Nerd out with us on some mushroom science

It’s important to the Thieves that you know what you’re putting in your body. To help with that, here is some science-y terminology that explain a few key mushroom terms. Enjoy! 🤓

Beta-glucans

‘Beta-glucans’ are important polysaccharides that help the immune system function. The highest amounts of beta-glucans are found in the fruiting bodies, which are the actual physical mushroom itself, not in mycelium which are the ‘rootlike’ structures of fungi like other mushroom companies sell.

Functional mushrooms

The term ‘functional mushrooms’ is used a lot when talking about mushrooms. It simply is referring to mushrooms that are not just revered their taste but also for their medicinal benefits. Cognitive, stress relief, immune help and much more.

Additionally you might have heard the term ‘adaptogens’ thrown around when describing functional mushrooms and herbs. Adaptogens have the capability to biologically modulate our immune systems response by turning it up and turning it down. Adaptogens help your body restore its balance in times of stress.

You often hear buzz words associated with medicinal mushroom marketing like polysaccharides and beta-glucans. But what do they even mean? Let’s break them down in a way that’s easy to understand. Polysaccharides are long chain carbohydrates. Examples of foods that have polysaccharides are: potatoes, corn, rice and oats to name a few. Mushrooms also contain polysaccharides. Beta-glucan is a polysaccharide that comes in many forms however beta-D-glucan is specific to only fungi and yeast. This is what most of the medicinal fungi research studies have been done on. Before I lose you because of boring science words, let me tell you why you should care about this. Some medicinal mushroom sellers advertise the amount of polysaccharides in their product. Many times the amounts they’re advertising include starches from fillers in their product. Fillers like rice, and other grains. These fillers do NOT have beta-glucans in them which is the whole reason to take a mushroom supplement.

Fruiting body

The term ‘fruiting body’ refers to the actual physical mushroom that you might see in the woods while hiking. It’s somewhat comparable to an apple growing on a tree. Mushrooms are able to be picked or harvested without issue because underground there is an intricate network of ‘roots’ called mycelium growing. When conditions are right, the mycelium will produce more mushrooms. Thieves use 100% fruiting bodies to make our tinctures. These mushrooms contain all of the incredible medicinal properties you’re looking for when taking functional mushrooms. There will be some sediment in your bottles as a result of the tincturing process. This is completely natural and a sign of quality in tinctures. Go ahead and gently shake the bottle up before taking.