what are functional mushrooms?
I had been hearing about functional mushrooms, adaptogens, and their benefits so in true virgo fashion — research mode engaged. Does anyone else research something they are interested in so thoroughly for days in an obsessive manner? ??♀️
When someone references functional mushrooms, they aren’t talking about the white little buttons you can buy at the grocery store. Functional mushrooms are much more rare mushrooms that grow in dense forests, on fallen logs, and in places like Finland (where the founder of Four Sigmatic is from but we’ll get to this in a bit!). In fact, these products taste nothing like that mushroom umami flavor you’re used to when you hear the word.Ok, so what exactly are adaptogens? Here’s the definition:
Adaptogens are a select group of herbs (and some mushrooms) that support the body’s natural ability to deal with stress. They are called adaptogens because of their unique ability to “adapt” their function according to the specific needs of the body. This may be physical, chemical or biological needs.
Okay, I’m listening…then I started searching for quality brands that had products I could easily incorporate into my daily routine. For example, I love CBD but will be less likely to buy a tincture. I want something I can put into my coffee I’m already consuming or a lotion I can use post-shower that I can add into my routine more easily, you know?
There is no question, Four Sigmatic is the highest and best quality mushroom products. Their founder actually literally grew up eating mushrooms and superfoods from the forest in Finland. When he came to the US he realized that America hadn’t really caught on to the benefits yet and Four Sigmatic was born. I listened to his story on The Skinny Confidential Podcast, he’s a really smart guy and a true health and wellness expert.
What are the products?
As I mentioned above, there is a variety of different ways to consume functional mushrooms and adaptogens. For example, I bought some ashwaghanda (helps with stress and cortisol levels) in pill form recently! Here are my favorites from Four Sigmatic and their functions:
Mushroom Chai Latte
This is a favorite to take camping because of its portability, but I also love an iced chai in the evening at home to unwind after a long day.
benefits:
- stress and sleep savior – reishi mushrooms help you relax and get a good night’s sleep
- turkey tail mushrooms – apparently these mushrooms are one of the best in terms of adaptogenic mushrooms. Turkey tail is packed with antioxidants that work at boosting the immune system and is widely used in Asian medicine to help treat cancer patients.
Ground Coffee with Probiotics
Sometimes I need a break from the acidity in regular coffee. The flavor is so smooth plus the added benefits I don’t feel guilty having an entire pot ?
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Elixir
The Lion’s Mane mushroom is a helper for the brain and nervous system – basically an all-natural cognitive enhancer. It has been shown to support memory and concentration, so this is a treat during long computer days.
Four Sigmatic is constantly releasing new products, so I’ll come back to this post and update it often. Have you tried functional mushrooms? What did you think?