If you ever wanted something to boost your immune systems, regenerate your cells and fight viral invasion, then Reishi mushroom, the king of mushroom, is the one herbal remedy you must not joke with, and Reishi mushroom tea is a must drink for you.
The fungus, which grows on dead or dying trunk of trees have been extensively researched on and its health benefits meticulously recorded. The fan-shaped reddish-brown mushroom grows in deciduous forests in hot and humid environment.
Why Is Reishi Mushroom Tea So Important To Your Health?
The amazing thing about Reishi mushroom tea is that it Reishi mushroom contains several strong bioactive compounds that are soluble and extractable in hot water. Some of those bioactive compounds include sterols, coumarin, mannitol, alkaloids, polysaccharides, mannitol lactose, organic germanium, ganoderic acid.
How To Prepare Reishi Mushroom Tea
Ingredients: Reishi Mushroom, 8 cups of fresh filtered water, ginger or turmeric slices, honey, orange or pineapple juice.
Directions
- Break your Reishi mushroom into small pieces
- Put them in a stainless steel pot
- Add your fresh ginger slices or turmeric slices if your are treating hepatitis B virus infection
- Pour the fresh filtered water and turn on the heater and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low once it boils and allow to simmer gently, stirring occasionally for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The longer the simmering, the stronger your tea would be.
- Strain out the Reishi mushroom pieces and allow cooling before drinking.
- Add honey, pineapple or orange juice to taste. Reishi is bitter!
Amazing Health Benefits
There is a reason Reishi mushroom is called the king of herbs. It is because it has numerous health benefits, such as:
1. Reishi Mushroom Tea Can Boost Your Immune System
Reishi mushroom tea, prepared as directed above can boost your immune system and fight invading pathogens. Reishi contains certain polysaccharides that enhance the proliferation and maturation of T and B lymphocytes, splenic mononuclear cells, NK cells, and dendric cells. This results in the increase of IL-6 and IFN-ϒ. In Asian countries, Reishi mushroom is used in the treatment of HIV and cancer. This is due to the β-D-glucagon, which stimulates an increased production of nitric oxide (NO).
2. Reishi Tea Has Antitumor and Anticancer Properties
Reishi mushroom polysaccharides were found, according some studies, to be highly suppressive to tumor cell proliferation. In another study, it was found to inhibit cell growth and induce apoptosis in sarcoma 180 and HL-60 cells. Also, these polysaccharides inhibited the proliferation of human lung carcinoma. The antitumor effects of Reishi mushroom tea is not limited to the polysaccharide constituents as other bioactive compounds such as triterpenoids and ganoderic acid also inhibited growth and metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma.
3. Reishi Tea Possess Antioxidants
Reishi mushroom tea possesses strong antioxidants that protect cellular components from oxidative damages. These antioxidants are quickly absorbed immediately after ingestion, thereby increasing the plasma total antioxidant activities. They also offer protection from oxidative damage to the kidney through restoration of the renal antioxidant defense system.
4. Ganoderma Tea Is Used In Treating Bacterial and Viral Infections
Reishi mushroom tea has strong antibacterial and antiviral bioactive compounds and it’s used traditionally in treating several bacterial and viral diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
The ganoderic acid of Reishi mushroom has been extensively researched on and reported to possess strong antiviral activities against herpes simplex virus (HSV) types, HIV viral protease and hepatitis B viral replications.
In another study, Reishi tea showed strong growth inhibition against E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, B. circus, proteus vulgaris and salmonella typhi.
5. Reishi Helps Diabetic Patients
Reishi tea would be beneficial to diabetic patients. It lowers serum glucose levels in obese and diabetic patients through the suppression of phosphoenol-pyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), which is usually high in obese and diabetic patients.
6. Reishi Mushroom Tea Offers Protection Against and Gastric Injury
Reishi tea protects your liver and gastric compartments from injury. The ganoderic acid offers this protection through the inhibition of the β-glucuronidase. One of the resultant effects of gastric injury is gastric ulcer. This can cause a very discomfort moment for you. Luckily just as reishi mushroom, there are other herbs like Luffa sponge and Taro milk tea which if you take regularly will protect your gastric mucaso from acidic injuries.
Alcohol and CCl4 toxicity is associated with increased oxidative stress and free-radical-associated injury. But Reishi mushroom tea possess radical scavenging properties against both superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, and protects the liver from alcohol and CCL4 induced liver damages.
Does Reishi Tea Lower Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure?
According studies conducted in vitro and in diabetic patients, Reishi tea does not lower blood cholesterol level. It also does not lower blood pressure. Drinking of zobo drink after a delicious meal made with reishi mushroom may increase the burning down of fat in your body. This will ensure that you have less bad cholesterol.
What Are the Side effects of Reishi Tea?
Reishi Tea is a safe drink. However, some side effects which are associated with dosage and long intake of Reishi tea have been reported. Some of these side effects are:
- Nausea
- Insomnia
- Chronic diarrhea
- Liver toxicity
- Itchiness in the mouth, throat and nose
- Bloody stool
- Skin rashes
- Upset stomach
REFERENCES
Ooi, V.E.C.; Liu, F. Immunomodulation and anti-cancer activity of polysaccharide–protein complexes. Curr. Med. Chem. 2000, 7, 715–729.
Wang, Y.Y.; Khoo, K.H.; Chen, S.T.; Lin, C.C.; Wong, C.H.; Lin, C.H. Studies on the immunomodulating and antitumor activities of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) polysaccharides: functional and proteomic analyses of a fucosecontaining glycoprotein fraction responsible for the activities. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2002, 10, 1057–1062.
Wu X, Zeng J, Hu J, Liao Q, Zhou R, Zhang P, et al. Hepatoprotective effects of aqueous extract from Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (higher basidiomycetes) on α-amanitin-induced liver injury in mice. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2013; 15: 383-391.
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Mizushina, Y.; Hanashima, L.; Yamaguchi, T.; Takemura, M.; Sugawara, F.; Saneyoshi, M.; Matsukage, A.; Yoshida, S.; Sakagushi, K. A mushroom fruiting body-inducing substance inhibits activities of replicative DNA polymerases. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 1998, 249, 17–22.
Toth, J.O.; Luu, B.; Ourisson, G. Ganoderic acid T and Z: cytotoxic triterpenes from Ganoderma lucidum (Polyporaceae). Tetrahedron Lett. 1983, 24, 1081–1084.
Lin, C.N.; Tome, W.P.; Won, S.J. Novel cytotoxic principles of Formosan Ganoderma lucidum. J. Nat. Prod. 1991, 54, 998–1002.
