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Aside from being packed with flavor, mushrooms are also incredibly nutritious, leading many to consider them as being among the world’s superfoods.

One such mushroom is the lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum).

Native to Asia, the lingzhi — or reishi, as it is known to the Japanese — is a parasitic mushroom that is considered to be a potent and valuable ingredient in both Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda, where it is used to treat various health issues and ailments such as high blood pressure and weak immune systems as well as erratic blood sugar levels and liver problems.

What makes the lingzhi mushroom so potent?

The healing powers of lingzhi can be attributed to the presence of phytochemicals and bioactive compounds such as triterpenoids, polysaccharides and peptidoglycans within its cells.

These chemicals, according to a study published in the second edition of Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects, have anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, anti-ulcer, anti-tumorigenic and immunostimulating effects, making them incredibly potent additions to your daily routine.

Aside from the abovementioned phytochemicals, lingzhi also contains dietary fiber as well as various minerals, vitamins and amino acids.

With that being said, here are the two main health benefits that one can supposedly get from lingzhi mushrooms:

Lingzhi mushrooms can help improve the body’s immune response

According to its proponents, one of the more important effects of the lingzhi mushroom is that it can help optimize the body’s immune system response.

In a study published in the Journal of Pharmacological Sciences, for instance, researchers found that the polysaccharides in lingzhi mushrooms had extensive immuno-modulating effects and that they were able to promote the function of antigen-presenting cells, as well as humoral and cellular immunity. Despite this, whole-animal experiments and evidence-based clinical trials are still needed to establish further the mechanism of the immuno-modulating effects by G. lucidum.

Lingzhi mushrooms can help stave off the development of certain cancers

As noted by several accounts, lingzhi mushrooms are currently being touted as having anti-cancer properties.

One study, published in Food Reviews International, for instance, found that various polysaccharides in lingzhi mushrooms such as B-D-glucans and glycoproteins and triterpenoids exhibited cancer-preventive and anti-cancer activity — albeit in a laboratory setting.

In addition, a detailed report of multiple studies indicated that the mushroom could positively affect cancer patients by increasing the activity of the body’s white blood cells. This, according to the researchers, not only helps the patients fight cancer, but it also helps improve their quality of life.

In addition, lingzhi mushrooms are also purported to have the following health benefits:

• Help trigger the removal of toxins from the body
• Promote the body’s natural healing ability
• Help the body fight against fatigue and exhaustion
• Help decrease blood sugar levels
• Help repair and heal damaged cells, while facilitating the creation of new healthy cells
• Protect cell DNA from oxidative damage that leads to aging, diseases and cancer

Does lingzhi have any side effects?

Despite being considered to be safe for human consumption, lingzhi mushrooms contain several substances that may act in a similar way to a blood thinner. Because of this, consuming lingzhi may potentially trigger the appearance of bloody stools and nosebleeds, as well as easy bruising.

In addition, lingzhi mushrooms and its extracts must not be used if you are taking anticoagulants as it may increase the risk of bleeding.

According to experts, lingzhi should be avoided in children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.

How can I use lingzhi mushrooms?

Unlike other mushrooms that have savory and tasty flavors, lingzhi mushrooms possess an earthy, bitter and almost woody taste. Because of this, they are usually taken in the form of teas and tinctures or as extracts. They can also be found in capsules and are also added to coffee and other drink mixes.

Packed with health-supporting compounds, lingzhi mushrooms possess a lot of potential as a natural supplement and as a natural alternative to over-the-counter medicine.

To read more stories about other mushrooms with medicinal uses, visit ChineseMedicine.news.

Sources:

HealthyEating.SFGate.com

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

PubMed.NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov 1

TandFOnline.com

PubMed.NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov 2

ASEANTimes.net

MDPI.com