Sarah Brown
Reishi mushrooms, also known as Ganoderma lucidum, are a type of bitter-tasting fungus with a glossy exterior and woody texture. They are referred to as the king of mushrooms in traditional Chinese medicine and have been used for thousands of years. Reishi mushrooms are believed to have various health benefits, including boosting the immune system, improving sleep, and reducing stress. However, there is limited scientific evidence to support these claims, and the optimal dosage for specific conditions has not been established. When preparing reishi mushrooms for consumption, it is important to follow specific methods, such as double extraction, which involves infusing the mushrooms in alcohol for a month and then simmering them in water to reduce the liquid.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Ganoderma lucidum |
| Common names | Lingzhi, ten thousand year mushrooms, the mushroom of immortality, varnish shelf mushrooms, artist's conk, bear bread |
| Appearance | Large, dark mushroom with a glossy exterior and a woody texture |
| Taste | Bitter |
| Preparation | Needs to be prepared in a specific way due to its tough and woody texture |
| Dosage | No standard dose, but commonly consumed as an extract or in powdered form; doses vary between 1.5 to 9 g per day |
| Extraction method | Double extraction using alcohol and water |
| Safety | Possibly safe for up to one year as an extract and up to 16 weeks in powdered form; may cause dizziness, dry mouth, itching, nausea, stomach upset, and rash |
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What You'll Learn
Soak in alcohol for a month
Reishi mushrooms have been used as medicine for centuries. To soak reishi mushrooms in alcohol for a month, start by chopping your dried reishi mushrooms into quarter-sized pieces. If they are too tough to cut with a knife, you can break them up into small pieces with your hands. Place the chopped pieces into a glass quart-sized jar. Fill the jar about three-quarters of the way up with vodka. Secure the lid and shake the jar vigorously. Shake the jar every day for a month. After a month, strain the reishi-infused alcohol using a cheesecloth into another jar, and set aside the soaked mushrooms.
The alcohol-based extraction method is traditionally used in tandem with a hot water extraction method. To do this, take 1-2 large reishi slices and place them in about a quart of water on the stove. You can add other herbs, such as licorice root, to add a sweet note to the bitterness. Let the water boil for at least 15 minutes, making sure to add more water as it evaporates. You can also do this in a crockpot on high for a few hours. Strain the liquid and let it cool before drinking.
It is important to note that the polysaccharides in reishi mushrooms are damaged by alcohol, especially in excess of 40%. However, alcohol is necessary to extract other medicinal compounds. Therefore, some people choose to soak the mushrooms in alcohol first and then decoct them by simmering in water. This may produce a better quality, more potent tincture.
The recommended alcohol percentage varies depending on the source. Some recommend using 50% (50 proof) alcohol tincture, while others suggest using 60% or higher for best results. It is also worth noting that some beneficial properties in mushrooms called beta-glucans are water-soluble, while other properties called triterpenes are alcohol-soluble. Therefore, a double extraction method is often used to make medicinal mushroom tinctures, ensuring that all the beneficial compounds are extracted.
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Shake the jar daily
To make a mushroom double extraction, begin by placing your reishi mushrooms in a jar of alcohol. The alcohol content should be between 25% and 30% to ensure your tincture is shelf-stable. Seal the jar and store it in a cool, dry place. Remember to shake the jar vigorously once a day for a month. Shaking the jar daily ensures that the mushrooms are fully infused and that all medicinal properties are extracted.
Shaking the jar helps to speed up the infusion process and prevents the mushrooms from settling at the bottom of the jar, ensuring that all parts of the mushrooms are exposed to the alcohol. This agitation also helps to mix the alcohol and mushroom compounds evenly, speeding up the extraction of the active ingredients.
After a month of daily shaking, strain the mushrooms and set the mushroom-infused alcohol aside. You should now have a tincture that can be used medicinally. Just a few drops of this concentrated liquid are enough to take advantage of the potential benefits of reishi mushrooms.
Shaking the jar daily is a crucial step in the process of making a reishi mushroom tincture. It ensures that the final product is potent and effective, allowing you to harness the potential health benefits of this ancient medicinal mushroom.
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Strain the mushrooms
Reishi mushrooms are a type of fungus with a variety of purported health benefits. They have a bitter taste and a woody texture, making them difficult to add to recipes in their natural form. However, they can be prepared in other ways to potentially gain their medicinal qualities.
To make a mushroom double extraction, you will need to put your reishi mushrooms in a jar filled with alcohol for a month, shaking the jar daily. The alcohol content should be between 25% and 30%. After a month, you will need to strain the mushrooms and set the mushroom-infused alcohol aside. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the mushrooms from your extract. Let them simmer for about two hours until the water has mostly reduced, then let it cool down. Now, you can strain the mushrooms out.
