Here’s Why You Need to Add Lion’s Mane Mushrooms to Your Diet

Mushrooms are in many ways one of the best ways to live healthy in the age of synthetic food. As time has passed, humanity has found itself in the plastic trap deeper than ever before. In fact, scientists have started finding microplastics in the body of humans that are many times the acceptable limit. In this time of declining health, one must think seriously about whether it is good to continue on this same path that will eventually lead to health complications. Many people are of the opinion that they are not able to eat more organically simply because organic food is not readily available. There might be some truth to this fact but when considering all the factors, it is not nearly as good an excuse.

This is exactly where mushrooms come in. Mushrooms like lion’s mane and oyster mushrooms have the ability to be rather easy to grow and are readily available in farmer’s markets around the country. In fact, lion’s mane grow kits and oyster mushrooms grow kits are easily available and for prices that are extremely reasonable. The meaty texture of mushrooms not only makes them a great alternative to meat but also gives them a signature taste that is easy to become addicted to. On top of that, there are simply a plethora of reasons why you need to accept these in your diet without delay. Let’s first take a look at what lion’s mane mushrooms really are.

Lion’s Mane Mushrooms

Also known as Hericium erinaceus, it is a mushroom that is colored white. It is aptly named lion’s mane because the consistency of the texture of the mushroom is indeed similar to how a lion’s mane will look in real life. Although the major difference would be the difference in color. Found mostly in Asia, lion’s mane is an integral part of not only the culinary tradition but also has several medicinal uses as well, hinting at the importance of lion’s mane as something that can truly augment your health. Lion’s mane supplement and lion’s mane extract are sold widely in health food stores and are a popular choice amongst people who want to invest in their health while also keeping their budget in check.

The ease of use of lion’s mane mushrooms doesn’t stop there. It is also terrifically easy to cook as well. The rather artistic aesthetic of fried lion’s mane mushroom gives it an air of culinary supremacy, like a food that has a long pedigree behind it. So, the next time you have people over who you want to impress with your cooking skills, lion’s mane mushrooms are not a half-bad choice. So, without further ado, let’s look into the numerous reasons why you need to add lion’s mane mushrooms to your diet.

Reduce Inflammation

Antioxidants are one of the most important things that a human body needs in order to function correctly. One of its many advantages include the fact that antioxidants reduce inflammation in the human body. While inflammation itself might not seem like too much of a bad thing, it is actually correlated to a string of diseases like diabetes and heart diseases. There’s a reason why love is always associated with the heart. In many ways, our heart is at the center of our body’s function. While the brain may provide all the guidance, the heart is the generator that pumps blood throughout the body. Hence, diseases that weaken the heart have a destructive effect on the rest of the body. Perhaps the worst part is that the danger that is done to a once-healthy heart is rather hard to reverse. After you are diagnosed with heart disease, it is impossible to go back. So, it is imperative that you make sure your heart is always at the top of your priority list. The high antioxidant activity that is found in lion’s mane mushrooms is directly linked with lower risks of heart disease and diabetes.

Help Build Immunity

The preventive ability of the antioxidants again comes into play here. There has been some research on mice that seems to point in the direction of lion’s mane mushrooms boosting the intestinal immunity of humans as well. More than that, another study has shown that the protein that is found in lion’s mane mushrooms encourages the growth of healthy bacteria in the intestines of mice as well. After the COVID pandemic, there is perhaps no better example than the virus itself to provide context about the sheer importance of building immunity. People who had better immunity to the virus were affected much less than people who had weaker immune systems. Once a virus or bacteria gets into the body, the only defense mechanism that is available is the immune system itself. Think of it a bit like this, your body is like a country and a virus is like a group of insurgents that are hell-bent on destabilizing the balance inside your body. Wouldn’t you want to strengthen your military? So, think of consuming lion’s mane mushrooms like signing a deal with another country that sells you weapons and strengthens your immune system to fight all sorts of insurgent viruses.

Might Help with Depression

The body being healthy is of no use is the mind itself is not healthy. In fact, most people would say that it is impossible for the body to be healthy if the mind is sick. Researchers have found that people who have anxiety and depression are also tied to worse health as well. The terrible feeling in your stomach that you feel when you get some depressing news is exactly what is being referred to here. In search of an escape, people resort to all sorts of things. They try harmful drugs and get into toxic habits that take a whole lifetime to get out of.  The good news is that lion’s mane is nature’s antidepressant in many ways. A study that was done on mice in 2015 correlated the use of lion’s mane mushrooms to lesser instances of depressive behaviors. In fact, a Japanese study showed lowered levels of irritation in menopausal women who consumed lion’s mane mushrooms. This also confirms the myth that people who eat healthily also tend to be much happier than people who eat unhealthily.

Might Help Treat Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s

The research that is being done on both diseases is promising and shows a somewhat correlation between higher levels of cognition and lion’s mane mushroom consumption. This is truly something that can change the entire face of the game if proven to be conclusively true. We have all had friends and family who have succumbed to these terrible diseases. As age starts to set in and memory starts to go away, it is a sad decline to see and even more terrible to go through. You seem to feel like less of yourselves and more like a person who is forgetful and can’t be depended upon. It truly is a curse, and no one deserves to feel that way. No one wants to fall down this void that almost feels like death before death and even if there’s a small chance that lion’s mane mushrooms have the cure to this, you should start consuming them.

Might Be Able to Contribute to Faster Healing

A study on rats showed that wounds that were treated with lion’s mane extract exhibited elevated levels of healing. I mean, don’t expect lion’s mane mushrooms to turn you into Wolverine just yet but who knows, science has the ability to do wonders. So, the next time you get a scratch playing some football, you might want to apply some lion’s mane mushrooms extract that is readily available in supermarkets and dedicated mushrooms shops and see the wonders of nature taking their glorious shape.

Just like anything else that nature produces, lion’s mane mushrooms seem to have the ability to fix most of the issues with the modern synthetic lifestyles that we lead today. Perhaps the greatest use of lion’s mane mushrooms is the fact that you can use them as a substitute for other foods that might not be great for your health. If consumed in large amounts, meat can prove to be extremely unhealthy, and lion’s mane can fill that gap in your diet pretty well. I mean, mushrooms have great taste, are great for your health, and can even contribute to elevated levels of happiness! Is there really something that these magic fungi can’t do? Head on over to your nearest farmer’s market or online health food store and online some lion’s mane mushrooms for yourself so your diet revolution can start today.