Do you know that nearly every 1 in 2 North Americans takes synthetic supplements like a multivitamin? However, according to research in unclear how well our body can absorb these synthetic nutrients. As health and wellness trends emerge worldwide, we'd like to introduce nature's humblest and most hardworking superfood. It's our favourite member of the fungi family, the mushroom!
What Is a Superfood?
So what exactly is a superfood? According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "A superfood is a food such as that is rich in compounds considered beneficial to one health."
Superfoods are a category of super-healthy and super-powered foods that are natural and nutrient-dense; they are used medicinally. The nutritional value of superfoods includes essential nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants which have the following health benefits, lower cholesterol, strengthen the immune system, reduce inflammation, and promote heart health.
What Makes Mushrooms a Superfood?
Mushrooms are superfoods because they are nutrient-dense and carry a list of health benefits. As mentioned in our gut health and digestion blog, mushrooms have also proven to be a rich source of protein, full of beta-glucans, polysaccharides and polyphenols, high in fiber, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory, which support the immune system. The benefit of fiber in your diet is that it helps lower cholesterol levels. This is especially important for people with type 2 diabetes. This explains why mushrooms have been used as medicine and a superfood.
In addition, mushrooms carry antiviral and antimicrobial healing properties. "Mushrooms need antibacterial and antifungal compounds to survive in their natural environment. Therefore, it is not surprising that antimicrobial compounds with more or less strong activities could be isolated from many mushrooms and that they could benefit humans (12). But only compounds from microscopic fungi are on the market as antibiotics till now." says Lindequist, U., Institute of Pharmacy, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Strasse
It’s no surprise why mushrooms have been used as medicine and a superfood for multiple centuries.
What Are Other Examples of Superfoods?
Other examples of superfoods include berries( acai berries, blueberries, goji berries), salmon, dark chocolate, grapes, dark leafy vegetables, broccoli, garlic, onions, and turmeric.
What Are Ways That You Can Add Mushrooms to Your Daily Routine?
Now, you may be asking yourself how to add mushroom superfood into your daily routine. No sweat, we've come up with a list of ways to enjoy functional mushrooms every day.
Try it in oatmeal.
Turn your regular oatmeal into a superfood mushroom cocoa oatmeal by adding our cocoa to rolled oats, blueberries, and hot oat milk.
Try it in a smoothie.
Take your smoothie game to the next level with our cocoa, some berries, water, a dairy, or, non-dairy substitute of your choice.
Try it in a coffee.
Start your mornings off right with some freshly ground coffee beans mixed with our cocoa, steamed oat milk, and whatever else you like to add to your coffee to make you feel great.
Try it in hot chocolate.
Make yourself a mug of warm mushroom hot chocolate. Add our cocoa with hot water, warm oat milk, and anything else you'd like to add.
What Are the Best Mushrooms for Superfoods?
Chaga mushroom gained popularity as a mushroom superfood for boosting the immune system and is high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Chaga has also been known to support gut health, enhance cognitive function, increase energy and vitality.
You may want to use chaga when you get a cold to support your immune system.
Reishi mushroom is known in Eastern Medicine as the "mushroom of immortality." Reishi mushroom benefits also include strengthening the immune system, improving sleep, and lowering blood pressure.
You'd enjoy the effects of reishi mushrooms if you wanted to recharge after a long day and have a good night's rest.
Cordyceps mushroom is commonly used for increasing athletic performance and sexual performance. Additional health benefits of cordyceps mushrooms are improving lung health, supporting healthy kidney and liver function, supporting the immune system, and strengthening the body with energy and stamina.
If you're looking for energy boosts, then you've got to enjoy the effects of cordyceps mushroom at the start of your day or before a workout.
Lion's Mane mushroom is excellent for memory, focus, and concentration. Another benefit is that it supports gut health, boosts the immune system, reduces & manages stress levels. In addition, it supports energy and vitality.
Lion's mane is your go-to mushroom if you're feeling brain fog or need more mental clarity.
What Makes Our Mushroom Performance Products the Best?
Before you consider taking superfood supplements, make sure that they're good quality, safe for use, and from a reputable provider.
Our Hekate functional mushroom products are, organic, vegan, gluten-free, and GMO-free. All our products are grown in the USA and are third-party lab tested to deliver premium mushrooms.
Are you ready to get started with our mushroom superfood? You're one step closer to a state of #CultivateGreatCheck out our Cultivate Great Collection.