Organic Mushroom Extracts

Why is everyone talking about mushrooms?

The unique kingdom of fungi has astonishing health benefits, which have been known about for thousands of years. More recently there has been significant scientific research that confirms much of the historical and anecdotal claims and evidence. Some of the many health benefits include: support for the immune system, improved brain function, gut health and energy as well as enhanced wellbeing.

As well as growing cullinary mushrooms for ourselves, we have been researching mushrooms and their health benefits for several years now and looking for a dependable supplier of the best quality mushroom tinctures for our own use.

We have found what we’re looking for. The Bristol Fungarium makes tinctures from organically certified and wild harvested mushroom fruiting bodies of UK origin in a 1:4 strength and we’re delighted to be able to offer them to you too.

There is a lot of misunderstanding and misinformation out there but are several things to look for in mushroom products to ensure that the health benefits will be there for you:

1. Fruiting bodies, not mycelium. The beneficial polysaccharides and triterpenoids are only present in the fruiting bodies. Many mushroom products on the market say they are 100% Lions Mane or Reishi etc but if you look at the small print it says 100% mushroom mycelium. The mycelium contains none of the beneficial compounds so, although you may be taking 100% Lions Mane etc, you are actually getting 0% benefit.

2. Extraction not dried mushroom powder. The beneficial compounds in mushrooms are enclosed in chitin (pronounced kaitin) which is the same material that insect and crustacea exoskeletons are made from. It is not broken down in our digestive systems so mushrooms need to be processed before we can benefit from their health-giving properties.

Historically, a tea was made by boiling the mushrooms for an hour or two as this breaks down the chitin and releases the beneficial polysaccharides into the water. This is a single extraction and the result can be drunk directly or dried for a powder or tincture that we can take internally.

However, there is another set of health giving complex molecules called triterpenoids that are not water soluble and also held in chitin so, to get the maximum benefit, after boiling to break down the chitin, and setting aside the water extract, the mushroom pulp is soaked in alcohol. This releases the triterpenoids in a form that our bodies can make use of. This is the second extraction and the two liquids are combined to create a double extraction of the mushroom which can be dried into a powder or made into a tincture.

The Bristol Fungarium are the only UK based, certified organic medicinal mushroom farm growing locally cloned and foraged varieties of these magical fungi. Their process duplicates the first step (boiling), to ensure maximum benefit, before extracting the triterpenes with alcohol.  This is why their tinctures are triple extractions.

These are the mushroom extracts that we use ourselves and we believe they're the best available..