Mushroom

Reishi Mushroom (has a safety note)

BotanicalGanoderma lingzhi (commonly sold as Ganoderma lucidum)Also calledLingzhi, Ling zhi, Mushroom of immortality

A woody, deeply bitter mushroom from East Asian tradition, simmered slowly into a dark, earthy brew for quiet evenings.

* Safety note: Rare liver injury reports and possible blood-thinner interactions; read the cautions before use. Read the cautions

Reishi Mushroom, fruiting body (dried slices)

Reishi does not look like a kitchen mushroom. It is a hard, glossy, reddish-brown shelf that grows on old hardwood, and the dried slices feel more like bark than food. You cannot chew it. You simmer it, slowly, until the water turns the color of strong tea and tastes of wood, earth and a long bitter finish.

Reishi comes to us from Chinese and Japanese tradition, where it has been honored for centuries as lingzhi, a mushroom of long life. It is not part of classical Ayurveda, and we have not found a reliable Ayurvedic description of its energetics, so we share it here as a guest from another tradition rather than dressing it up as something it is not.

Ayurvedic Properties

Not described in classical Ayurveda, and we have not found a reliable modern Ayurvedic profile, so most of its energetics are shown as unknown. In Chinese tradition it is honored as a tonic for calm and long life.

RasaTastes
  • Bitter
ViryaHeating or cooling
Not known
VipakaPost-digestive effect
Not known
AgniEffect on digestion
Not known

There is no traditional Ayurvedic basis for judging its effect on digestion.

GunaQualities
Not known
TridoshaEffect on Vata, Pitta and Kapha
  • Vata: not known
  • Pitta: not known
  • Kapha: not known
  • decreases (calms that dosha)
  • increases (can aggravate it)
  • neutral or balancing
  • not known
  • V Vata · P Pitta · K Kapha

Ayurveda has no classical teaching on reishi, so we do not assign it a dosha effect. Its strong bitter taste is the one clear clue: bitter is the taste Ayurveda links with lightness and coolness, so very airy, chilly vata types may like it best with warming ginger or cinnamon in the pot.

Traditional Uses

  • Traditionally used to support a calm, settled mind at the end of the day.
  • Traditionally used to support restful sleep.
  • Traditionally used to support steady energy and resilience in East Asian tonic traditions.
  • Traditionally used to support the body's natural defenses.

How People Use It

  • TeaSimmer a few dried slices in about 4 cups of water, covered, for 1 to 2 hours. Strain and sip a cup at a time. The same slices can be simmered a second time.
  • FoodAdd a slice or two to a pot of bone or vegetable broth as it simmers, then lift them out before serving. The bitterness fades into the background.
Try This

Slow Evening Reishi Brew

A dark, earthy pot to start in the afternoon and sip after dinner.

  • 3 or 4 dried reishi slices
  • 2 thin slices fresh ginger
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 5 cups water
  • A little honey to taste
  1. Place the reishi, ginger and cinnamon in a pot with the water.
  2. Bring to a boil, then cover and keep at a gentle simmer for 1 to 2 hours, until reduced to about 3 cups.
  3. Strain into mugs. Once it has cooled a little, stir in honey if you like.
  4. Keep the slices in the fridge and simmer them once more the next day.

Pairs Well With

Cautions

  • Safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established. Avoid reishi during pregnancy or while nursing unless your doctor or midwife approves.
  • NIH LiverTox lists reishi as a possible rare cause of liver injury. Most reports involved powdered or concentrated products, and some were fatal or severe. Stop and see a doctor if you notice dark urine, yellow skin or eyes, unusual tiredness or belly pain.
  • Reishi may slow blood clotting. Talk with your doctor if you take warfarin or other blood thinners, take antiplatelet medicines, or have surgery coming up.
  • Reishi may stimulate immune activity. Check with your doctor if you take immunosuppressants or live with an autoimmune condition.
  • Reported side effects include nausea, dry mouth, itching, dizziness and trouble sleeping. Reishi spore powder can raise a lab marker (CA72-4) used in cancer care.
  • Please consult a qualified practitioner or your doctor before using reishi regularly, especially if you take any medication.

In Our Shop

Organic Reishi Mushroom (Whole)

Organic Reishi Mushroom (Whole), from $14.00. Weighed and packed by hand at our Rockville Centre studio.

Shop Reishi Mushroom →

Sources and Further Reading

This page shares how herbs are traditionally used in Ayurveda and other herbal traditions. It is for general education only and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please talk with your doctor or a qualified practitioner before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition.