Understanding the Differences Between Consuming Mushrooms as Tea vs Eating
Mushrooms offer a wealth of health benefits thanks to their rich antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunity-enhancing compounds. You can consume therapeutic mushrooms like reishi, cordyceps, lion's mane and chaga either as a hot drink or infused into food.
But is one preparation method superior for harnessing shrooms' nourishing potential? Let's explore the pros and cons of drinking mushroom tea versus eating mushrooms.
Active Compounds in Mushrooms
Over 200 bioactive molecules have been isolated from medicinal mushrooms. The most notable include:
- Polysaccharides - Boost immunity and gut health
- Beta glucans - Anti-tumor and cholesterol lowering
- Terpenoids - Protect brain and liver health
- Phenolic compounds - Powerful antioxidants
These agents exert anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, neuroprotective and cardioprotective effects within the body. Consuming mushrooms may help lower risk of diseases from cancer to diabetes and cognitive decline.
Preparing Mushrooms as a Tea or Tincture
Dried mushroom can be simmered for several hours into a concentrated broth enjoyed as a savory tea. Popular varieties like chaga, reishi, shiitake, maitake and lion's mane work well as mushroom tea.
Alternatively, you can prepare a liquid mushroom extract tincture by soaking mushrooms for several weeks in vodka or food grade alcohol. A dropper is then used to add the finished liquid tincture into smoothies, teas, soups and more.
Benefits of Drinking Mushroom Tea
Several advantages present themselves when opting to prepare mushrooms as a hot drink rather than eating them:
Enhances Bioavailability of Compounds
Since mushrooms have a tough cellular structure, some argue that extended hot water extraction via tea brings fat soluble terpenoids, polysaccharides and other beneficial constituents into solution better than eating.
This liberates these compounds from tough chitin cell walls to enhance absorption. However, others argue that digestion also breaks down cell walls to enable nutrient absorption.
Concentrates Active Ingredients
Mushroom tea concentrates several ounces of dried mushroom into a few cups of water. This delivers a mega-dose of immune-enhancing, inflammation-taming and health-promoting agents in each serving.
It's easier to use greater quantities of mushrooms via tea compared to eating them directly. This maximizes advantageous compounds in each drink.
Masks Unpleasant Flavors
Certain mushrooms like reishi and chaga have a bitter, earthy taste that some find unpalatable. Steeping them into tea is more pleasant and easier to drink quickly compared to chomping down on dried caps.
Adding mix-ins like honey, lemon, ginger or milk can further mellow mushroom flavors in tea preparations.
Downsides of Drinking Mushroom Tea
Drinking mushroom tea also comes with a few drawbacks:
Active Ingredients Degrade Over Time
The longer mushrooms steep when making tea, the more nutrients break down. This can diminish concentrations of thermally sensitive bioactive compounds like polysaccharides, amino acids and triterpenoids.
For maximal preservation, don't over-boil mushrooms. Take care to avoid overheating mushrooms during the drying process as well.
Removes Fiber Content
When you drink mushroom tea, you miss out on their high dietary fiber content. Fiber plays many roles beyond healthy digestion and regularity – it feeds good gut bacteria, slows nutrient absorption, improves insulin sensitivity and lowers cholesterol.
Eating whole mushrooms provides polysaccharide fibers and prebiotics to support a diversity of beneficial bacteria strains.
Possible Liver Toxicity
While quite rare, a few cases of liver damage have been reported from supplemental reishi mushroom powder. Scientists theorize that concentrating mushrooms into powders, tinctures or teas may enable toxic terpenoid buildup.
But this risk seems quite small and unsubstantiated. We lack robust, high quality studies on potential mushroom supplement toxicity for now.
Benefits of Eating Whole Mushrooms
Rather than sip mushrooms in tea form, eating them allows you to take advantage of additional nutritional perks:
Retains All Valuable Nutrients
Consuming freshly dried whole mushrooms provides the full spectrum of advantageous bioactive compounds absent degradation from hot water or long steep times.
Eating mushrooms like maitake, oyster and shiitake gives you all their nourishing ingredients – polysaccharides, plant sterols, prebiotics, antioxidants and enzymes.
Boosts Satiety and Promotes Weight Loss
Mushrooms deliver a one-two punch when it comes to appetite suppression thanks to their fiber and high protein content. This makes them quite filling.
One study discovered swapping red meat for mushrooms decreased calorie intake by over 400 calories per day!
Slows Carb Digestion and Feeds Gut Bacteria
As mentioned, the polysaccharide fibers abundantly present in edible medicinal mushrooms serve as prebiotics. This means they pass undigested through the stomach and small intestine to become metabolic fuel for probiotic bacteria strains living in the colon.
