysaccharides and triterpenes for maximum potency(4)

Reishi tinctures, created by submerging whole or dried mushrooms in alcohol for extended periods, are another popular way of enjoying its health-promoting properties. Reishi tinctures can be taken alongside tea, or as standalone supplements; some come in capsule form for those who find the taste too strong(5).