Top 4 “Good For Your Brain” Mushrooms
Mushrooms are not just some tasty vegetable to add to your dish. They also have medicinal purposes that have been used for centuries. One of its medicinal purposes is cognitive boosting. These brain mushroom can help you fight against Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, and depression. They can also influence the brain’s circadian rhythm.
When it comes to brain-boosting, the mushrooms Lion’s Mane, Reishi, and Cordyceps are the ones you need. There is also another brain mushroom, but we’ll reveal that later. Want to know more about these “good for the brain” mushroom? Read below.
Reishi
First on our brain mushroom list is the Reishi. When it comes to health benefits, Reishi has a lot of benefits on its list. Its best brain benefit is fighting against Alzheimer’s disease. Apart from that, it can help in regulating normal sleep patterns. It can also recharge the liver cells and degenerate tumors in the body. Other Reishi mushroom health benefits include stabilizing 
blood sugar and lowering high blood pressure.
One of the most common ways to intake Reishi is by powder form. You can mix it in a drink, soup, or even stir fry. There is also Reishi-based coffee that you can try.
Reishi can also be extracted. Just place droplets of Reishi extract under the tongue for a few seconds. Then, swallow them. You can also eat Reishi. However, it can be very bitter to take even if you cook it. But if you insist, you can eat the tips of its cap which is the less bitter part.
Lion’s Mane
Though it has not been widely researched, Lion’s mane mushroom shows a lot of promising preliminary studies. It is not only medicinal but also edible and tasty.
Here are some of the known health benefits of the Lion’s Mane.
- Degenerates colon tumors
- Fights Leukemia cells
- Decreases the effects of Dementia or other cognitive diseases
- Downsizes irritability and anxiety
- Regulates the digestive system
- Prevents heart disease
- Works as an anti-inflammatory
As mentioned, Lion’s mane is very edible. But, you need to take note that this mushroom has high water content. To prepare these mushrooms, you need to cook them over low heat for a long time. This helps boil away the extra liquid. As a result, you not only get a chewy texture but a more deliciously crunchy mushroom.
Cordyceps
The Cordyceps has been used as a medicine for a very long time now. It was known to be used in Ancient Chinese medicine for treating various diseases. Boost low sex drive and lessen fatigue are some of its benefits. Plus, it can act as an insulin, antioxidant, and cancer-fighting agent. Furthermore, it is also a good workout supplement because it can increase your VO2 max.
However, this fungus is very difficult to find. It’s because they form on the larvae of caterpillars in Japan. Because of this, they are very expensive. Luckily, Cordyceps can now be developed in laboratories which makes it more obtainable.
The best way to intake cordyceps is through supplements. Usually, these mushroom supplements are taken once a day. But for better results, follow the directions provided in the packaging.
The 4th of the Brain Mushroom…
Actually, we are not talking about just one mushroom here. There are three mushrooms which share the 4th spot. According to a 2019 report on BBC News, the National University of Singapore found that regular eating of mushrooms can improve brain thinking and processing.
They named the following “brain” mushroom:
Though there were some additional factors considered, these findings opened the door for more research. Hopefully, these three mushrooms can prove themselves and join the ranks with the other brain mushrooms on our list.
Wrap Up
These three (plus three more unofficial) brain mushroom are a must-try for cognitive boosting. They also show good results in protecting your heart, fighting cancer, and many more. So what are you waiting for? Add one of these delicious medicinal mushrooms to your daily routine to live a healthier life.
