Instead of grabbing your coffee in the morning or buying that can of your favorite energy drink for an afternoon pick-me-up, have you considered reaching for a mushroom? The benefits of eating medicinal mushrooms are astounding—from supporting your immune system to being an incredible source of Vitamin D. According to WebMD, they may also mitigate the risk of developing serious health conditions, such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Each and every day, we are discovering more and more about mushrooms and how they run our planet and keep it going. We interviewed the Co-Founder of UMBO, Del Jolly, to give us the top five reasons people should add functional mushrooms to their diet. Keep reading for more!
Here Are the Top 5 Reasons Functional Mushrooms Should Be Part of Your Diet
1) They are a whole food group that is being missed
According to The Fungal Pharmacy, it was the famous English herbalist, John Gerard who introduced mycophobia that most Westerners hold onto to this day. Removing an entire kingdom from our diets might not be such a good idea! Mushrooms are very complex organizations and contain beneficial compounds.
2) They are a great source of Vitamin D
Many people are vitamin D deficient and mushrooms are the only good non-animal or fortified food source of vitamin D! Our modern lifestyle has put us in cubicles and not outside as much as we used to be. Our bodies produce vitamin D from sunlight and most of us don’t spend enough time outdoors! Mushrooms to the rescue for you and your immune system!
3) Thousands of years of mushroom use can’t be wrong
Ancient cultures have used mushrooms for various health benefits for centuries. Modern societies such as Japanese doctors prescribe mushrooms to patients. Many prestigious universities around the world are publishing scientific papers on the many benefits as we speak. Mushrooms have been here forever and will continue to be. According to Monterey Mushrooms, “mushrooms are the only significant source of vitamin D in the produce department, as no other fruits and vegetables contain enough of the nutrient to be considered significant”. No other fruits or vegetables—that’s incredible!
4) Mushrooms are adaptogens
Adaptogens are all the craze. Whether it’s ashwagandha or Lion’s Mane mushrooms, these compounds seem to adapt to what your particular body needs. As we begin to honor the unique chemistry of individuals and understand each person is different, adaptogens will come into play as a great supporting supplement. Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Cordyceps, Turkeytail and many more mushrooms fall into the category of adaptogens. According to the Cleveland Clinic, adaptogens are plants and mushrooms that help your body respond to stress, anxiety, fatigue and overall wellbeing. You can take adaptogens by adding them to food or beverages or take them as tinctures. Adaptogens bring your body back to a steady balance by managing both physical and mental stressors.
5) Mushrooms taste amazing
We may have our preconceived notions as to what mushrooms taste like. And while some of it may be warranted, when paired with the right ingredients, functional mushroom bars can have 2.5 grams of the 5 best mushrooms in them! Lions Mane, Cordyceps, Reishi, Shiitake, and Turkey tail, all at 500mg each. Making them irresistible, especially when paired with ingredients like pure honey, California walnuts, golden pecans, and toasty sunflower kernels. Functional mushrooms become getting a daily dose of something you’ll truly crave versus something that you just tolerate to get the nutritional value out of. They’re a great base that can create savory and sweet foods. They can also be a great meat substitute if you are a vegetarian or a vegan. They can also be a great source of protein for you as well.
Meet Our Expert
UMBO is transforming the way that we view mushrooms and how we consume them with their potent functional mushroom supplements and foods that fuel focus and endurance! Being 100% certified organic, using adaptogens to help the body adapt to stress and to exert a normalizing effect upon bodily processes, they are the perfect addition to your morning. This brand was created by a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Rashad Evans, Pro-Bowl NFL Quarterback, Jake Plummer and Advocate and Educator, Del Jolly the three have come together to share their knowledge to renovate sports nutrition via natural medicine and to advocate for the education and research surrounding functional mushrooms and psychedelics. All of UMBO’s products are made proudly in the U.S.A and ship nationally across the country.
