Medicinal mushrooms are becoming a popular way to uplevel your wellness routine. From adaptogenic blends to powder-filled capsules, edible mushrooms are a hot topic in plant-based medicine. One of the most common fungi used for wellness purposes is the reishi mushroom. This ancient Eastern medicine has infiltrated modern Western health culture, so let’s take a look at reishi mushroom for detox and how it can help you cleanse your system.
What Is Reishi Mushroom
Reishi is an edible mushroom with adaptogenic properties. This means that it helps the body manage and recover from stress, in addition to providing immune-boosting support, fighting inflammation, and boosting energy levels. Additional benefits include better heart health, blood sugar control, protection against cancers, and reduced asthma and allergy symptoms. Reishi is a disease-fighting mushroom native to many parts of Asia, where it is also referred to as Lingzhi mushroom.
In traditional Chinese medicine, whole reishi mushrooms are dried and cut into slices that are brewed into a tea or soup. Dried reishi mushrooms are sometimes crushed into a fine powder to be added directly to food and beverage or taken in capsule form. Many manufacturers will triple boil and further refine the mushrooms into a concentrated tincture to be taken sublingually for rapid onset and easy use.
How Does Reishi Mushroom Help Detox
In addition to the above-listed benefits, reishi promotes improved liver function. As the body’s most potent detox organ, it’s vital to keep the liver in optimal condition. Reishi mushrooms help the liver flush out bacteria, heavy metals, and toxins. This process promotes healthy detoxification and strengthens the liver, thereby offering protection from liver disease.
In Chinese medicine, it is believed that the liver is also connected to our mental and emotional centers. Therefore, when the liver is functioning at its best, many people report feeling greater happiness and joy with improved mood and outlook on life.
How Much Reishi Mushroom to Detox
If eating the fresh mushrooms, 25-100 grams is the daily recommended dosage. However, it’s much easier to consume a powdered reishi mushroom in capsule or pill form. In that case, the dosage is concentrated, and it’s best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on dosage.
Reishi Mushroom Detox Tea Recipe
Brewing tea is a great way to use reishi mushroom for detox. Reishi can be used fresh or dried, but it is best to slice them into strips or small pieces. Once they are dried, they are pretty firm and you may need to use a coffee grinder or blender to help break them into pieces or powder.
To make tea, boil four cups of water and add 25 oz. of fresh reishi or 3 oz. of dried reishi. Boil for at least 30 minutes. For a more potent tea, you can boil up to two hours. Let cool and strain reishi from the pot with a mesh colander, sieve, or cheesecloth. For extra flavor, add additional ingredients during the last 10 minutes of boiling. Ginger, elderberries, orange peel, and honey all pair well with reishi. Enjoy hot or cold.
Potential Reishi Mushroom Side Effects
Reishi has been used for thousands of years and poses little to no threat. However, for sensitive people or those with low immune function, reishi may cause digestive upset or a mild skin rash. These side effects typically clear very quickly on their own. However, there is always a risk for contaminated products due to a manufacturing process. In the event of consuming contaminated reishi, side effects may include dry mouth, itchy throat, sinus discomfort, indigestion, and nosebleeds.
Reishi is not recommended for use by pregnant women without doctor supervision or for those with any kind of bleeding disorder.