Mushrooms are in the works for medicinal and food purposes for decades. And they possess anti-allergic, anti-cholesterol, anti-tumor, and anti-cancer properties. So the big question is: are mushrooms good for gut health?
Mushrooms are rich in complex carbohydrates, like chitin, hemicellulose, β glucans, mannans, and much more. And that makes them the finest choice for prebiotics. They function as prebiotics to encourage the development of gut microbiota. Thereby, they are providing health benefits to the host. Let’s look into the best mushrooms for gut health:
What is the Gastrointestinal Microbiome?
The gut microbiome is composed of the epithelial cells lining our gastrointestinal tract.
These chemicals, digestive enzymes, and bacteria clusters make a barricade between the external world and our body. And when all we eat passes through, it is regulated whether the particles are good or bad.
Backing our gut-barrier function guarantees we don’t have a leaky gut or intestinal absorbency. It is when gaps appear inside our mucosal lining. And the molecules, pathogens, poisons, and bacteria can move through this gap. It then prompts an inflammatory as well as immune response.
What Are Prebiotics?
Prebiotics are food elements (such as best mushrooms for gut health) that can encourage the development of beneficial microbiota. Oligosaccharides, as well as fibers, are the chief components of prebiotics.
The current trend in food science and technology has presented the relationship between prebiotics and our gut. Prebiotics modify the human gut microbiota and weaken numerous diseases. These include diabetes, obesity, as well as cancer.
The significant sources of prebiotics in mushrooms are polysaccharides which can prevent pathogens from multiplying. And that is by increasing the development of probiotic bacteria in the gut.
The gut microbes can add to the beginning of numerous metabolic dysregulations. And it can lead to irritation in the intestine, liver, and brain. Microbiota also controls energy metabolism.
What Are Some Indications of an Unhealthful Gut?
Everybody has an exceptional microbiome. But there are ways to define a healthy gut from an unhealthy one.
In fit people, there are a varied collection of organisms. Unluckily, there’s much less variety in an unfit individual. There seems to be an upsurge in bacteria related to the disease.
The digestive system has more than a thousand different species of bacteria. And they function towards normal physical function. They aid digestion. But these microbes also help preserve heart health, brain wellbeing & function, and weight.
Some extra signs of a harmful gut contain swelling, constipation, indigestion, and nausea. You might also experience stomach pain, fatigue, sickness, diarrhea, and brain fog. Some individuals get food allergies/intolerances, mysterious weight gain/weight loss, and headaches.
Best mushrooms for gut health
Reinforcing our gut lining and microbial variety is vital to a healthy life. And fortunately for us, medicinal mushrooms have the aptitude to help us with it.
Mushrooms function chiefly through their prebiotic components. These include α and beta β-glucans, chitin, hemicellulose, etc.
The prebiotic influences of mushrooms add to their defensive and immunomodulation components. An amazing 75% of the immune components are contained in our gut!
The polysaccharide β-glucan components occur within all mushrooms. But they are inept to be processed and cracked apart through our digestive enzymes. And hence, they function as prebiotics to the bacteria in our system.
It is very powerful as mushrooms boost beneficial and pleasant bacteria to thrive. And help the termination of unwelcome bacteria. But also can connect with the bacteria in our system.
The association between the mushrooms and our bacteria does take a helpful role. The condition and power of our microbiome, and in sequence, the forte of our immune system is influenced greatly.
As aforementioned, 75% of our immune system is positioned in our gut. And 80% of our neurotransmitters (NT), counting 90% of serotonin, are our “feel good” NT.
Mushroom polysaccharides function as prebiotics. Thus, they nourish the helpful microbes in our gut. They, sequentially, make nutrients, such as Vitamin K and SCFA (short chain fatty acids). These nutrients patch up our enterocytes (stomach wall cells) and kick-start our cellular energy production.
But be Careful About The Best Mushrooms for Gut Health!
Small amounts of superfood medicinal mushrooms can support the gut. Adding just ¼ teaspoon (1 gram or extra) of mushroom extract into your everyday routine nearly seems too simple to gain such grand benefits. But that’s the influence of these medicinal mushrooms.
