Let’s clear things up right off the bat. We’re not talking about psychedelic mushrooms — the ones that make you hallucinate, that is — we’re talking about medicinal mushrooms. Medicinal mushrooms have been “used in Eastern medicine for thousands of years,” yet it’s just recently that their popularity has grown in the Western world. These mushrooms are dried and then crushed into a powder form that you can add to your coffee, protein smoothie, or even soups and stews.
But, why would you want to? Turns out these wonderful fungi have been connected with many health benefits including helping your hormones, boosting your brain, providing antioxidants, reducing insomnia, managing or reducing anxiety, fighting inflammation, lowering your LDL cholesterol, and even helping with blood pressure.
What are the most powerful medicinal mushrooms to keep an eye out for? The most popular and well-researched include reishi, — good for sleep, anxiety, depression, and focus — lion’s mane, — good for cognition, memory, and concentration — Chaga, — good for aging, fighting inflammation, and lowering LDL — shiitake, — good for lowering cholesterol, heart health, blood pressure, and circulation — turkey tail, — good for immune support, cancer prevention, and loaded with antioxidants — and cordyceps, — good for energy, athletic performance, and muscle recovery.
While you can focus on a single mushroom to help with a singular health issue, you can also delve into the medicinal mushroom mixes for a powerful punch of plant-based medicinal aid!
1. SoTru Medicinal Mushrooms Drink Mix
SoTru Medicinal Mushrooms Drink Mix/Amazon.com
This SoTru Medicinal Mushrooms Drink Mix is a great option if you’re looking for a mixture of medicinal mushrooms packed into one easy powder! This formula includes six mushroom varieties including cordyceps, reishi, Agaricus blazei, shiitake, maitake, and turkey tails, as well as a prebiotic fiber sourced from organic gum acacia. Plus, SoTru is proud to offer a vegan product, certified USDA organic, gluten-free, non-GMO, and free of added sugar whenever possible. A 30-serving tub costs $36.98.
Marny L. says “Tastes great mixed with juice. I mix this with a sweeter green juice or a fruit smoothie. It is great!”
2. Micro Ingredients Wild Harvest Organic Reishi Mushroom Powder
Micro Ingredients Organic Reishi Mushroom Powder/Amazon.com
Looking for a great reishi powder? This Micro Ingredients Organic Reishi Mushroom Powder is an excellent option! Micro Ingredients sources sustainably US-grown reishi mushrooms for their 100:1 extract powder. This formula focuses on supporting your cardiovascular system, improving endurance, boosting energy and stamina, and aiding in stress relief. Not only is this powder vegan-friendly, but it’s also certified USDA organic, non-GMO, and is free of additives, preservatives, fillers, and artificial flavors. An 8-ounce bag costs $24.95.
Shoko Takao says “This stuff is phenomenal! I bought this product after reading reviews about how it helps with blood flow and thought perhaps it could be beneficial for my poor circulation. With me, my feet constantly feel cold and often my hands are too without even noticing. It doesn’t help that my job often requires me at a desk and not moving around. So what I’ve been doing is mixing this in with my oatmeal for breakfast. I’d say the day I started this product, I instantly noticed that my feet weren’t feeling as cold, despite the AC blasting in the office. For the first time in ages, I didn’t need to turn on my space heater or wrap my legs in a fleece blanket (something I get teased a lot for). Couldn’t recommend enough for individuals struggling to produce sufficient blood flow. Love love love!”
3. FreshCap Mushrooms Thrive 6 Powerful Mushroom Extract Powder
FreshCap Mushrooms Thrive 6 Powerful Mushroom Extract Powder/Amazon.com
Another great medicinal mushroom blend! These FreshCap Mushrooms Thrive 6 Powerful Mushroom Extract Powder contains six types of mushrooms including “Lions Mane, Reishi, Chaga, Cordyceps, Maitake and Turkey Tail.” FreshCap Mushrooms is proud to offer a medicinal mushroom ix that is certified USA organic, 100 percent natural, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, and paleo-friendly. On top of that, they cultivate their ingredients in greenhouses that guarantee “constant free air, natural light, and fresh water.” A 12-ounce bag costs $23.95.
