Why Mushrooms?
Mushrooms are some of the most nutritious super-foods in the world. They have been used since ancient times to:
What are mushrooms really?
Mushrooms are neither plants nor animals, they are part of their own Fungi kingdom. The term mushroom is most often used to describe the visible part of the fungus or the reproductive structure (fruiting body). Like fruit on a tree, the fruiting body is only produced under certain conditions in order to spread the seed of the organism. Most often this is where the majority of beneficial compounds can be found. Shroomworks products use only the fruit body.
Why should I consume mushrooms?
It’s simple; mushrooms contain numerous compounds that can be of benefit to everyone. This is the reason why major pharmaceutical companies spend big money to employ mycologists. Dedicated teams search forests for new fungal species in hopes of finding breakthrough medicinal compounds.
It is estimated that nearly 70% of all existing drugs still originate from nature. Many drugs in use today are derived from the Fungi Kingdom. Penicillin, the antibiotic responsible for saving millions of lives, was isolated from the Penicillium Fungus. Other drugs such as the Anti Cancer Krestor, popular in Japan, is derived from the Turkey Tail mushroom (Trametes Veriscolor). In fact, the fungi kingdom produces chemicals that may hold potential for benefiting a wide range of human health issues such as bacterial infection, viral infection, cancer, as well as stimulating our immune and nervous systems.
Why are mushrooms effective at treating human ailments?
Perhaps this is because the Fungi kingdom is closer to the animal kingdom than any other, and yes, this includes plants. Around 650 millions years ago the animal kingdom branched off from the fungi kingdom.
Humans and fungi still share nearly half of their DNA and are susceptible to many of the same infections. This is why many of their compounds are applicable to us. Compounds such as beta-glucans, triterpenoids, antibiotics, enzymes, vitamins, minerals and more, may hold real value for human health.
We are only now starting to confirm what ancient cultures have known for thousands of years. Mushrooms have within them some of the most potent medicines found in nature. As time goes on, research papers authenticating their benefits are being published with increasing frequency. With shroomshot we hope to share the healing powers of mushrooms in the most healthy, delicious, and powerful way possible.
Quality is Key
We take careful consideration into which mushrooms make it into our products. We uphold strict standards, so that all of our mushrooms are:
Mushrooms are very sensitive to environmental conditions. Due to their permeable flesh and far reaching mycelial networks, they bioaccumulate particulates present in the surrounding environment. This may include some heavy metals and pesticides. This is why we only source mushrooms that are grown organically (USDA Certified) and tested vigorously for contaminants. We heavily advise against consumption of mushrooms that are not certified organic.
Fruiting bodies only (no fillers)
Think of mushrooms as a fruit tree. The mycelium are the root system while the actual mushroom(fruiting body) is like an apple on a tree. The fungi concentrates many of its beneficial compounds in the fruiting body. In most cases the fruiting bodies contain higher concentrations of desired compounds such as beta-glucans and hericinones. Many other mushroom products use ground mycelium which almost always includes the medium from which it was grown. In most cases this is brown rice or oats. These starches can account for up to 90% of the product! With fruiting bodies you can be assured that you are consuming 100% pure mushroom.
The beneficial compounds that we seek in mushrooms such as Beta glucans and hericinones are locked in the cell walls of the mushroom. These walls are composed of a very tough material called “chitin” which is undigestible to humans. Fortunately most of these beneficial compounds are water or ethanol soluble. By extracting our mushrooms with hot water and in some cases alcohol, these beneficial components are drawn out and made bio-avaliable to humans. Many of the mushroom supplements you see on the market are using ground up mycelium that has not been extracted, which means that very little of the good stuff is made useful to you!
Lastly, we pair all of our mushroom extracts with a live kombucha culture containing 15 unique strains of probiotics. Our probiotics act as a ‘second stomach’, predigesting nutrients, making them more bioavailable to us. We believe that this enhances the benefits of our already potent mushroom extracts. Furthermore, probiotics produce beneficial acids that serve as a natural preservative, preventing the breakdown of our key ingredients.
Our Mushrooms
-
Reishi
-
Cordydceps
-
Lion's Mane
-
Chaga
-
Turkey Tail
