Turkey Tail Mushroom Benefits: What Are Turkey Tail Mushrooms Good For?
Turkey tail mushroom benefits’ are well-established in scientific studies and their popularity is by no means a passing craze. They’re a regular in the top mushroom coffees.
If, like many North Americans you’re only beginning to become acquainted with these powerful adaptogenic mushrooms — this article is for you.
Medicinal mushrooms have played an integral role in eastern medicines practices as an anti-aging tool and a ward against infections, and their usage dates back hundreds, if not thousands of years. It’s only in the last decade that medicinal mushrooms have made their way west, finding a niche in health and wellness circles, and now, gaining widespread attention for their superfood profile and potential health benefits.
There’s a lot of information to digest, but first; the basics.
What Are Turkey Tail Mushrooms?
Turkey tail mushrooms are part of the functional mushroom family — a group of fungi that are packed with adaptogens and high in antioxidants. The name turkey tail is a reference to the mushrooms’ fan-like shape and versicolor hue, resembling the tail for a wild turkey when found sprouting on the side of tree trunks. These mushrooms grow throughout the world and are quite common in North America.
While most people simply refer to these mushrooms by their “turkey tail” moniker, the mushrooms are also called by several other names: Trametes versicolor, Coriolus versicolor, and Polyporus versicolor. Turkey tail is traditionally utilized for immune support but there’s some scientific evidence to suggest a much greater healing potential.
The Health Benefits of Turkey Tail Mushrooms Explained
There’s a tendency in modern society to view the medicines of the past with skepticism. Turkey Tail held a prestigious position in traditional Chinese medicines, viewed as promoting longevity, immunity and spirituality. Today, we understand in greater detail what Turkey Tail is and why traditional medicines were onto something with this unique functional mushroom.
Functional mushrooms contain adaptogens. That might sound like a buzz word but it’s in fact an important player in our bodies’ stress response. Adaptogens interact with the HPA axis in our bodies, helping to prepare the mind and body for stress response. In training our bodies to deal with stress, we become more resilient, and less inclined to get overwhelmed by symptoms of anxiety. This also results in an energy boost.
Within every turkey tail mushroom are protein-bound polysaccharides, which are powerful immune boosters also shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. The antioxidant-rich profile serves to further bolster the adaptogens contained in these fungi by reducing oxidative stress in the body, and therein lies the anti-aging potential as well.
Another possible use for Turkey Tail mushrooms is as a weight loss supplement. The mushrooms feature beta glucan compounds, and in addition to improving gut health by supporting positive bacteria in the gut microbiome, beta glucans can reduce cholesterol in the blood and could help with weight loss for those suffering from obesity.
A guide to the benefits of Turkey Tail Mushrooms
|
Bioactive Component |
Action |
Health and Wellness Benefit |
|
Polysaccharides, PSP, PSK |
Immune support / Immunity |
Prebiotic fiber promotes a healthy gut microbiome. The immune system can protect against disease when the immunological barrier is supported in this manner.‡ |
|
Phenols and flavonoids |
Antioxidant and anti-aging |
Oxidate stress can damage tissues, this can cause chronic illness and premature aging.‡ |
|
YZP protein isolated from turkey tail fruiting bodies |
Anti-inflammatory |
Acute colitis in tissue culture saw Anti-inflammatory activity was found against acute colitis in tissure culture and animal studies.‡ |
|
Protein-bound Beta-glucans |
May support obesity reduction
|
Turkey tail contains beta-glucans. In animal research these reduced obesity. Turkey tail contains beta-glucans. In animal research these reduced obesity.‡ |
Summary: Health Benefits of Turkey Tail Mushrooms
- Stress response
- Gut health
- Immune boosting
- Anti-inflammatory
- Lower cholesterol
- Could help with weight loss
- Fights fatigue
How to incorporate Turkey Tail Mushrooms In Your daily Routine
The greatest challenge with implementing changes to your routine is making them stick. In order to fully leverage the health benefits of functional mushrooms, you must consume them regularly and for an extended period of time. You won’t notice the effects until you’ve had at least 2 weeks of daily consumption and missing a day or two can completely upend your efforts and your results too.
