Functional Fungi

The trend of "convenience" has enabled us to have an interesting relationship with what we decide to put into our bodies for sustenance. Undesirable food production practices along with so many chemical additives, and preservatives can cause effects on our bodies that aren't ideal. In some cases, it can even bring the need for further supplementation and adjustment to our diets because our bodies have simply become dis-regulated. 

Nutraceuticals are functional, naturally occurring consumables that are known to aid our bodies in proper regulation. Adaptogens are plants, herbs, or fungi that assist the body during times of stress, sickness, and fatigue. Studies suggest that these functional foods provide compounds that work synergistically with our physiology. They assist our bodies by nurturing our vitality and the immune functions that we already possess, helping our physiology thrive. Exploring the potential health benefits of functional fungi remains an actively growing area of research.

I decided to concentrate on fungi as my starting point. The amount of information that I've come across in my research has BLOWN MY MIND. The data is out there! Our relationship with fungi is deep, complex, and symbiotic. There are so many different species of fungus living in our bodies at this very moment... having a direct influence on your mood, stamina, gut health, immune response, the list goes on. 

  Mushrooms are largely made up of a material called chitin. It is what gives them their structure. The "chitin" found in mushrooms is essentially the same thing that makes up the shells of crustaceans and insects. . Without the proper enzymatic ability for our gut to break down this structure, chitin basically passes through us as an in-soluble fiber. 

  It's great for our gut, but many of the desirable medicinal compounds are locked away in the chitin cell wall. All the same, mushrooms can still be an amazingly delicious source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Not to mention, they are the only non-animal source of vitamin D.

Should you eat more mushrooms? Yep! Could you get even more from them? Yep!     

 When you make an extract, you are helping to break down that structure to allow the most valuable compounds to be absorbed much more effectively by the body.

  This can be done in different ways. Hot water can extract the beneficial beta-glucans, polysaccharides, and other water soluble compounds specific to each species. We do a hot water extract when we make our tea or coffee! Solvents like alcohol extract the other compounds like sterols, triterpenes, and other novel compounds in mushrooms that are not water soluble. You can use these extracts separately, or you can combine them to make a dual extract and get the best of both. There's even talk around the mycology campfire about a method for ultrasonic extraction, (which I'm developing right now) More info will come on that as my research moves forward.

  The popularity of mushroom supplements has exploded in recent years. There are tons of companies popping up that sell powders, capsules, tinctures and extracts. There are some important things to consider when implementing these products into your path toward health.

You want to make sure you know what you're getting, right? Transparency from the producer is key when you're spending money on something, and ingesting it! A lot of mushroom supplements lack the transparency that we look for in a quality product. Tons of mushroom powders and capsules out there seem have a bunch of grain fillers. Labels claim that they use "mycelated grains" in these supplements. This is important information. Although its not necessarily a terrible thing to see this on a label. You may not actually know how much of these desired compounds you are getting in the final product. Sadly, it seems to be a money saving tactic to bulk up the final product with a bunch of ground-up starch! 

  What does all of this this mean? During the beginning of the cultivation process, many growers use grains to "spawn" the mushroom mycelium. This "spawn" can then be introduced to the final growing substrate to eventually give us the "fruit body" that we know as a mushroom. Some manufacturers seem to just dry these colonized grains, grind them up, and sell them to you. Some manufacturers go the extra step, and combine these dried up grains and dried mushrooms. How much of the beneficial compounds are you actually getting along with all of that starch though? 

 At Radical Cultures, transparency is the key fundamental. The mission is to provide the highest quality products that we possibly can, with no BS and no fillers. We only provide mushrooms that are grown with loving care and consideration right here in Fort Collins.

We believe that energy is transmitted into the final product. Our methods focus on bringing out the fullest potential of what is cultivated. That will always be a foundational tenet.

We take what we make, everyday.  

These products are meant to help people. Period