Collection: Reishi

What is Reishi?

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is a fungus native to Asia, amber-brown and glossy, growing on hardwood trees. It is hard and woody rather than fleshy, which is why it is prepared as an extract or tea rather than eaten.

At maturity it releases spores, and these are the most concentrated part of the mushroom. The spore has a hard outer wall that must be cracked before the contents are accessible — hence "cracked cell wall" spore powder.

It is known in China as lingzhi, and carries the traditional name "mushroom of immortality" — a reflection of the regard in which it was held rather than a description of what it does.

Historical use

The earliest references to Reishi date to the Han Dynasty, around 2,000 years ago, in Chinese texts on traditional medicine. It was rare enough in the wild to be largely restricted to the wealthy, and only became widely available once cultivation methods were developed in the twentieth century.

How to use it

Add the powdered extract to hot water, mylk or brewed coffee. It is also one of the mushrooms in our Espresso Coffee Mushroom Elixir, alongside Siberian chaga, cordyceps, maitake, shiitake and lion's mane.

Forms of Reishi

Powdered Extract

Semi-wild harvested mushrooms undergo dual alcohol and triple water extraction, producing a highly soluble powder that mixes into anything.

Softgels

Made from oil extracted from Reishi spores. Each softgel contains 500mg.

Spore Oil

Pure oil pressed from spores of Reishi grown organically in the mountains of China. It takes roughly 1,000 kilograms of dried Reishi to produce 1 kilogram of spores, and over 1,000 kilograms of spores to yield a few kilograms of oil — which is why spore oil is the most expensive product in the range.

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