Mushroom Basics: Adaptogens, Beta-Glucans and Fruiting Bodies

Consuming mushroom extracts for health is a fairly new trend, so we completely understand that you might be a little hesitant or have plenty of questions. Hopefully we can get you some answers and get you on your journey to better health through fungi.

Here are some of the most common questions we get.... 

What is mycelium, and what are fruiting bodies?

Mycelium is the root structure of any type of fungi species, and fruiting bodies are the "mushroom" which we see above ground or on a tree. Mycelium is basically a network of fungi fibers underground that provide nutrients to the fruiting bodies, or the actual mushrooms.

Think of it like an apple tree. Mycelium would be the branches, tree trunk and roots of the tree, and then the fruiting body would be the apples.

In order to get the most nutrients from mushrooms, we want to make sure we are consuming the fruiting bodies, or the apple in this example. Consuming the mycelium isn't going to hurt you, but it definitely isn't the best source of nutrients and doesn't give you the most value for the money.

What does "Adaptogen" mean?

The official definition of adaptogen is "a substance used in herbal medicine for the claimed stabilization of physiological processes and promotion of homeostasis".

Basically, if your body is feeling a bit out of whack, such as feeling anxious, tired, or having trouble sleeping, adaptogens can help to bring your body back to feeling "normal". So adaptogens can help you sleep, give you energy or feel relaxed, depending on what you need at that time.