Domi says “I’ve been taking this for about 2-3 weeks, 1 scoop in my shake for breakfast and 1 scoop preworkout meal. I am able to recover better from my training. I can train more frequently than I could prior to taking this product. I also have reduced my coffee to half of what it was in the past week and feel fine (I did have headache withdrawal for 2 days, completely unrelated to this product). My diet is very healthy and specific to my goals and my fitness is above average, which I mention to illustrate that I am pretty well in tune with my body and changes in performance. I plan to continue using this blend and am ordering the lions mane and cordyceps stand alone versions as well, the former to take guitar practice up a notch and the latter for workouts. I am in no way affiliated with this company. Just a pleased customer.”
4. Zhou Nutrition Mushroom 8-Plex Organic Mushroom Powder
Zhou Nutrition Mushroom 8-Plex Organic Mushroom Powder/Amazon.com
Think you can’t get more than six mushrooms in one powder? How about giving this Zhou Nutrition Mushroom 8-Plex Organic Mushroom Powder a try? Zhou Nutrition has packed this powder with a blend of “Reishi, Maitake, Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Chaga, Turkey Tail, Shiitake, and Royal Agaricus mushrooms” to support cognition, clarity, and memory, as well as a healthy immune system! This powder is vegan-friendly and certified USDA organic. A 4.5-ounce jar costs $16.29.
N. M. says “I found this powder at the Natural Foods Store. I don’t mind taking a powder instead of a dozen very expensive pills. Two days, two teaspoons – so far so good. But I’d like to know why the label is made of reflective material with teeny tiny lettering. The “suggested use” is in white text in a shiny copper block. Could it be made more difficult to read? I think it’s funny. I finally made it out, but the graphic design department got carried away with the iridescence.”
5. Lost Empire Herbs Organic Cordyceps Extract Powder
Lost Empire Herbs Organic Cordyceps Extract Powder/Amazon.com
While obtaining raw cordyceps may be a bit difficult, the powder form is just as potent and much easier to find! This Lost Empire Herbs Organic Cordyceps Extract Powder seeks to increase your energy, boost stamina, and improve endurance, as well as keep your immune system healthy. This mushroom is rich in anti-aging antioxidants that also promote general well-being. This product is vegan-friendly, gluten-free, non-GMO, and doesn’t contain any preservatives, added sugar, or artificial flavorings or colorings. A 1-ounce bag costs $39.99.
BD says “Can’t go without it! Makes breathing (with asthma since I was a child) easy when I work out and take most days as well. I take breaks from it since it is an adaptogen. Maybe I have that wrong, but I think it is…plus it makes it last longer. Best quality…I love Lost Empire’s other products too!”
6. Micro Ingredients Organic Mega 10 Mushroom Complex Powder
Micro Ingredients Organic Mega 10 Mushroom Complex Powder/Amazon.com
Another Micro Ingredient makes the list! This Micro Ingredients Organic Mega 10 Mushroom Complex Powder focuses on a whopping 10 mushroom mix including a blend of “Organic Reishi, Chaga Mushroom, Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail, Shiitake, Maitake, Wood Ear, Mesima and Oyster Mushrooms.” Along with supporting your immune health, this blend also focuses on boosting brain function, increasing longevity, and promoting overall wellness. This product is certified USDA organic, non-GMO, and vegan-friendly. A 10-ounce bag costs $42.95.
Kyle G. Hooker says “After doing a lot of research, I deiced that I would like to add some sort of mushroom mix to my daily smoothie. Organic Mega 10 Mushrooms seemed in my opinion the best bang for the buck well still being organic and getting a good blend of mushrooms. I do one scoop into my smoothie and it seems to do the trick and doesn’t alter the flavor of the smoothie which is a big bonus! Overall I would recommend. One bag will last me around a year.”
