In this article, we will feature the 6 best shiitake mushroom tinctures you can find online.
Shiitake mushrooms are a culinary delight possessing a rich, smooth texture and flavor, and they are used in cuisine worldwide. Added to soups, stir-fries, and other dishes, millions of pounds of shiitake are grown each year, and they are second only to the common button mushroom in popularity.
In addition to being a nutritional powerhouse, it is believed that this gourmet favorite may also have significant health benefits. That is why, in addition to using them in the kitchen, many people also take them as a potential beneficial health supplement in the form of tinctures, powders, or capsules.
In this article, we will focus solely on reviewing Shiitake tinctures, also called extracts. Listed below are six different brands that you can find online right now. Following the review, We will discuss in more detail the nutritional and therapeutic benefits of shiitake mushrooms and how they may help maintain optimal health and wellness.
1. Life Cykel Shiitake Mushroom Liquid Extract
Grown, engineered, and made in Byron Bay, Australia, Life Cykel utilizes mycelium biotechnology to craft their high-quality mushroom tinctures, using a separate process for both their liquid and powder extracts to ensure that they are precise. To make their liquid extracts, they use a 1:2 ratio. This means that two liters of their liquid extracts require one kilogram of mushrooms.
The tincture is created using a double extraction method (water and alcohol) so that both water-soluble and alcohol soluble compounds are present in the final product, which makes the formula more bioavailable. It is believed that this process creates a full-spectrum product that works synergistically to potentially promote better therapeutic results. Finally, the product is also infused with wild harvested Kakadu Plum, thought to be one of the most potent sources of Vitamin C in the world.
2. Hawaii Pharm Alcohol-Free Shiitake Extract
Hawaii Pharm is a well-known leading provider of liquid herbal extracts, offering dozens of tinctures made with only wild-harvested or organic ingredients. Ethically sourced, this alcohol-free shiitake tincture is highly concentrated and has a 1:3 ratio of dry to liquid material. It is extracted according to traditional methods and the unique characteristics of the organism itself. In it, there are only two other ingredients: vegetable palm glycerin and crystal clear artesian purified water.
Gluten-free and non-GMO, the tincture is made with love and respect for nature. The company recommends using 20-30 drops three times a day or as advised by your doctor. It can be taken sublingually or mixed in a beverage.
3. Planetary Herbals Full-Spectrum Shiitake Extract
This full-spectrum Shiitake extract comes in a two-ounce dropper bottle and is made by Planetary Herbals, a leading California provider of high-quality health supplements. Crafted from shiitake mycelium biomass with the mature fruiting body, it is highly bioavailable and nutrient-dense. With a 1:5 ratio of dry to a liquid formulation, it is less concentrated than some of the others on our list, which accounts for its lower price point. The suggested serving size is 40 drops twice daily.
4. Enerhealth Botanic Science Shiitake Mushroom Tincture
Based in Longmont Colorado, Enerhealth Botanical Science creates holistic health products that feed both body and mind. Among their offerings, you will find organic cocoa powder, superfoods, hemp extracts, and more. This Shiitake mushroom tincture is handcrafted in small batches using organic, non-GMO cane alcohol after undergoing a double extraction process that ensures the most potent formulation possible. The nutrient-dense extract may help to support immune health and assist in maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nails.
5. Mushroom Revival Shiitake Tincture
Double extracted using 190 proof alcohol and hot water, this organic, vegan, non-GMO shiitake tincture is one of the top-rated on the market. It’s crafted with 100 percent fruit bodies—not mycelium on grain— and each batch of the tincture undergoes third-party lab testing to ensure potency and purity before it’s ready to be sent to your doorstep. In addition to careful product manufacturing, the Massachusetts company also provides a wealth of mushroom education to consumers. Mushroom revival suggests one to three droppers full, up to three times per day.
