EP 136 – Eat This: Debunking the misinformation about mushrooms

Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food, is a very well-known and used phrase said by the Greek physician, Hippocrates. He also ranked mushrooms as a superfood since the beginning of time, a smart man. While I don’t think that superfood status was carried over to more recent lists of superfoods along with dark chocolate, blueberries, salmon, nuts, seeds including chia, broccoli, beets, and beans, to mention a few. In case you’ve been living under one and not seen them in the forest, mushrooms have taken on a resurgence in the last couple of years, maybe even more. The global mushroom market is valued at $58.8 billion as of last year and is projected to reach an estimated $86.5 billion by 2027, there has also been a rise in misinformation and even confusion about safety and of course which are best out of the options lining the actual and digital shelves to buy. As we did a deep dive into the supplement industry with Dr. Brockenshire’s last episode 135, debunking some of the misinformation about mushrooms is another worthwhile conversation. Why has this market gone wild? Well, that’s one of my questions for our guest today, but it could have something to do with our experience during covid and quite literally, getting back to nature in the woods and forest. Foraging to find our own food and have that connection to nature while knowing where our food is coming from. In the case of mushrooms, right from the ground, tree stump or in my case, a bag of mycelium – the roots of a mushroom – that I’m trying to grow into Lion’s Mane and Reishi mushrooms to forage right in my kitchen, connecting to nature is only ever a good thing. In episodes 131 and 132, I shared with you the in’s and out’s of the top medicinal mushrooms like Turkey Tail, Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Chaga, Shiitake, Maitake, and more, if you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon just yet, breaking down some of the misinformation out there, getting clarity on just where to start and how to choose what’s best for you, is what this episode and show is about. So today on EAT THIS with Lianne, let’s debunk the misinformation about mushrooms and help you choose the best for you.

This isn’t our first mushroom rodeo, as I said off the top, we talked about the immune support, the benefits to the brain and cognition, the boost in energy that can be felt, and the overall antioxidant and longevity benefits from including mushrooms in your day. Someone who buys mushrooms every week from my local market; from chanterelles to oysters, to morels and cinnamon caps, and the more common portobello and criminis too. I get ‘em all and spend a good portion of my market budget on them! I cook them up, because that’s important to do to reap the health benefits, and add them to an omelet – well it’s more of a pile of mushrooms busting out of a flat egg if I’m honest, topped with garlic, herbs, and I’m set for lunch. I’ve blended them up and mixed them with half-grass-fed ground beef and made them into patties, and made some epic soups with them too. That’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what can be done with these fungi. Then there are the powders, tinctures, and capsules that I rotate through in my morning SKIN BOOST, Alka C, Liposome B Complex liquid, and collagen morning drink too. I have without a doubt found that I have more energy, my memory has improved, my mind is clearer for all the thinking that I do throughout the day, and I do feel an improvement. So how can you get in on the action too? There are many ways, and before you jump in, let’s talk about what is available out there, what to look for when buying, and deal with some of the misinformation that you might have come across. To share her wisdom on mushrooms as well as her specialty in gut health and hormone balancing, all the way from Los Angeles, Dr. Mary Paradee is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor and a Certified Functional Medicine Doctor. She is the founder of modrn med, a telemedicine and virtual wellness company that provides medical and health services to clients from the comfort of their homes. For those who can not work one-on-one with a modrn med practitioner, Dr. Mary also created a gut-health course that dives into the most common gut-related complaints and natural solutions to start healing. I can’t wait to hear what Dr Mary has to say about mushrooms, so welcome Dr. Mary.

Topic: Which are better, extracts or whole-mushroom powders?

The misinformation: Extracts are superior to mushroom powders. 

The truth: Neither are better or worse! Both are great, they just serve different purposes. And it depends on how they’re made. 

Topic: What’s the deal with mycelium? Should we be eating it?

The gist: Mycelium gets a bad rap for misguided reasons. As revered mycologist Paul Stamets has said, “In my scientific opinion, mushroom products not incorporating mycelium are at a decided disadvantage, given the results of recent research.” (He’s the focus of the Netflix doc Fantastic Fungi, which is a really cool watch.) That said, it again comes down to quality and process.

More mushroom magic for you! So after episodes 131, 132, and now this episode, are you ready to dive into the adaptogenic benefits of mushrooms? No matter what health issues, from candida – which I did a deep dive into in episode 97, and the typical dietary restrictions further to sugar typically include mushrooms, which as Dr. Mary confirmed is not actually true. Shitake mushrooms can help with candida and IBS, well all mushrooms can help your gut microbiome where candida lives, and also with that help you lose weight. Dr. Davis Brockenshire confirmed the amount of mushrooms you need to consume to help with weight loss in episode 119. Ask questions of who you are buying from. In the case of GiddyYo, where I get my tinctures from and if you use discount code EATTHIS  you can get 20% off your purchase, ask where the mushrooms are grown, and on what medium, if they are organic, how they are extracted, and what parts of the mushroom are used, all these factors can affect the final product. These are all questions that deserve answers for you to be satisfied before you purchase. I’m still working through my powders, so I’ll feel more confident soon to share that with you. I’ve tried the Mud; Wtr and added it to various drinks, and enjoyed it. 

Alright, that’s a wrap on our fungi kingdom for a bit, I believe. Be sure to follow me on social media on liannephillipson and sproutright channels, sign up for my weekly newsletter to stay ahead of the rest when it comes to me sharing stories, deals, and announcements and of course subscribe and share this to as many people as possible. Everyone deserves to have the knowledge that you do, no matter what they choose to do with the information.

MUD\WTR is a ritual-building company on a mission to create healthy minds through healthy habits. Its latest product, :mushroom boost, is straight shrooms—nothin’ else—with lion’s mane for focus, cordyceps for natural energy and vitality, and king trumpet, chaga, reishi, turkey tail, maitake and shiitake to support immunity. Mix it into hot or iced drinks, smoothies, baked goods—anything goes. EAT THIS listeners can get 20% off with the code EAT20. One use of the code per customer. Head to mudwtr.com to shop. 

About Dr. Mary Pardeeis

Dr. Mary Pardeeis a Naturopathic Medical Doctor and a Certified Functional Medicine Doctor who specializes in integrative gastroenterology and hormone balancing in Los Angeles, California. She is the founder of modrn med, a telemedicine and virtual wellness company that provides medical and health services to clients from the comfort of their homes. For those who can not work one-on-one with a modrn med practitioner, Dr. Mary also created a gut-health course that dives into the most common gut related complaints and natural solutions to start healing.

Find Dr. Mary on Instagram and Facebook.

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