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Adaptogenic Mushrooms: Health Benefits of Mushroom Powder

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cordyceps adaptogenic mushrooms

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The buzz around adaptogenic mushrooms is real. More people are answering the call to better health when they hear about edible, medicinal, and gourmet mushrooms like maitake, shiitake, lion’s mane, chaga, and many others.

But in a world full of “flavor of the minute” superfoods, do adaptogenic mushrooms really meet the hype? That’s an easy answer: yes, they do…and then some! These mushrooms have been used as foods and nutritional medicines for thousands of years. They’re not a passing fad. In fact, they’re being rediscovered and put in the health world limelight that they have deserved for so long.

In even better news, there are ways to consume these mushrooms (and to get your dailies in) without having to cook or process whole mushrooms at all…. yes, even for those of you who aren’t the biggest fans of mushrooms out there! And it’s all possible with two words: mushroom powder.

What are adaptogenic mushrooms?

There’s a good chance your curiosity about adaptogenic mushrooms led you right here. If that’s true, you might ask: what are adaptogenic mushrooms, after all?

The term “adaptogen” describes a food— plant, mushroom, or herb— that helps the body “adapt” better to stress, aging, inflammation, pathogens, and all the other sorts of things that cause wear and tear on the body. It can do this in multiple ways, such as:

Not all mushrooms are adaptogens or “adaptogenic.” That said, it’s pretty impressive how many of them that are used as foods, nutrient-boosters, and supplements have adaptogen qualities, too.

Benefits of mushrooms for health

The most powerful mushrooms for health are adaptogens. But they do so much more for our wellness on other levels, too.

In fact, mushrooms nutritional value is an absolute powerhouse. You’ll find that many types of mushrooms (including adaptogenic mushrooms) are high in non-animal proteins, fiber, plus trace vitamins and minerals— some of which you won’t find easily even in plant-based foods!

Shiitake mushrooms are a nutritious adaptogenic food. | Photo Credit: Adrian White

Notable nutrients found in mushrooms include:

Some nutrients in mushrooms you’d be hard-pressed to find even in most plant-based foods: especially zinc, vitamin D, and vitamin B12! This is good news for vegans and dedicated vegetarians. If you find it a challenge to get all your complete proteins, vitamins, and micronutrients, adding mushrooms to your diet can be a huge help.

Many adaptogenic mushrooms are also brain-boosters or “nootropics.” This means they can increase nervous system and brain health, reduce energy issues, and even cut down on your risk of neurodegenerative diseases (like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s).

Benefits of mushroom powder

Some of us love mushrooms— some of us, not so much. If you don’t enjoy eating the culinary fare like crimini, button mushrooms, or shiitake, does this mean you can’t enjoy their nutritional and adaptogenic benefits? Not at all.

In fact, utilizing mushroom powders— or even mushroom coffee— is becoming all the rage for both mushroom (and non-mushroom) lovers alike. These powders and preparations are a quick and easy way to get mushrooms’ healing powers into your diet without the cooking, texture, or flavor of the experience, which is heaven for a lot of us— but not all of us!

But here’s the next best thing: mushroom powders actually optimize the health benefits and nutrients of many mushrooms. Sometimes even better than their food, tea, tincture, or other supplement forms! Some of these also extract more nutrient- or phytochemical-rich parts of the mushroom that aren’t commonly found or easy to access through cooking or other home preparations.

You can also find powders that contain many types of health-boosting and adaptogenic mushrooms all together. Some of the most popular types of these mushrooms include (but are not limited to):

Chaga Mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) | Photo Credit: Adrian White

Chaga powder benefits

Chaga mushroom may be the most star-studded of all adaptogenic mushrooms. Compared to other edible and medicinal mushrooms throughout history, chaga is the most commonly used mushroom in powder form as a healing broth, tea, or to thicken and enrich dishes as a medicinal food.

Chaga also has one of the biggest claims to fame among mushrooms with an incredible list of health properties. Including:

Turkey tail mushroom (Trametes versicolor) | Photo Credit: Adrian White

Turkey tail benefits

This mushroom is a stunning and colorful sight when walking through forested trails and woods. Turkey tail is also the top mushroom ally you’ll want by your side when battling any type of illness: it ramps up the immune system, whether facing a cough or cold or keeping that same immune system on its toes coping with cancer or other major illnesses.

Its full list of benefits in power form include:

Lion’s mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) primordia | Photo Credit: William Lorentzen

Lion’s mane health benefits

No mushroom, culinary or otherwise, is as unique as lion’s mane…either in appearance or wellness-boosting offerings!

This fungus is named such because it looks quite like a lion’s mane when it is in “bloom.” Thanks to many studies     too (along   with hundreds of years of health use), lion’s mane is considered the premier mushroom for supporting brain and nervous   system health, and can even be a beneficial mushroom for depression or anxiety.

Its benefits include:

Are mushrooms keto friendly?

The quick answer is yes, absolutely! If you prescribe to the keto diet, mushrooms are an incredible food to include. In powder form they may even provide you with unrivalled nutrients and health benefits all rolled into one easy packet.

As a rule, most mushrooms (both culinary and healing) are high in protein, low in calories, low in carbs, and low in fat while supplying the body with tons of nutrients. Along with many other nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, and nuts, mushrooms are the perfect addition to anyone’s keto diet and health goals because of their nutrient profile.

Are mushrooms part of a plant based whole food diet?

Mushrooms may not be plants per se (they are fungi). But, they can easily be categorized into a plant based whole food diet because their nutritional profile is so similar to plants: full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants with modest levels of protein and little to no carbs.

Not to mention: the incredible health benefits of chaga, lion’s mane, turkey tail, and many others could outpace most health benefits you’d find in fruits and vegetables! Should you include mushrooms in a plant based wh

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ole food diet? Yes— and we think it’s a no brainer.

It’s an even easier “yes” if you can consume incredible healing mushrooms quickly and easily in powder form— be sure to give our own proprietary formula a look!

You don’t have to be a mushroom lover to love health-boosting mushroom powders. We make our own unique product an incredible and great-tasting experience with the addition of strawberry flavor, plus extra ingredients like acerola cherry / vitamin C to further boost your overall wellness!

So, what is mushroom powder good for?

COMMENT BELOW….we would love to hear from you!

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