Functional Mushrooms

About our functional mushrooms

Functional mushrooms are fungi valued for more than flavour. The term usually describes species with a long history in traditional practice, such as lion’s mane, reishi and cordyceps. Each one has a distinct form, habitat and heritage, and each one has its own page in our ingredient library.

Lion’s Mane grows as a cascade of soft white spines. Reishi is a glossy, woody shelf fungus known in China as lingzhi. Cordyceps is a slender fungus that growers now cultivate, most often as Cordyceps militaris.

How to compare functional mushrooms

Not all functional mushrooms are made the same way. First, check the species, because common names can cover several different fungi. Next, check the part used: fruiting body, mycelium or both. Finally, look at the extraction method and the amount per serving.

We publish these details from verified supplier documentation, and we do not describe any mushroom as a treatment. Research into compounds such as hericenones, triterpenes and cordycepin is ongoing, but much of it is preliminary. Therefore, we report it as research interest rather than as a promise.

For a deeper guide, read What to Look for in a Mushroom Supplement and Reishi vs. Cordyceps in the Botanical Journal. For general background on supplements, see the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.