Five Strange and Useful Facts About Cordyceps - Your New Favorite Fungus

Five Strange and Useful Facts About Cordyceps - Your New Favorite Fungus

Cordyceps is a small super mushroom which typically grows wild in parts of Asia. Although there are over 400 types of Cordyceps, it’s the Cordyceps Sinensis strain that is the most examined and nutrient-dense species of them all. Cordyceps Sinensis carries a rare mix of powerful nutrients that can nourish the body. Have you given Cordyceps a try? Read on for five strange and astounding Cordyceps mushroom facts.

Cordyceps Loves Caterpillars

Cordyceps are parasitic organisms that consume the body of a particular kind of caterpillar in mountainous regions of Tibet, Mongolia and China. As bizarre as this may sound, this super mushroom is outrageously nutritious for your health. These fungi are an extraordinarily useful and powerful superfood, ranking with reishi, ginseng and deer antler.

This Mushroom Contains The Sunshine Vitamin

Vitamin D is an essential of vitamin that can be synthesized on the skin when exposed to sunlight and allows the body to absorb calcium. Studies reveal that around 75% of all adults and teenagers in Europe and America are deficient in this vital vitamin. Super mushrooms like Cordyceps provide one of the only plant-based sources of vitamin D, which makes them a particularly valuable supplement for individuals who are Vitamin D deficient.

There Are Three Parts To This Mushroom

The Cordyceps mushroom comprises of three main parts:

  • Mycelium
  • The Fruiting Body
  • And Spores

The Cordyceps mycelium spreads out in the soil and helps the mushroom to absorb valuable nutrients from its surroundings. Mycelium can be visible, appearing like very fine white hairs. The fruiting body is the portion of a mushroom that grows typically above ground, while the spores act as seeds and help to spread new life.

Cordyceps Contain Plenty Of Nutrition

Cordyceps is rich in a wide-range of health compounds including Vitamins B1, B2, B12, E, L, K, and bio-active minerals such as selenium, copper, iron, nickel, silicon, zinc, calcium, and magnesium. This nutritional type of mushroom also contains over fifty various kinds of enzymes including coenzyme Q10.

Other Nutritional Compounds From Cordyceps Include:

  • Omega-3
  • Omega-6
  • Omega-9
  • Polysaccharides
  • Proteins
  • Peptides
  • Polyamines
  • Sterols
  • Nucleosides

It’s Easier Than Ever To Prepare Cordyceps

In the past, transforming raw Cordyceps mushroom into a safe product to consume would be a long process. First, you would need to break the raw mushroom into smaller portions so that it will help the hot water extract the nutrients. After breaking up the pieces, you would place the mushroom bits into a ceramic pot, pour over distilled water and then bring the water to a boil. Once the water started to boil, you could turn down the heat and allow the water with Cordyceps to simmer for about two hours. Boiling helps to remove some of the mycotoxins, although you’d need to be careful not to over boil the mushroom or you would ruin some of the bio-active nutrients. Finally, you would strain the infusion and then allow it to cool down before use.

While this was the traditional way of preparing Cordyceps for many thousands of years, nowadays it’s easy to get hold of Cordyceps extract powders, Cordyceps capsules, tablets, sprays and tinctures that are pre-prepared and ready for use. For the most potent dose, choose a concentrated extract powder which is made from raw Cordyceps but can hold up to ten times the amount of nutrients.

The unique blend of health compounds from this super mushroom helps to make this potent polypore an excellent supplement to any diet. Try Cordyceps and other raw super mushrooms from Superfoods Australia today for long-lasting nutrition!