What are Reishi Mushrooms
Often called the "Divine Mushroom," "mushroom of immortality," and the "queen healer mushroom," reishi mushrooms have been used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine for over 2,000 years to promote restful sleep, reduce stress, and calm the mind. Their adaptogenic qualities help the body manage stress, reduce inflammation, and help transition more easily into rest.
Where does the name come from?
Reishi mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum), also known as Lingzhi, are medicinal. (This is not a culinary mushroom.) The term "reishi mushroom" doesn't actually refer to one specific type of fungi. Reishi (also known as Lingzhi in China and Korea and "mannetake" in Japan) is the common name for the mushroom genus Ganoderma. The name Ganoderma means "shiny skin." Reishi mushrooms come in many species, each with slightly different beneficial properties: yellow, white, red, black, and purple. Reishi mushroom colors may vary throughout the year and by environment, so red reishi can sometimes be yellow or orange.
Where it grows
The Ganoderma genus is found worldwide, from South America to Asia. Different types of reishi mushrooms grow in different environments, from tropical and subtropical to temperate climates. Reishi mushrooms tend to grow in a shelf-like arrangement on dying trees or fallen logs. However, most reishi mushrooms used in functional applications are not wild-grown. They are cultivated on sawdust beds or log inoculation.
What's inside it
Ganoderma mushrooms contain hundreds of bioactive compounds, mainly polysaccharides like beta-glucans and triterpenes. Triterpenes include ganoderic acid, which gives reishi its bitter, pungent flavor. Ganoderic acid has muscle-relaxant and analgesic properties that researchers have studied in relation to inflammation. Reishi mushrooms are also rich in amino acids like L-ergothioneine, and their high antioxidant content helps safeguard against free radicals.
Reishi mushroom and Moksha Nighttime Chocolate
Reishi mushrooms have a bold, earthy, and distinctively bitter flavor caused by ganoderic acids, a group of unique triterpene compounds found in the mushroom. Quality reishi extracts and fruiting bodies taste very bitter. The classic Chinese proverb is "good medicine is bitter to taste." At Moksha Chocolate, we use a combination of whole fruiting body reishi mushrooms and reishi extract to maximize beta-glucan and triterpene content. When incorporated thoughtfully, this bitterness brings an earthy depth that complements cacao's natural complexity without overpowering it. This is chocolate meant to be enjoyed slowly, with attention to flavor, texture, and experience. Reishi has been studied for its potential to support restful sleep and help the body manage occasional stress.
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92757/
2. Hobbs, Christopher, PhD. Christopher Hobb's Medicinal Mushrooms: The Essential Guide. Story Publishing, LLC, 2021. https://christopherhobbs.com/hobbs-news-archive/christopher-hobbss-medicinal-mushrooms-the-essential-guide/.
3. Zhou, L.-W. et al. 2015. 'Global diversity of the Ganoderma lucidum complex (Ganodermataceae, Polyporales) inferred from morphology and multilocus phylogeny', Phytochemistry, 114, pp. 7-15. doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2014.09.023.
