Reishi

Uses: Primarily consumed as extracted powders, teas, tinctures, and supplements rather than whole mushrooms. 

Flavor: Intensely bitter, woody, and earthy with a lingering bitter aftertaste. Often compared to dark chocolate concentrate with pronounced medicinal notes. Some detect subtle sweetness beneath the initial bitterness, creating a complex flavor profile that stands out rather than blending with other ingredients.

Texture: Exceptionally tough, dense, and woody with a rubbery consistency when fresh. The fibrous, cork-like texture makes whole reishi completely inappropriate for direct culinary use. Requires extraction into powders, teas, or tinctures to become palatable and bioavailable.

Benefits:

- Immune system modulation and enhancement through beta-glucan polysaccharides(1)

- Stress reduction and mood balance as an adaptogen, potentially reducing anxiety and depression(2)

- Sleep quality improvement and relaxation support(3)

- Cardiovascular health through blood pressure and cholesterol management(4)

- Liver protection (hepatoprotective) and detoxification support(5)

- Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities(6)

- Potential anti-cancer properties through triterpenes and polysaccharides(7)

Key Bioactive Compounds:

- Beta-glucans - Polysaccharides that stimulate immune system function and have anti-tumor effects(1)

- Triterpenes (Ganoderic acids) - Lanostane-type compounds responsible for liver-protective, anti-hypertensive, and anti-inflammatory effects(8)

- Peptidoglycans - Complex molecules providing immune system support and anti-tumor activity(9)

- Polysaccharides - Including ganoderan with glucose as major component, providing immune-strengthening and anti-angiogenic properties(10)

Nutrients: 

- Over 400 different bioactive compounds including polysaccharides, triterpenes, peptidoglycans

- Essential amino acids with high lysine and leucine content

- Low fat content with high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids

- Vitamins, nucleosides, nucleotides, sterols, and proteins

- Minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium

- Ergosterol and other sterols that can convert to vitamin D2(11)