Reishi Mushroom Tea: 6 Key Benefits & How to Make It

Learn about the benefits of reishi mushroom supplements and how to make a delicious, comforting tea that could supercharge your physical and mental well-being.

Are you looking to incorporate more nutritious and beneficial foods into your diet? Well, you'll love learning about the reishi mushroom. You could improve your nutritional health and enjoy reishi's benefits with this convenient, delicious tea.

So, what is reishi mushroom tea, and how could it benefit your health?

Please keep reading to learn about the health benefits of reishi mushroom tea, how to make it, and what the benefits are!

What Is Reishi Mushroom Tea?

The reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lingzhi) is a member of the functional mushroom family. It is often referred to as the “mushroom of immortality” due to its vast array of possible benefits for your general well-being.

Functional mushrooms are similar to the type of mushrooms we normally cook, but their benefits may surpass the nutrients and dietary fiber they offer. This is why they have been used to support traditional health practices, and reishi was specifically reserved for nobility because it was difficult to find or cultivate.

The reishi mushroom is one of nature's many gifts to us. It has a broad, round, shiny brown cap, which can sometimes take a kidney shape. Unfortunately, the reishi mushroom is bitter-tasting and has a chewy unsavory texture, almost like that of chewing on wood. So, people prefer to ingest it in supplement form or as part of a tea blend. Eating it in a meal wouldn’t be as pleasant as other mushroom types, like shiitake or lion’s mane.

You can find the reishi mushroom growing in various places across the globe, with many species variants. However, you will most likely find this mushroom growing naturally in North America or Asia.

Since many people do not like to eat organic reishi mushroom on its own due to its bitter taste, they enjoy reishi mushroom tea instead. Reishi tea comes in the following forms:

• Reishi tea bags - you can create tea bags with the mushroom inside, organic roasted dandelion root, and other delicious ingredients to create a soothing drink.
• Reishi tinctures - you can also create a mushroom tea using a reishi tincture. You can brew your favorite herbal tea and add a few drops of your reishi mushroom tincture.
• Reishi powder - an alternative method to using a tincture is a reishi powder. You can make reishi tea by adding the powder to your herbal tea.

5 Potential Benefits Of Organic Reishi Mushroom

Now that you know what mushroom tea is, let's discuss the six potential benefits you may get from drinking it. 

The reishi mushroom might be your answer if you want to support your immune system. The reishi mushroom is like a cheerleader for your immune system, egging it on to fight off nasty bad guys. The reishi mushroom's triterpenes and 1,3 1,6 beta glucans can help you balance and support your immune function.

The 1,3 1,6 beta glucans in the reishi mushroom are known to help balance the gut and support the management of a healthy gut microbiome. Since the gut plays a vital role in your immune function, a balanced gut equips you to ward off any bad guys that enter your gut via your mouth or nose. Also, 95% of your serotonin is produced in your gut, so a happy gut is a happy you. 

Insomnia is a real struggle with negative effects on your health. Reishi mushroom tea could soon be an essential part of your sleep toolkit. The adaptogens in the reishi mushroom help balance and support the adrenal glands. By improving your sleep health, you’ll also achieve higher levels of focus and calm throughout your workday. If you want to support sleep, the reishi mushroom might be your bedtime lullaby!

The adaptogenic properties of the reishi mushroom aren't just beneficial for your sleep health. They also promote relaxation by supporting your body's response to occasional stress. Reishi has your back if you've got an assignment or project due or need to make an important speech. Your body's threat response may be managed better by balancing your adrenal glands.

The triterpenes and beta-glucans 1,3 1,6 in reishi may support your body's natural processes that manage cholesterol already in healthy ranges, leading to supported cardiovascular function. Reishi may also support cardiovascular function, which will positively affect your overall heart health.

What Do You Need To Consider When Choosing Reishi Mushroom Supplements?

If you're interested in adding the reishi mushroom to your wellness routine, you must know how to find good quality organic reishi mushroom supplements.

Buy Only From A Trusted Source

You should only purchase reishi mushroom tea or supplements from a company that is fully transparent about its ingredients and where they source its products. 

Buy Only Products Made From 100% Mushroom Fruiting Body And Not Mycelium Grain, Or Fillers

The fruiting body of a mushroom is where most of its beneficial properties are concentrated. Since mushrooms are gaining popularity in western health practices, many companies are cutting corners and using a majority of mushroom mycelium in their products and adding lots of fillers like rice and oats.

Reishi mushrooms have up to 28x more 1,3 1,6 beta glucans, and up to 20 times more ergosterol compared to mycelium on grain. Also, mycelium does not have the most important compounds reishi is known for the triterpenes called ganoderic acids A-D which give reishi that notable bitter taste and the functional benefits we all know reishi for. Whereas the fruiting bodies and spores of reishi have high levels of these compounds. 