6. Nature’s Answer Alcohol-Free Shiitake Liquid Extract
This one-ounce holistically balanced Shiitake extract has been created using bio-chelated cold extraction techniques and contains 200 mg per service of Shiitake fruiting body extract. Kosher certified, non-GMO, and gluten-free, it has been crafted in a GMP certified facility using Advanced Botanical Fingerprint Technology to analyze both quality and purity. Well-reviewed, it is the least expensive option on our list.
More Information About Shiitake Mushrooms
Scientific Name: Lentinula edodes
Other Names: Black forest mushrooms. Chinese black mushrooms. Hua gu, Pasania fungus
Culinary or medicinal: Both
Where They Grow: Shiitake grows mainly in China, Japan, and Korea, fruiting from spring to early fall.
What Are the Potential Health Benefits of Shiitake Mushrooms?
Western society at large has turned away from traditional folk remedies and natural cures over the past few decades. Yet, for thousands of years, mankind has been using a variety of compounds found in nature for healing both mind and body.
Interest in medicinal mushrooms, however, has begun to gain more momentum. Fueled by the COVID 19 pandemic, people everywhere are looking back to the earth for plants and herbs to heal and keep themselves and their families safe.
The demand for medicinal mushroom tinctures is so great, in fact, that several of the retailers we would normally feature on this list have temporarily shut down their websites. They have completely sold out of mushroom supplements and need to make fresh batches.
Tinctures can take up to 100 days to create, and demand has outweighed sales. We have listed those that currently have stock on hand but will be updating this page frequently as supplies are replenished.
The FDA has not approved mushroom supplements, so it is a violation to make specific claims about its potential medical benefits. However, we can discuss some of the research studies we’ve uncovered.
Cancer Treatment and Prevention
Shiitake mushrooms contain Lentin, a polysaccharide (sugar molecule) that has shown some promise in treating cancer. Further studies are needed, but a 2009 patient study conducted at the Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan showed remarkable results. 650 advanced gastric cancer patients over five trials were administered Lentin alongside traditional treatment. The median survival rates for those who had Lentin plus chemotherapy were significantly higher than the patients who were given no Lentin.
Additionally, the results of 12 years of research by Chinese scientists were recently published in 2019 with similar findings. Researchers concluded that the data showed solid evidence that lentinan could improve the quality of life of patients undergoing treatment for cancer, as well as help radiation and chemotherapy to be more effective.
Lowering Cholesterol
Another compound found in Shiitake, eritadenine, has been shown to possess strong cholesterol-lowering properties. Researchers in a 2007 study concluded that tinctures or powdered forms of certain strains of shiitake could potentially lower one’s cholesterol. More studies are needed.
Immunity
In 2015, researchers conducted a four-week group study with 52 healthy people. The purpose of the study was to see if whole, dried shiitake mushrooms could improve immune function. The scientists concluded that that shiitake did, in fact, have a positive impact on immune cells.
From a clinical standpoint, much more research is necessary before shiitake or the compounds in it are used as an approved treatment in mainstream medicine. We do know that ancient cultures have been utilizing this delectable wild food for centuries as food and as medicine.
What Are the Nutritional Benefits of Shiitake Mushrooms?
Vegan and vegetarian dishes will often be found with shiitake as one of the main ingredients. The mushroom is ideal for these groups as studies show it contains many of the same essential amino acids as meat. Low in calories, they can be eaten raw, cooked, dried, powdered, or as an extract.
If the mushrooms are exposed to sunlight during the growing process, they absorb and produce high amounts of Vitamin D, which can be helpful for those with vitamin D deficiencies. Shiitake also contains fiber, high amounts of copper and Vitamin B5, and many other vitamins and minerals that are good for the body and the mind.
Are There Any Side Effects of Taking Shiitake Mushroom Supplements?
While shiitake has a good safety profile, some people have experienced an upset stomach or sensitivity to light. The most common side effect seen is a skin rash or irritation that is caused by lentinan. The condition is known as “Shiitake Dermatitis”. Check with your doctor before taking any supplements to be sure they will not interact with your current medications.
Finally, If you are allergic to mushrooms, you should never take any mushroom-sourced supplements.
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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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