Top Mushroom Tinctures: What You Need To Know
What is a Tincture?
When it comes to consuming medicine, mankind has proven to be almost endlessly inventive. One of the oldest ways of getting the benefit of medicinal herbs was through the use of tinctures. A tincture uses alcohol to extract active ingredients from plant material, while at the same time preserving the effectiveness of the compounds in the material that have medicinal applications. The use of ethanol to preserve medicinal herbal preparations has stood the test in time, with evidence suggesting that tinctures were in use as far back as 1000AD. By using ethanol the lifespan of the active ingredients in the tincture can be extended for a considerable amount of time – far in excess of the lifespan of the active ingredients found in other preparations of plant material such as powders.
Some of the most popular tinctures are obtained from the extraction of active ingredients in various types of mushrooms – many having been a valuable asset to practitioners of Asian medicine for hundreds of years.
There are several types of mushrooms that have traditionally been used in Chinese herbal medicine – and these continue to be popular – and tincture made from these mushrooms have now become more and more popular in the western world. for those interested in the use of tinctures there are several options that have become widely available.
Popular Mushroom Tinctures
Reishi Tincture
The first of these is a tincture based on the beneficial properties of Reishi mushrooms – Ganoderma lucidum. This was in widespread use in China from around 300BC. This type of mushroom was widely used in food preparation – and is today available as a tincture. It is reputed to have powerful anti-inflammatory properties, as well as providing a wealth of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. These include calcium, selenium, magnesium, zinc, iron and potassium (to name only some). The health-giving and medicinal properties of this species of mushroom is the perfect example fo why mushrooms are regarded as a ‘Superfood’. Reishi is also reputed to aid in the treatment of stress. The indigenous people of the Yugra region in Russia also make use of another type of mushroom known as ‘Chaga’. It is reputed to aid in digestion and detoxing – and similarly to Reishi also for its anti-inflammatory properties. Chaga is also known as an appetite suppressant – and may be useful to those who are looking for an all-natural way to control weight.
If you don’t want to make your own Reishi tincture, shop our recommended prepared Reishi tincture here.
Lion’s Mane Tincture
Another mushroom, Lion’s Mane – Hericium erinaceus was (and still is) used in traditional Chinese medicine. Lion’s Mane is best known for its brain boosting benefits. This mushroom is incredibly rich in compounds such as beta-glucans and polysaccharides. These compounds have been implicated in the control of cancer and the boosting of the immune system. They can also benefit the nervous system and improve its functioning. The compounds also act as powerful antioxidants. Today it is grown in Japan, China, Europe and North America.
Maitake Tincture
The ‘Dancing Mushroom’- Grifola frondosa (or ‘Maitake‘) is another species that is today used widely in the preparation of tinctures. It contains compounds that are known as adaptogens – and these can assist the body in coping with a variety of conditions. These include high blood sugar and high cholesterol. The effects of the compounds are to return bodily processes to a healthy baseline. this mushroom is also incredibly nutritious and contains elements such as vitamins (B and C), amino acids, a wealth of minerals and trace elements such as potassium. They are also rich in antioxidants.
Get the highest quality Maitake tincture here.
Turkey Tail Tincture
Another mushroom which is seeing increased use is known as the ‘Turkey Tail’ variety – Trametes versicolor. This mushroom is believed to have been in use by Asian medical practitioners for more than 2,000 years. It has more modern proponents of its use as well. during the 1980s the Japanese authorities promoted its use in preparations for the treatment of various types of cancer. It is still used as a natural remedy to bolster more westernized cancer treatments such as radiation treatment and chemotherapy. Studies in Japan have indicated that this species of mushroom has indicated that patient survival was, on average five years longer when the mushroom was used in conjunction with other treatments for stomach cancer, lung cancer, cancer of the colon/rectum, esophagus and nasopharynx.
See our recommended Turkey Tail tincture on amazon.
Advantages of Mushroom Tinctures
Given the history of the use of mushrooms of various types to treat a variety of conditions, it should come as no surprise that those in search of natural remedies are increasingly interested in the varied type of mushroom tinctures that are available today. The advantages of mushroom tinctures are also in the fact that they are easy to use. By simply adding between 5 and ten drops of tincture to either warm or cool drinks the effects of the tinctures can be enjoyed. There are also tincture blends that combine extracts from various types of mushrooms.
In short, mushroom-based tinctures offer an all-natural away to treat a variety of conditions – an option that more and more people are exploring.
