Superfoods to Boost Your Daily Productivity, Nutrition, and Body Wellness
When it comes to nutritional superfoods, it can be difficult to find a nutritionist or fitness expert that fails to mention some type of mushroom. No doubt, mushrooms are trending—whether you're talking about nutritional support or wellness supplements. However, mushrooms have been valued for their medicinal purposes for millennia.
With every fungi type from Maitake to Reishi offering unique wellness benefits, getting in more than one type of mushroom daily sounds more than ideal. After all, four superheroes are always going to bring more to a fight than just one because each has its own value to bring. The question is, what types of mushrooms can be stacked? Which mushroom stacks are best? Here's a closer look at combining multiple mushrooms for enhanced wellness support.
Types of Mushrooms Used for Mushroom Stacks
When looking for mushrooms to stack, stick with fungi types that are referred to as "functional." Functional mushrooms are basically fungi that have more value for your health than simply basic nutritional compositions. Many mushrooms are perfectly safe to eat, and many also offer excellent nutritive value. However, not all edible mushrooms are known for or prized for their functional health benefits.
Functional mushrooms can have different benefits to offer. For example, one type of functional mushroom is considered adaptogenic, which means the fungi contain compounds that help the body mitigate physical, biological, or chemical types of stress. In turn, this may lower the risks of damage that could potentially be caused by the stress.
Several types of mushrooms may offer health benefits and are referred to as functional mushrooms, including:
- Reishi - Known to support the immune system, stabilize moods, fight fatigue, and can help you sleep better.
- Cordyceps - Known to help with fitness endurance, support the cardiovascular system, and possibly support sexual function.
- Lion's Mane - Known to offer nervous system support and possibly help with cognitive function and focus.
- Shiitake - Known for supporting the immune system, healthy cholesterol levels, and possibly weight-loss.
- Turkey Tail - Known for supporting immune system functions and possibly digestion.
- Chaga - Known for supporting the immune system by supporting white blood cell formation.
- Maitake - Known to support blood sugar regulation and infection-fighting capabilities.
Why Should You Consider Mushroom Blends or Stacks?
Mushrooms are rich in so many nutrients and compounds that benefit the human body, and each can have its own makeup. A few compounds functional mushrooms are known for include polysaccharides, hexose-correlated compounds, and polyphenols. By stacking mushrooms, you get to take advantage of multiple proposed health benefits at the same time, and some actions support each other. For example, taking Reishi and Shiitake may be a good pairing when you are looking to maintain energy levels for your fitness routine and lose weight.
When you stack mushrooms, not only are you getting the valuable compounds from each type of mushroom, but you are also potentially getting synergistic actions between the mushroom's active compounds. For example, in a study discussed by Nutritional Outlook, researchers analyzed the effects of Shiitake, Maitake, and Reishi mushroom stacks for immune system stimulation. The mushroom blends seem to work better when consumed together than individually.
Most Popular Mushroom Stacks to Consider
Fungi fans each have their own favorite mushroom stacks. However, you will notice a few mushroom blends that tend to pop up in general conversation more than others. Take a look at a few of the top mushroom stacks and why.
Reishi and Chaga
Chaga is commonly used as a good all-around wellness mushroom. Reishi is excellent for stress and fighting fatigue by supporting a good night of sleep. Bringing these two together means a combination of health support and a little more pep in your everyday step because you get good rest.
Lion's Mane and Cordyceps
Cordyceps are prized for their natural energy, while Lion's Mane is all about mental focus or cognitive support. So bringing the two of these together in a mushroom stack means you get a boost of energy and good focus to keep you on-task.
Turkey Tail and Maitake
Maitake is thought to deter the formation of abnormal cells. Turkey Tail is an excellent fungo for fighting oxidative stress because it is an adaptogenic mushroom. Therefore, this mushroom stack is a go-to for people looking for support when fighting certain illnesses.
Chaga and Cordyceps
Both Chaga and Cordyceps mushrooms are known for optimal immune system support, but the two mushrooms also contain different active compounds. Therefore, combining both may offer a multifaceted level of support to beef up the immune system.
Reishi and Maitake
Both Reishi and maitake mushrooms are known for offering support for the immune system. Further, Reishi is good for deterring stress. This makes the duo a valuable mushroom blend for people who are battling an illness like the common cold.
How Do You Stack Mushrooms?
In an ideal world, everyone would have access to fresh functional mushrooms no matter where they lived or the time of year. Unfortunately, mushrooms can have such particular growing habits and seasons, most people don't have access to fresh mushrooms all the time. And, most people don't have access to multiple types of mushrooms at any given time. Therefore, one of the easiest ways to stack mushrooms is to source high-quality mushroom supplements from a reputable company.
Some companies offer well-curated mushroom blends. For example, Troomy Nootropics offers a Daily Wellness mushroom gummy that contains 14 super mushroom extracts in just one gummy. However, you can also pick up Troomy mushroom gummies like Focus with Lion's Mane and Boost with Cordyceps and stack the two supplements together for focused energy. Just the same, you could pair Troomy Calm with Reishi with Focus mushroom gummies to achieve a calmed and focused state.
Is It Safe to Create Mushroom Stacks?
In general, yes, as long as you don't go overboard with how many mushrooms you are consuming or how much mushroom extract you are taking. Functional mushrooms are, after all, food. However, be mindful of any medical conditions you have. However, the active compounds in these fungi should be consumed in moderation. Each mushroom can have its own recommended daily intake to consider. If you are looking for support for a specific illness, it is always a good idea to discuss functional mushrooms with your primary physician to ensure mushroom stacking is something safe for you personally.
A Few Final Takeaways on Mushroom Stacks
Stacking mushrooms gives you the best of different fungi worlds to cater to your specific wellness goals and needs. Taking a mushroom blend can be one of the easiest paths to stacking, but picking and choosing different types of mushrooms to create your own regimen is perfectly doable for most people. Looking to work functional mushrooms into your everyday wellness plans? Don't forget to take a look at the Troomy Nootropics collection of mushroom gummies here, and get started on finding your "True Me" today!