The Reishi mushroom is one of the world’s best natural marvels. It has been used for medicinal purposes in China for around 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest mushrooms to be used this way.
Throughout that time, it has been a hallmark of traditional Chinese medicine. The mushroom itself is traditionally soft and flat with a red cap. The cap stands out quite clearly as it almost has a varnished visual effect.
Depending on the age of the mushroom, there might be brown pores underneath the cap. It lacks any gills, and, as a result, it releases its spores through its tiny pores. These mushrooms can be found worldwide as they can survive and thrive in almost any kind of open environment.
They tend to grow as parasites on the sides of trees. However, they only grow on around two or three of every 10,000 trees. This makes it one of the rarest mushrooms to be found in the wilderness.
The Science Behind Health Benefits of Reishi Mushroom
The Reishi mushrooms have chemicals that have been proven to be very effective in treating a wide variety of health issues. They have even been proven that they can be effective against:
- Cancerous tumor
- Weak immune system
- Flu and Asthma
- Insomnia or even chronic fatigue syndrome
- High blood pressure and high cholesterol
- Slow metabolism
When combined with an effective weight loss program, the Reishi mushroom can be extremely beneficial for those who are taking it.
Related studies:
Jin, X., et al. (2016). “Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi mushroom) for cancer treatment“, in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
Liu, Z., et al. (2016). “Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides encapsulated in liposome as an adjuvant to promote Th1-bias immune response“, in Carbohydrate Polymers