To make adaptogenic mushrooms part of your daily routine you need to consider how and when you’d like to take them, and which products are the best fit for your goals and lifestyle. Of course, you can purchase Turkey tail mushrooms in their unadulterated form, adding them to a bowl of soup, throwing them into a stir fry, or using them the classic way in a cup of tea.
While many functional mushrooms have a strong, earthy flavor, turkey tail is sweeter than most, especially when ground up in mushroom powder. Sprinkling some mushroom powder into a baking recipe or a fruit-flavored smoothie won’t significantly alter the taste, so you’re free to tinker in order to find the best way to add adaptogens to your life.
If you’d prefer to leave the tinkering to the professionals — Brain Brands carries a variety of functional mushroom products designed for effortless ingestion.
Turkey Tail Capsule for immunity
Do you take vitamins in the morning to support your health? If so, adding Turkey Tail mushrooms to your morning ritual is as easy as swallowing one of our Immunity capsules. Immunity Capsules feature a generous 1000 milligrams of turkey tail mushrooms in every capsule, and with 120 vegan capsules per bottle and a price tag of just $49.99, you can incorporate turkey tail mushrooms into your day for a fraction of the cost of similar products from competing brands.
Seven Mushroom Complex
Why choose just one functional mushroom when you can have them all? That’s the question we’ve answered with our Seven Mushroom Complex capsules. In every capsule you’ll revive 320 mgs of Chaga, Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, Maitake, Oyster mushroom, Reishi and Turkey Tail. This one formula can support your whole body and mind, delivering improved cognitive function, reducing stress and inflammation in the body, providing energy and focus, supporting the immune system, and helping to foster healthy sleep habits. In truth, there are so many potential benefits with Seven Mushroom Complex that we’d need an entire article to cover them all.
Seven Mushroom Blend Coffee
If you love the sound of our seven mushroom complex and also love your morning coffee — meet your new sunrise companion. Seven Mushroom Blend coffee combines the effects of Chaga, Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, Maitake, Oyster mushroom, Reishi and Turkey Tail into a product that most adults consume every day. What’s particularly appealing about this roast is that the beneficial mushrooms can work to negate the undesirable side effects of caffeine.
This jitter-free energy boosting coffee comes without the caffeine crash, and because it’s a product that you already use on a daily basis, integrating mushrooms into your lifestyle doesn’t get any more convenient. No more asking yourself “why am I always tired?”
A 12 oz bag containing 32 servings sells for only $49.99; a fair value compared to premium coffee and an absolute steal when compared against other mushroom coffee products.
Simply add hot water to a serving of mushroom coffee, stir, and enjoy.
Are Turkey Tail Mushrooms Right For You?
Adding Turkey Tail mushrooms to your routine can have a big pay off, from aiding in stress response to reducing inflammation and supporting your immune system through a healthy gut. While you should never take Turkey tail mushrooms in place of a medication or as a treatment for serious illness, there’s reason to believe in the power of these potent superfood mushrooms.
Shop our range of Mushroom Products today!
References:
- Berry, J. (2020, March 25). Turkey tail mushrooms: Immune system, cancer, and more. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/turkey-tail-mushroom
- Benson, K. F., Stamets, P., Davis, R., Nally, R., Taylor, A., Slater, S., & Jensen, G. S. (2019, December 2). The mycelium of the trametes versicolor (Turkey tail) mushroom and its fermented substrate each show potent and complementary immune activating properties in vitro. BMC complementary and alternative medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6889544/
- Hobbs, C. R. (2004). International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, Vol. 6, pp. 195–218 (2004)1521-9437/04 $20.00© 2004 by Begell House, Inc. 195Medicinal Value of Turkey Tail Fungus Trametes versicolor (L.:Fr.) Pilát (Aphyllophoromycetideae). A Literature Review 2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247854972_Medicinal_Value_of_Turkey_Tail_Fungus_Trametes_versicolor_LFr_Pilat_Aphyllophoromycetideae_A_Literature_Review
