What is Ganoderma?
he Ganoderma lucidum mushroom has a long and prestigious history and different names: Reishi in Japanese, King of Herbs, Lingzhi in Chinese… This epic mushroom has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years, making it one of the oldest ingredients known to have been used medicinally.
You can recognize the Ganoderma mushroom for its shiny orange cap, and long brown stem. It can be harvested when it reaches maturity, or it can be used earlier, when it is around 18-days old, to take advantage of the antioxidant properties of the minerals on its roots.
The Ganoderma spores are also useful and rich in nutrients, they contain higher concentrations of polysaccharides, triterpenes, and selenium.
Where does Ganoderma come from?
The first trace of the medicinal use of Ganoderma comes from thousands of years ago in traditional Asian medicine. Its Chinese name “Lingzhi” means “spiritual potency” while its Japanese name, Reishi, is translated as the “King of Herbs“.
Native to the tropical regions of Asia, Ganoderma mushrooms grow wild on wood and within large trees, and thrive in heavily forested areas, making them extremely difficult to see and find. The generic name Ganoderma derives from the Greek word ganos which translates as “bright” and derma, which means, “skin”, the epithet lucidum is Latin for “shining.”
Dr. Shi-Jean Lee —the most renowned doctor of the Ming Dynasty — endorsed the effectiveness of Ganoderma in his renowned book Great Pharmacopoeia (Ban Chao Gang Moo). In it, he wrote that “long-term taking of Ganoderma will build a strong, healthy body and assure a long life.”
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The Best Ganoderma Products