
Fortunately, foraging is not the only way to get fresh lion’s mane mushrooms because they are sold in grocery stores and farmers’ markets. You, however, have to ensure you buy organic mushrooms.
Mushrooms are very absorbent and will soak in pesticides and pollutants when grown inorganically. These chemicals are almost impossible to wash off once absorbed by the fungus, and you might end up ingesting them in your cooked lion’s mane mushrooms.
To ensure you buy organic fresh lion’s mane mushrooms, check food markets that sell organic foods.
If you’re in the United States, ensure that the mushroom packaging has an organic seal from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This proves that the mushrooms are organically farmed, have passed inspection, and were grown using natural processes.
Alt: fresh lion’s mane from grocery store with organic seal
If you can’t find fresh lion’s mane from grocery stores in your area, consider growing your own. You can easily order lion’s mane mushroom growing kits online.
Cooked vs. Extracted: Best Way to Take Lion’s Mane Mushroom
While adding fresh mushrooms to your diet is a good way to get their nutritional benefits, you won’t be getting all of the lion’s mane mushroom health benefits this way.
Your body can’t absorb most of the active compounds from the cooked mushrooms.
Active compounds such as hericenones, erinacines, and beta-glucans are responsible for most of the lion’s mane mushroom health benefits, like its brain-boosting traits.
These compounds need to be extracted with the use of specific mushroom extraction processes suitable for lion’s mane.
Extract powders have a higher bc online dispensary bioavailability of active compounds, which means your body gets all the benefits of these functional mushrooms.
However, you should exercise extra caution when you are buying a lion’s mane supplement since not all supplements are made equal.
Some are made from non-organic mushrooms, while others are made from mycelium (the “root system” of the mushroom). Using a mycelium-based supplement means you get more starch than health-benefiting compounds.
Consider the following while picking a lion’s mane supplement for the first time:
- Is the supplement made from the mushroom (fruiting body)?
- Does the product label indicate a beta-glucan content of at least 15%?
- Are the supplements extracted using hot-water extraction?
- Is the supplement organic and tested for purity?
This buying guide for lion’s mane mushroom powder extracts provides more details on why each of the above factors is crucial.
Following it will ensure you get a lion’s mane powder extract that has the beneficial compounds you require to reap the lion’s mane’s broader health advantages.
Boost Your Mental Focus and Clarity With Real Mushrooms’ Lion’s Mane Supplements
Real Mushrooms provides Organic Lion’s Mane Extracts in powder and capsule form.
We use the hot water extraction method to ensure our supplements have a high beta-glucan content of more than 25%. Beta-glucans are the primary compounds in mushrooms that account for most of their health benefits.