Though, it’s significant to note that negative bacteria families, for example, Firmicutes, will too consume prebiotics. It’s a violent world in the gut!
It is super important to eat prebiotics to nurse the beneficial bacteria. But also through having a rich diet in plants and whole foods. It is to safeguard that our bacteria ratio favors the good family over the bad ones.
Reishi Mushroom
Reishi mushroom has influenced the structure and percentage of bacteria. And overturn gut dysbiosis (imbalance), which can happen to owe to poor diet, anxiety, or infections. And inflammation, poor immune system, as well as infections.
It is helpful as bacteria can create short-chain fatty acids. And they fix our intestinal cells and energize them to create cellular energy ATP.
Some bacteria do the contradictory. They consume our glucose and famish our energy. Ultimately, it causes us to feel exhausted, lackluster, and inactive even though we eat well.
Reishi is likewise able to decrease endotoxin-creating bacteria. Proteobacteria can harm our cellular DNA. Impaired DNA is truthfully linked to the advancement of cancer.
Reishi also maintains our intestinal cell structure. It means we’re able to have a robust, snug gut wall. It reduces the probability of the related disease states suffered with leaky gut.
Reports also suggest that Reishi has anti-ulcer properties. So it can have amazing benefits for individuals undergoing UC/Crohn’s disease and IBD. Also, it helps people with stomach ulcers due to H.pylori infections.
Candida albicans – a common bacterium species that Reishi can overcome reasons thrush, tiredness, and exhaustion. It’s also capable of helping disturb biofilms. These are colonies that bacteria construct, so antibiotics can’t exterminate them.
It’s important to identify that store-bought culinary mushrooms can add to candida development. It is due to the occurrence of fungal and mold pollutants. Thus, change those culinary mushrooms for the best gut health, as they help combat candida.
Reishi Mushroom soothes the Central Nervous System. It also decreases stress and nervousness and stops dysbiosis and a leaky gut. Moreover, stress negatively influences our gut. So Reishi, the ultimate anti-stress mushroom, is super helpful in this respect.
How The Best Mushrooms for Gut Health Reishi treats dysbiosis
Sometimes the gut microbiome encounters stressors. And these can be environmental, bodily, emotional, mental, or organic. In turn, it creates a dysbiotic state. Dysbiosis is when a bacterial disproportion occurs. And that leads to more leaky gaps.
Dysbiosis generates an inflammatory response, with inflammatory markers discharged into the blood that flows in our bodies. Thus, the raised inflammatory markers then surge the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, manipulating our brain’s wellbeing.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Lion’s Mane mushroom has a remarkable influence on the microbiome.
We have a vagus nerve, also called the gut-brain axis. Here, the gut predominantly connects with the brain. And thus, powers our intellectual function and behavior. An individual who is feeling gradations of leaky gut is perhaps feeling grades of “leaky brain” too.
Like in our gut, the brain has a barricade called the blood-brain barrier (BBB). And it acts as a secure channel – particular things can cross, others can’t. This barrier is very strongly controlled.
As aforementioned, dysbiosis brings about augmented inflammation and a leaky brain. And this allows molecules, infections, and toxins to go through. It, in turn, can cause mental problems, for example, anxiety, depression, and confusion.
In severe cases, mental lethargy and neurodegenerative illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s, can also be instigated.
Studies display Lion’s Mane can alter the structure and action of the GI tract. And microbiota, which then is helpful to our health. Additionally, this best mushroom for gut health is gastroprotective. It decreases inflammatory and immune reactions through its antioxidants and influences.
Chaga Mushroom
One more medicinal mushroom that helps us attain a cheerful, vigorous microbiome is Chaga. It is also called the mother of antioxidants.
Being a powerful antioxidant, Chaga for gut health helps to hunt free radicals and damaging oxidized particles. These can harm our DNA and reason inflammation. Ultimately, it brings about IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), Crohn’s, and UC (ulcerative colitis). These are autoimmune conditions.
The immunomodulation properties of the Chaga mushroom can help decrease the inflammatory flow that happens with a leaky gut. Therefore, this property makes it a strong gut-friendly boost.