7. Herb Affair Mushroom Powder Supplement
Herb Affair Mushroom Powder Supplement/Amazon.com
Instead of packing in a large number of mushrooms, this Herb Affair Mushroom Powder Supplement focuses on some of the most potent of the bunch. Herb Affair uses lions mane, chaga, cordyceps, and maitake, all 100 percent organically grown. This powder focuses on enhancing your focus and boosting energy, while naturally supporting a healthy immune system. This mushroom powder is certified USDA organic and includes a bit of organic Ceylon cinnamon and organic carob for flavor! A 4.2-ounce jar costs $21.98.
RavenArcher says “Works well on stress and is really good in helping me go to sleep and stay asleep longer. Gets the mind shutting down and getting ready to sleep.”
8. Micro Ingredients Wild Harvest Organic Chaga Mushroom Powder
Micro Ingredients Wild Harvest Organic Chaga Mushroom Powder/Amazon.com
Alright, three times the charm! This Micro Ingredients Wild Harvest Organic Chaga Mushroom Powder meets the standards of the other two previously mentioned powders, except it offers a powerful dose of Chaga mushroom. This blend specifically seeks to improve focus, mental clarity, stamina, endurance, and boost testosterone. This product is certified USDA organic, vegan-friendly, non-GMO, and contains no additives, fillers, preservatives, or artificial flavors or colors. A 6-ounce bag costs $29.95.
Kelly Strain says “Very strong taste which for me is great. Chaga tastes really good anyway and this is uber concentrated. Goes great with coffee and the eucomia from another seller. Great value as only need small amount. Seems top quality. Since this is a concentrate you don’t get grounds in the bottom of the cup.”
9. Real Mushrooms 5 Defenders Organic Mushroom Extract Blend
Real Mushrooms 5 Defenders Organic Mushroom Extract Blend/Amazon.com
Looking for that ultra immune system boosting blend? This Real Mushrooms 5 Defenders Organic Mushroom Extract Blend may be exactly what you’re looking for with an immune-loving mixture of “100 [percent] organic reishi, chaga, maitake, shiitake and turkey tail mushrooms.” Real Mushrooms puts its product through rigorous quality control testing to obtain a certified USDA organic stamp and a certified kosher stamp. On top of that, this product is vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, dairy-free, and nut-free. A 45-gram bag costs $34.95.
Diane Stewart says “I’ve been taking this powder in my coffee for months. My husband was at home, dying of cancer. My son and I were caring for him, under extreme stress. I knew I had to stay strong, couldn’t afford to become ill or weak because he depended on me. (He died in July.) Yet, I’ve managed to get through the past five months as best as can be. I believe this powder helped to shore up my immune system and kept me going when the going got very tough. I’ll continue to take it as I rebuild my life. It’s expensive, but I think it’s worth it.”
10. Naturealm Sacred 7 Mushroom Extract Powder
Naturealm Sacred 7 Mushroom Extract Powder/Amazon.com
This Naturealm Sacred 7 Mushroom Extract Powder uses premium organic mushrooms for their 7 mushroom blend including “Reishi, Maitake, Cordyceps, Shiitake, Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, and Chaga.” Plus, Naturealm makes sure to only use 100 percent whole fruiting bodies for a better extraction. This product is certified USDA organic, gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO, sugar-free, and offers full transparency in its ingredients list. An 8-ounce bag costs $44.99.
Murph says “Smells like cocoa. So much so part of me wonders if there is legitimately cacao mixed in it… But, so far so good! I emailed the producer to see how they lined up with Thrive’s 6 mushroom blend. Turns out they use the exact same grower… So you literally get 2x as much with Sacred 7 vs. Thrive 6 blend. BUT, I have spotted a new product on amazon that is a 14 mushroom blend that is all USA grown and organic and comes as 1lb. for $49. But for now, this is an awesome product. We’ll see what happens when I need to reorder.”
Related Content:
- 6 Medicinal Mushrooms that Boost Immunity
- Medicinal Mushrooms 101: Benefits, Uses, Products, and Recipes!
- Ingredient Spotlight: Chaga, the ‘King of Medicinal Mushrooms’
- Spotlight on Puffball Mushrooms
- How to Forage, Cook, and Eat the Medicinal and Delicious Lion’s Mane Mushroom!
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