Every Sunday here at Organo Gold we like to take a look at the wonders of the amazing ingredient that lies at the heart of all of our products — the Ganoderma Lucidum mushroom. Here are some fun facts you may not have known about this very special mushroom.
- Ganoderma Lucidum is also known as the Reishi and Lingzhi mushroom, and has been in use for thousands of years.
- Reishi is a Japanese word that translates as “supernatural mushroom.”
- Ganoderma is the genus of a group of closely related species of fungi that are known to have beneficial properties.
- Because Ganoderma Lucidum respires just like humans — oxygen in and carbon dioxide out — it helps add a quality source of oxygen to the body.
- The first use of Ganoderma Lucidum was recorded in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and was referred to as “The Mushroom of Immortality” in the Book of Han.
- While the Ganoderma Lucidum used in Organo Gold products is flavorless and imperceptible, the entire mushroom is actually edible. The fruiting part above ground level is the most commonly used, but the roots and the mycelium filaments connecting different fungi growths are also considered to be an excellent source of bioactive compounds. Most people would describe the mushroom as woody and tough, with a bitter taste.
- Ganoderma Lucidum generally occurs in two growth forms, one, found in North America, is rather large with only a small or no stalk, while the other is smaller and has a long, narrow stalk, and is found mainly in the tropics.
- Environmental conditions can play a substantial role in the different characteristics that Ganoderma can exhibit. For example, elevated carbon dioxide levels usually result in the fungus having a longer stem.