Chaga likewise soothes the immune system to aid in withdrawing any extra elements. It is in the circumstance of autoimmune conditions.
The Best Mushrooms for Gut Health: Shiitake Mushroom
Shiitake is a powerful immune system tonic. And with roughly 70% of our immune system situated within our gut, the two are joined at the hip.
You can think of our gut and immune organizations as a business. Our gut is the bigshot and directs the immune system. It guides our immune systems and lets them know who’s a partner. And it also identifies who’s a scam, who to ditch, and what to disregard.
Shiitake changes advantageous bacteria balance and recovers gut immunity. Its prebiotic constituents reduce external microbes found in the GI tract. And thus, it permits the immune system to be more proficient and battle outside microbes.
Common Gut Health Issues and How The Best Mushrooms for Gut Health Could Help
There are some common digestive complaints among people. And best mushrooms for gut health are known to relieve all of them.
1. Irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a group of continuing symptoms without a fundamental cause. And they might comprise abdominal pain and variations in bowel movements. It usually happens because of an imbalance of bacteria in the gut.
But turkey tail medicinal mushrooms have a prebiotic polysaccharide named PSP. And randomized clinical trials prove that it inspires the progress of good bacteria in the gut. Thus, it relieves the symptoms of IBS.
2. Constipation
People spend oodles per year on laxatives. And that’s how common (and horrible) constipation is. Cordyceps, Reishi, and Shiitake have been known to eliminate constipation for ages. Eastern medicine uses these mushrooms mainly for their high fiber matters.
3. Peptic ulcer
Many people will get a peptic ulcer one of these days in their lives. And the reason is the Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) bacterium. It disturbs the mucosal lining of the stomach or small intestine and reasons sores.
It results in inexplicable stomach pain. And it could be considerably aggravated by aspirin or additional painkillers. But if they aren’t treated for a long time, peptic ulcers need to be addressed by surgery.
Nevertheless, several studies show the anti-ulcer activity of these best mushrooms for gut health. And it has been restricted to the influence of a particular polysaccharide fraction.
4. Acid reflux/heartburn/gastroesophageal reflux disease (“GERD”)
These diverse titles signify the consequence of stomach acid not remaining in the stomach. And that too at many levels of severity.
At its most severe, GERD can harm the esophagus with time. And even instigate esophageal cancer. Besides that, people spend a lot on the foremost acid reflux drug. It is not only heartburn.
Lion’s Mane and Reishi mushrooms can be super helpful. Lion’s Mane helps to defend mucous membranes and allows them to renew. And Reishi counters inflammation.
Also, both of them have amino acids. These can help to reduce the influence of inflammation and contamination.
Who Shouldn’t Take The Best Mushrooms for Gut Health
The best mushrooms for gut health are normally safe. But pregnant women or those breastfeeding should consult their doctor before using them. Also, if you’re on any medicines, chiefly blood pressure–dropping medications! Seek advice from your doctor or pharmacologist to evade any problems.
Individuals having autoimmune diseases should also be careful. Some mushrooms have immune-boosting influences. And this might overexcite the immune system.
You’ll want to work with an informed doctor if you have an autoimmune disorder. And they safeguard that you select the correct mushroom for your requirements.
Add best mushrooms for gut health supplements to your daily routine
Many companies offer a variety of mushroom supplements for bettering gut health. You’re in luck if you’re feeling worried and weary from sleeplessness! (or not?). So, try out a Reishi mushroom and hot cacao combination!
Your stress levels will decrease, and it will help you get your napping pattern on track. It’s easy to make! Just add it to warm nut milk or hot water. And we’re sure this will relax and calm you.
Are you sick of chocolate and find caffeine overwhelming? But do you still want something strong before you head out for a stormy day? And Cordyceps or Chaga Mushroom coffee will be your best mate.
This coffee alternate will give you that much-needed vigor in the morning. It will stimulate your metabolic rate. And this is simultaneously being less unpleasant and disturbing for your gut.
You will obtain numerous gut health welfares by using the best mushrooms for gut health. And also set on your journey towards a better and cleaner way of life.
