Author: Tero Isokauppila

This post is adapted from here.

It’s no secret I love mushrooms. Not the standard white button mushrooms available on grocery store shelves (though let’s be honest, I love those too), I’m talking superfood functional mushrooms.

The kind that grow in deep, dense forests and on fallen logs and trees, and have been used for thousands of years.

While the rest of the world has taken some time to warm up to these superfood, adaptogenic mushrooms, thankfully the tides are changing.

But with a kingdom that contains over 1.5 million fungi and mushroom varieties, it’s understandable to feel a little confused. After all, not all of those species are edible mushrooms. Some are poisonous mushrooms, some are psychedelic, and some are just plain tasty!

Today I’m sharing eight of my favorite functional edible mushrooms, along with some interesting history.

Reishi

Need to chill out? Try reishi. Also called lingzhi in China, which signifies longevity and spirituality, reishi has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years. Reishi is so esteemed that in ancient scroll paintings, it’s often depicted as the “bridge between Earth and Heaven”. Other nicknames for this regal fungi include “mushroom of immortality,” “mushroom of spiritual potency,” and “rule of herbs”.

As an adaptogen with the ability to support occasional stress and restful sleep, it's an amazing nightly ritual to add to your wellness routine. Because it has a naturally bitter taste, I like to pair it with rich cacao for guilt-free hot cacao.

Shop Four Sigmatic Mushroom Cacao with Reishi here

Cordyceps

Used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, wild cordyceps' origin story reads like a science fiction novel. It begins its life as an endoparasitoid, meaning it grows as a parasite, typically on caterpillars. (Our cordyceps is much friendlier; we don't use caterpillars in our production process and our products are vegan-friendly.)

Cordyceps are most commonly used for athletic performance, to support stamina and endurance. It helps you to move and get going.

Shop Four Sigmatic Mushroom Cacao with Cordyceps here

Lion's Mane

One look at lion’s mane mushroom and you’ll understand where it got its name. Fluffy, bright white, and typically found growing on hardwood trees, this shaggy mane mushroom has a delicious meaty texture often used in cooking.

But the benefits of lion’s mane extend far beyond your dinner plate! Known as your brain's best friend, Lion's Mane was long used by Buddhist monks to help focus during meditation. I love it for creativity and productivity during busy work days.

Shop Four Sigmatic Mushroom Ground Coffee with Lion's Mane & Chaga here

Chaga

An outlier of sorts in the mushroom kingdom where warm and humid is the preferred climate of most fungi, chaga grows in cold environments, like Siberia, North Korea, Canada, and some colder parts of the United States.

Fun fact: during WWII chaga tea was the Finnish coffee substitue, due to coffee rations. The flavor and color is very similar to medium roast coffee.

With chaga, the general rule is the more mature the chaga, the better; taking between 15 to 20 years to fully age. Overflowing with antioxidant properties and beta-glucans, chaga is often brewed as a tea to help support the immune system. It can also be ground into a powder and consumed that way for the same reason.

Shop Four Sigmatic Chaga Elixir here

Turkey Tail

Turkey tail mushroom looks just as you’d imagine it – like a fanned-out turkey tail with stripes of varying colors radiating out from the edges. Turkey tail is a polypore, meaning the fruiting body grows on the underside of the mushroom. It grows on fallen and dead trees and is quite abundant worldwide.

This mushroom is best used as a tea because of its super chewy texture, although turkey tail can be eaten as-is (if you really wanted to). Additionally, the prebiotics and antioxidant properties in turkey tail help to support and guard your gut.

Shop Four Sigmatic Chai Latte with Turkey Tail & Reishi here

Enokitake

Enoki for short, enokitake mushrooms are delicate white mushrooms with long, thin stems native to China, Japan, and Korea. Enoki are commonly used in cooking and have been found to contain a host of nutritional benefits along with their great flavor.

Enokitake mushrooms may help fill nutritional gaps in your diet, as 1 cup is an excellent source of niacin[*].

Shop the Four Sigmatic Mushroom Blend with 10 Super 'Shrooms here

Maitake

Also known as hen-of-the-woods, maitake translates to “dancing mushroom” in Japanese. Why? Because it’s said that if you find it as a wild mushroom you start dancing for joy! (In fact, it’s pretty tasty on its own.) But this pale gray mushroom is not just a delicious addition to your stir fries.

It has antioxidant properties, beta-glucans, and I use it between meals as my ninja fasting move.

Shop the Four Sigmatic Mushroom Matcha Latte with Maitake here

Shiitake

Shiitake mushrooms have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. It’s a superfood with vitamin D, vitamin B, and many minerals. When exposed to sunlight, their levels of vitamin D actually increase.

I love shiitake extract for its abiilty to support glowing skin from the inside out. Especially when combined with powerful turmeric!

Shop the Four Sigmatic Mushroom Golden Latte with Shiitake & Turmeric here

Browse all of the functional mushroom products I've formulated and love here.