Do you use fruiting body or mycelium in your products?

We optimize the growing medium for each specific mushroom, so they can grow naturally, just as they would in nature. For example with reishi, we grow the red reishi strain on myceliated basswood logs that are buried underground. The mushrooms are only collected when the fruiting bodies are formed and grown into an optimal size, after which they go through our extensive dual-extraction process.

We do agree that all parts of the fungi have their benefits, however we choose to use the fruiting bodies of mushrooms, and never mycelium grown on grains. According to the FDA, mycelium has an identity different than actual mushrooms. Normally, mycelium based products contain 50-80% starch from the growing substrate, up to 50% less beta-glucans than fruiting bodies, and far less beneficial compounds.

The one exception to our mycelium rule is the Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Cs-4 cordyceps) we use in two of the products (10 Mushroom Blend and the Adaptogen Blend). Our other Cordyceps products (Cordyceps Elixir, Mushroom Hot Cacao with Cordyceps, Mushroom Coffee with Cordyceps) are made with the Cordyceps Militaris fruiting bodies. They are both powerful products and contain absolutely no starch. Unlike mushrooms grown on grain or other substrates, Cs-4 is pure mycelium grown in liquid fermentation tanks, without any fillers. Multiple research papers demonstrate that Cs-4 has similar activities as the incredibly rare wild Cordyceps varieties!