RHR: The Nutritional and Therapeutic Health Benefits of Mushrooms, with Jeff Chilton
Sep 19, 2023
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Jeff Chilton, founder of Nammex and mushroom expert, joins Chris to discuss the nutritional and therapeutic benefits of mushrooms as a functional food and supplement. They debunk myths, explore the history of mushroom cultivation, and address quality issues in the mushroom supplement market.
Different types of mushrooms have specific health benefits due to compounds like beta-glucans and triterpenoids.
Differentiating between real mushrooms and mycelium on grain products is important to ensure optimal nutrient levels.
Organic certification and rigorous testing protocols are crucial for ensuring the safety and quality of mushroom products.
Deep dives
Understanding the Importance of Nutrients and Adapt Naturals
Our modern diets lack the essential nutrients needed for optimal health. Adapt Naturals is a supplement line that aims to bridge this nutrient gap using evolutionary biology and modern research. Their products are made with clinician-grade, bioavailable ingredients that provide real and noticeable benefits. From multivitamins to superfood mushrooms, Adapt Naturals offers a range of products to improve joint health, boost exercise performance, elevate mood, and regulate immune function.
Exploring the Medicinal Benefits of Mushrooms
Mushrooms have a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine, with their medicinal properties attributed to compounds such as beta-glucans and triterpenoids. Beta-glucans, found in mushrooms like shiitake and lion's mane, have immunological potentiation properties and activate immune cells. Triterpenoids, abundant in mushrooms like reishi and turkey tail, have various health benefits, including liver support and antioxidant effects. However, it is essential to differentiate between real mushrooms and mycelium on grain products, which often have lower levels of these beneficial compounds and higher amounts of grain starch.
Understanding the Structure of Mushrooms and Mycelium
Mushrooms and mycelium are different parts of the fungal life cycle. Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies that contain spores and can be consumed for their health benefits. Mycelium, on the other hand, is the vegetative structure that grows underground or within substrates. Mycelium is often grown on grain substrates and can be marketed as mushroom products, even though they contain mostly grain starch and lack the same levels of beneficial compounds found in mushrooms. Proper labeling and transparency are crucial for consumers to make informed choices.
The Importance of Sourcing Organic Mushrooms
Source: Organic mushrooms from reputable suppliers is crucial to ensure their safety and quality. Organic certification provides a level of assurance that the mushrooms are grown without the use of harmful pesticides, herbicides, or heavy metals. Responsible companies, like NAMEX, test their products for heavy metals, pesticides, and microbial contaminants to meet strict standards. While sourcing from specific regions, such as China, is often cited as a concern, it's vital to recognize that organic certifications and rigorous testing protocols can ensure the quality and safety of the products.
Advocating for Proper Regulation and Labeling in the Mushroom Industry
The mushroom industry needs clearer regulations and labeling standards to prevent confusion and ensure consumers are getting the products they expect. Currently, the lack of defined terminology allows some companies to sell mycelium on grain products as mushrooms, leading to adulteration and misrepresentation. Advocacy efforts are underway to address this issue and enforce accurate labeling, testing, and transparency in the mushroom industry.
Nammex founder Jeff Chilton joins Chris on this episode of Revolution Health Radio to discuss mushrooms and their nutritional and overall benefits as a functional food and supplement. They also talk about some myths and misconceptions about mushrooms, the history of mushroom cultivation, and some of the product and quality issues with the expanding mushroom supplement market.