Straining the mushrooms is a key step in the process of making a reishi mushroom tincture. It involves separating the liquid, which has been infused with the mushrooms' medicinal properties, from the solid mushrooms themselves. This is done twice in the double extraction process—first with the alcohol extraction and then with the water extraction.
To strain the mushrooms effectively, you can use a fine-mesh strainer or a cheesecloth. Place the straining tool over a bowl or jar to catch the liquid extract. Pour the mushroom-infused alcohol or water through the strainer, allowing the liquid to pass through while the solids are caught in the strainer. Make sure to squeeze or press the mushrooms to extract as much liquid as possible. This process ensures that you capture all the beneficial compounds that have been infused into the liquid.
Once you have strained the mushrooms and collected the liquid extracts, the final step is to combine the alcohol and water extracts. Mix the two extracts together to create your final tincture. Just a few drops of this concentrated liquid are enough to potentially take advantage of the medicinal benefits of reishi mushrooms.
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Simmer in water for two hours
Reishi mushrooms are a type of fungus used in Eastern medicine, often consumed as a tea. They are known for their potential health benefits, including boosting the immune system, improving sleep, and reducing stress and fatigue.
Preparing reishi mushrooms can be time-consuming, and one of the traditional methods involves simmering the mushrooms in water for an extended period. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to prepare reishi mushrooms by simmering them in water for two hours:
Firstly, it is important to clean the reishi mushrooms. They can be wiped down with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or impurities. Avoid submerging them in water as they can absorb the liquid, making them more prone to spoiling or mould.
Next, thinly slice the mushrooms. This step is crucial for effective extraction of the medicinal compounds. The thin slices will help expose more surface area to the water, allowing for a more efficient extraction of the beneficial compounds.
Once your mushrooms are cleaned and sliced, you can begin the simmering process. Place the sliced mushrooms in a pot with fresh, filtered water. If you enjoy the flavour of ginger, you can also add a few slices of fresh ginger to the pot. Turn the heat up to high and bring the water to a boil.
After the water has reached a rolling boil, reduce the heat to low. Allow the mushrooms to simmer gently for about two hours. During this time, the water will reduce and the medicinal compounds from the mushrooms will infuse into the liquid. Stir the pot occasionally to ensure even extraction.
After two hours of simmering, turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool down. Once it has reached a safe temperature, you can strain the mushrooms out, separating them from the liquid.
At this stage, you will have a concentrated mushroom extract. This extract can be consumed as a tea, or you can follow additional steps to create a tincture by combining it with a mushroom-infused alcohol extract.
Preparing reishi mushrooms by simmering them in water for two hours is a traditional method that extracts their medicinal compounds. This process results in a concentrated liquid that can be consumed as a tea or used as a base for further preparations, such as tinctures.
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Combine the water and alcohol extracts
To combine the water and alcohol extracts, simply mix the two liquids together. This creates a tincture, which is a concentrated liquid containing the medicinal benefits of the reishi mushrooms. Just a few drops of this tincture per day are enough to take advantage of the health benefits of reishi mushrooms.
To make the tincture, you will need to prepare the two extracts separately before combining them. First, put your reishi mushrooms in a jar filled with alcohol for a month, shaking the jar daily. The alcohol content should be somewhere between 25% and 30% to keep your tincture shelf-stable. After a month, strain the mushrooms and set the mushroom-infused alcohol aside.
Next, you will prepare the water extract. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the mushrooms from your alcohol extract to the water. Let them simmer for about two hours until the water has mostly reduced. Let the water cool down and then strain the mushrooms out.
Finally, combine the water extract with the alcohol extract. Your tincture is now ready for use.
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Frequently asked questions
To make a Reishi mushroom tincture, you will need to put your mushrooms in a jar filled with alcohol for a month, shaking daily. The alcohol content should be between 25% and 30%. After a month, strain the mushrooms and set the mushroom-infused alcohol aside. Boil water and add the mushrooms, letting them simmer for about two hours. Once the water has reduced, let it cool, then strain the mushrooms out. Finally, combine your water and alcohol extracts.
Just a few drops of Reishi tincture per day is enough to take advantage of its potential benefits.
Reishi mushrooms are generally considered safe when used for up to a year as an extract and up to 16 weeks when used in powdered form. However, they can cause dizziness, dry mouth, itching, nausea, stomach upset, and rashes. They may also lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, so caution is advised for those taking certain medications. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid Reishi mushrooms due to insufficient safety data.
