Blog

Functional mushrooms are fungi used as food and beverage ingredients, valued for compounds including beta-glucans, polysaccharides, and triterpenoids. The most commonly used species are lion's mane, reishi, chaga, shiitake, and cordyceps. They appear in powders, extracts, teas, capsules, and infused edibles.

What are functional mushrooms?

Functional mushrooms are a group of fungi that have been used as ingredients in traditional food and beverage preparation for centuries, including in Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese cooking.

They are distinguished from culinary mushrooms by how they are processed. Functional mushroom ingredients are typically concentrated through hot water or alcohol extraction, which produces a higher concentration of beta-glucans and triterpenoids than eating the whole mushroom.

The species most often used are lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus), reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), chaga (Inonotus obliquus), shiitake (Lentinula edodes), and cordyceps.

What is lion's mane?

Lion's mane is the common name for Hericium erinaceus, a white, shaggy mushroom that grows on hardwood trees. It is edible as a culinary mushroom and is also processed into powders and extracts.

It contains hericenones and erinacines, compounds found in the fruiting body and mycelium respectively. Products vary in which part of the mushroom they use, and the label or specification sheet will usually state this.

What is reishi?

Reishi is the common name for Ganoderma lucidum, a woody, fan-shaped mushroom. Its texture makes it unsuitable for eating whole, so it is used almost entirely as an extract or tea.

It contains triterpenoids and beta-glucans. Reishi has a distinctly bitter taste, which is why it appears more often in capsules and blended beverages than in single-ingredient products.

What is chaga?

Chaga is the common name for Inonotus obliquus, which grows on birch trees in cold climates and forms a dark, crusted mass rather than a conventional mushroom shape.

It is high in melanin and polysaccharides, and is most often brewed as a tea or used as a coffee alternative.

How are functional mushrooms measured on a label?

Functional mushroom ingredients are stated by weight in milligrams per serving, and quality-focused products also state the beta-glucan percentage.

Two specifications matter when comparing products. The first is whether the ingredient uses the fruiting body or the mycelium, since these contain different compounds. The second is the extraction ratio, often written as 8:1 or 10:1, which indicates how much raw mushroom went into the finished extract.

Products that state neither are difficult to compare against those that do.

Which Enjoy Hemp products contain functional mushrooms?

Two of our formulations include functional mushroom ingredients alongside cannabinoids.

Our CBD and mushroom gummies combine full spectrum CBD and CBG with functional mushrooms and ashwagandha. Our Social THC and mushroom gummies pair delta-9 THC with mushroom ingredients in a hybrid format.

Lion's mane also appears in our Lion's Mane seltzer, which states cannabinoid content per can.

Every batch is tested by an accredited third-party lab, and a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis is available for each product.

How are functional mushrooms consumed?

They are sold as powders that can be mixed into food or drinks, as capsules, as dried material brewed into tea, and as ingredients in infused edibles and beverages.

Format affects convenience rather than content. A 500 mg serving in a capsule and a 500 mg serving in a gummy contain the same amount of the ingredient.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between functional and culinary mushrooms?

The difference is processing and concentration, not species. Lion's mane and shiitake are both eaten as food and used as functional ingredients. Functional mushroom products use extraction to concentrate beta-glucans and triterpenoids beyond what whole mushrooms contain.

What is the difference between fruiting body and mycelium?

The fruiting body is the above-ground mushroom. The mycelium is the root-like network below it. They contain different compounds in different concentrations, and products vary in which they use. Products grown on grain may also include the grain in the stated weight.

Can functional mushrooms be combined with cannabinoids?

Yes, and several products are formulated this way. Our Social gummies and Lion's Mane seltzer both contain mushroom ingredients alongside cannabinoids, with each stated in milligrams on the label and verified on the Certificate of Analysis.

Are functional mushrooms psychoactive?

The species covered here, lion's mane, reishi, chaga, shiitake, and cordyceps, do not contain psilocybin and are not psychoactive. Where our products produce intoxicating effects, that comes from the delta-9 THC content, which is stated on the label.

How should functional mushroom products be stored?

In an airtight container at room temperature, away from direct sunlight and humidity. Check the expiration date on the packaging.

Who should not use these products?

Consult a licensed healthcare provider before use, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a health condition. Our cannabinoid products are for adults 21 and older.

---

Disclaimer: 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 or condition, and is not a dietary supplement. Consult a licensed healthcare provider before use, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a health condition. For use by adults 21 years of age and older. This product contains hemp-derived cannabinoids and may cause a positive result on a drug test. Keep out of reach of children and pets. Hemp product legality varies by state and is subject to change under federal law; verify all applicable federal, state, county, and municipal laws before purchasing. Do not drive or operate machinery after use.

Age restriction: For use by adults 21 years of age and older.

State restrictions: Hemp product legality varies by state. THCA products are not available for shipment to AR, ID, MN, OR, and RI. Delta-8 products are not available for shipment to AK, CO, DE, ID, IA, MN, MT, NV, ND, OR, RI, SC, UT, and VT. Verify current federal, state, county, and municipal law before purchasing.