To ensure you're getting all the mushroom goodness you need from your products, you should only buy products with 100% fruiting bodies. If your mushroom supplement provider does not specify whether their products are fruiting body or mycelium, this is typically a red flag. A lot of marketers will also say they are “full spectrum” and have both the mycelium and the fruiting bodies, which is just a watered-down version of 100% fruiting bodies and is also a significantly weaker product. 

Buy Only 100% USDA-Certified Organic Products

Your mushroom supplier should use ethically sourced USDA-certified organic reishi mushrooms to make their products. If you're buying mushroom supplements to support your health and well-being, you don't want any pesticide residue included that will negate the positive effects. Be sure to check that your products are 100% USDA-certified organic!

How Can You Make Delicious Reishi Mushroom Tea?

Now for the fun stuff. If you want to get creative and make some delicious, healthy mushroom tea with earthy notes, you can try out some of these recipes! See down below for our best reishi mushroom tea recipes.

How To Make Your Tea?

When making your reishi tea, you have a few options on how to do it. For our recipes, you can use any of these three methods.

• Brewed mushrooms - if you have a tea brewing kit, you can take some fresh or dried mushrooms and other flavor ingredients like cinnamon or honey to brew your tea. You can brew fresh tea and add a few drops of reishi tincture to your blend once you're done!
• Homemade tea bags - you can make your own reishi mushroom tea bags by purchasing homemade tea bags and stuffing them with beneficial ingredients. If you like, place a few drops of your tincture into the bag before sealing or include dried mushrooms.
• Spicing up your regular brew - if you're not one for getting creative in the kitchen, you can purchase flavored tea bags and add a few drops of reishi tincture to your brew after pouring in your water. Easy peasy!

Reishi Sweet And Citrusy Blend

For this blend, you'll need the following ingredients:

• Dried reishi mushroom or tincture.
• Dried organic orange peel.
• White tea leaves.
• Dried rose petals.

This sweet citrus tea is perfect for your morning routine. The invigorating and refreshing citrus will clear your sinuses and prepare you for the day. And the adaptogenic properties of the reishi mushroom tea may support balanced energy levels throughout the day - so you won't suffer from that dreaded caffeine dip! 

One of the best things about using mushrooms in tea blends is that you get aromatherapeutic scents that can help you to find a moment of calm in your day, which is hugely beneficial for your mental health.

Reishi Rooibos Tea

To make this dreamy rooibos tea blend, you'll need the following ingredients:

• Dried reishi mushroom or mushroom extract.

• Organic rooibos herb.
• Cinnamon.
• Orange peel.
• Ginger.

These strong and intense flavors create an undoubtedly spicy and heart-warming blend. This blend is perfect for those chilly winter evenings and when you feel under the weather. The fierce flavors work together to provide a calming and warming effect on the body, perfect for those cozy, relaxing moments.

Reishi Sleepy Tea

If you're struggling to get that elusive good night's rest, you can add a cup of sleepy tea to your evening routine. Turn down the lights, grab a book, and sip on this sedentary blend while you drift off. Here's what you'll need:

• Valerian root extract.
• Dried reishi mushroom or mushroom extract.
• Cinnamon.
• Chamomile tea mix.

This caffeine-free tea has all the components you need to drift off into a soothing and restful sleep. Valerian root extract is considered nature's sleep aid, and chamomile works with this extract to provide a relaxing scent and taste. The cinnamon will add warmth and flavor to this blend, and the reishi mushroom will help to support your body's adrenal function, which is responsible for managing your wake and rest cycles.

Reishi Breakfast Tea

No, you don't need to add mushrooms to your English breakfast tea. Instead, you can make your tea more beneficial to your body by incorporating the benefits of a reishi mushroom extract. Brew your usual cup of tea, add milk and sugar, and then add a few squeezes of your favorite reishi mushroom tincture. You don't need to set new routines to enjoy wellness, and reishi mushroom extracts allow you to squeeze a little health into your usual morning regimen.

Reishi Green Tea

If you want to kickstart your day with caffeine without getting the jitters from a full cup of black coffee, you can opt for a reishi green tea instead. The caffeine in the green tea will boost you to get through the day and focus well, while the reishi mushroom may support your adrenal balance to keep you energized. Additionally, the reishi mushroom's benefits for your gut health and digestive function work well with green tea to give your metabolism a bit of love!

Takeaway

There you have it! Reishi mushroom tea is a wellness tool that could have you feeling right as rain all day long. Balancing your body's functions, from skin, gut to sleep health, will make you feel genuinely content and well. You can incorporate reishi tea into your day in many ways, so consider which route appeals to you best, and drink up!  Also, you can also learn here how long it takes for reishi mushroom to work.