These fibers may also blunt blood sugar spikes from other carb-heavy foods when eating mushrooms alongside a meal.
Potential Nutrient Absorption Enhancer
Early research shows that consuming mushroom powder along with vitamin D may increase bioavailability and boost blood levels of this important sunshine vitamin compared to taking it alone.
This indicates eating whole mushrooms may act as absorption enhancers for other critical vitamins and phytonutrients obtained dietarily.
Best Mushrooms to Use for Tea or Eating
Many different mushrooms make for excellent teas, powders or whole food accents. Favorites include:
Chaga
Chaga is revered in Eastern medicine traditions with abundant research corroborating benefits:
- High antioxidant activity
- Anti-inflammatory and immunity benefits
- Antiviral effects against flu
- May suppress tumor growth
Chaga has an intense black color and unique piney flavor profile best mellowed in tea or tinctures.
Reishi
Reishi earns the nickname “mushroom of immortality” in Asian medicine for good reasons:- Adaptogen that moderates stress response
- Supports restful sleep
- Enhances immune function
- Protects the liver
Reishi works well as a tea thanks to its bitter, medicinal taste. It also serves as an anti-inflammatory food or powder supplement.
Lion's Mane
Lion's mane exhibits brain boosting and nerve regenerating abilities:
- Stimulates Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)
- Enhances cognitive function
- Supports memory and focus
- Protects against dementia
This mushroom has a seafood-like flavor nice for using in soups or mushroom carriers. You can also make a tasty lion’s mane latte.
Turkey Tail
Turkey tail offers outstanding immune preparation with 600 peer reviewed studies confirming benefits:
- Boosts gut health
- Balances inflammation
- Packed with antimicrobial compounds
- Supports healthy cell regeneration
This beautifully colorful mushroom works great simmered into teas, broths or powdered as a supplement.
Shiitake
Shiitake ranks as one of the most popular edible mushrooms thanks to its flavorful appeal and stellar nutrient profile:
- Loaded with B vitamins
- Excellent plant-based protein source
- Rich in digestion-supporting enzymes
- Immunity enhancer
Shiitake has a robust, savory flavor that makes a tasty broth and beautifully garnishes grain bowls, stir fries and more.
Should You Drink or Eat Your Mushrooms?
Both drinking and eating mushrooms have pros and cons. For maximal flexibility, many people enjoy mushrooms in both supplement and whole food forms through:
- Drinking medicinal mushrooms teas like reishi, chaga or lion's latte several times per week
- Cooking with shiitake, oyster and other gourmet mushrooms
- Taking mushroom powder blends or liquid extracts
This diversifies the array of advantageous compounds obtained from fungi for whole body nourishment. You receive concentrated active ingredients through teas/supplements along with prebiotics, extra protein and nutrients from eating whole mushrooms.
The beauty of functional mushrooms lies in their versatility – you can blend into smoothies, steep as tea, pop powders into capsules or let them lend savory flavor to soups and grain bowls.
Experiment to see if you prefer eating or drinking your fungi and don’t limit yourself to just one preparation method. Both offer unique benefits that synergistically support wellbeing when combined together.
FAQs
What are the benefits of drinking mushroom tea?
Mushroom tea concentrates the bioactive ingredients from dried mushrooms into an easy-to-consume medicinal beverage. Hot water extraction for several hours may also liberate more nutrients from tough cell walls. Mushroom tea enhances absorption of immune-enhancing compounds.
What are some downsides of brewing mushroom tea?
Mushroom tea lacks the prebiotic fiber found in whole caps which feeds good gut bacteria. Some sensitive constituents like amino acids, enzymes and antioxidants also degrade upon boiling or overheating during tea preparation. This diminishes nutritional value.
Why should I eat whole mushrooms too?
Chewing whole reishi, shiitake and other medicinal mushrooms delivers polysaccharide fibers that serve as prebiotics for your microbiome. You retain heat-sensitive compounds degraded by heating. The protein, additional vitamins/minerals also offer balanced nutrition mushrooms teas lack.
What’s the best way to cook with mushrooms?
Lightly sauté mushrooms in olive oil or broth to retain antioxidants sensitive to heat degradation. Shiitakes, oyster mushrooms, morels and chanterelles make tasty additions into omelets, stir fries, soups and grain bowls. Always cook mushrooms thoroughly before eating them.
Can I take mushroom supplements too?
Yes, combining mushroom powders or liquid extract supplements with enjoyment of mushrooms teas and foods allow you to obtain nutrients through diverse preparation methods for whole body nourishment.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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