I have never seen so much wild reishi. Hiking through the forest in Western Massachusetts this week, the shiny mushrooms with beautiful sunburst colors glowed on dead hemlock trees throughout the trails. Ganoderma tsugae. I marveled at the beauty that can arise from decay.
Reishi grows in moist and temperate forests of Asia, Europe, South America, and the United States. The Latin name Ganoderma refers to the mushroom’s ‘shiny skin.’ The mushroom’s common name ‘reishi’ stems from the Japanese (霊芝) which is derived from the Chinese língzhī (灵芝; 靈芝). Regarded as the “herb of spiritual potency,” and the “mushroom of immortality,” língzhī have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 2000 years where they are considered one of the most powerful herbs for all-around vitality. The extract has been used to enhance the immune system, reduce stress, protect the liver, improve sleep, strengthen cardiac function, boost energy, treat cancer, and promote longevity.
Reishi has thick skin and is a tough polypore so is typically made into a medicinal tea or tincture, not eaten like a portobello or shitake mushroom. Powdered reishi supplements in the form of capsules or drinks are also used, but it is important to research the process of extraction since many of the medicinal constituents are only released through prolonged exposure to heat (through a strong tea decoction) and alcohol. I like to use reishi water extractions as a medicinal tea and soup stock.
Here’s how to do it.
Slice your fresh reishi, and place into a large covered pot or Crockpot with water and simmer. Water temperatures over 180°F can destroy some of the beneficial constituents so try not to bring the water to a boil. I like using a Crockpot at low heat for up to 8 hours. The long infusion helps break down the tough chitin, a protective natural polymer found in the cell walls of fungi, and polysaccharide molecules. Once they are broken down, they further release biologically active chemicals that are beneficial.
Some constituents such as triterpenes will not be released from the reishi into the water-based extraction. But an alcohol tincture will capture many of the biologically active chemicals that were not released into the water extraction. So for complete medicine, a dual extraction — both water and alcohol — is often used.
When I make the tincture, I usually do my water extraction first, then collect the chunks of reishi to tincture. Like making other tinctures, I place them in a glass jar about 2/3 of the way full, fill the jar with alcohol, and let them sit for 4-6 weeks. For the combined tincture, strain the reishi and then combine water extraction. A typical ratio would be 3 - parts water decoction to 1 part alcohol.
While reishi has been revered as a potent medicine for centuries, it is only in the last decade or so that the mushroom has become popular as a natural food supplement. You’ll often hear reishi referred to as an adaptogen, a plant or fungi that helps bring the body into balance through beneficial effects on the nervous system. Adaptogens are known to help our bodies cope with physical, emotional, and environmental stress through interaction with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). Growing research shows that adaptogens help to improve mood, balance hormones, fight fatigue, and support the immune system.
Would love to hear about your experiences with this mushroom. I’ll be processing and drinking lots of reishi tea this bountiful season!