Medicinal mushroom products have grown in popularity over the past decade. From coffee to mushrooms chocolate with mushrooms, There are plenty of options. A double-extracted mushroom tincture is another great way to get the health benefits of mushrooms!
Mushroom tinctures are a convenient way to introduce your daily functional mushrooms. It's easy to add a drop to smoothies, coffee and other foods. Some medicinal mushrooms are more difficult to digest in their pure powder form, so extraction helps make them more bioavailable.
Tinctures are a popular way to extract nutrients and flavors from herbs. These use alcohol to extract the beneficial constituents of the plant and integrate them into the liquid. Common examples are vanilla extract or an herbal tincture. You can also use glycerin (glycerites) or vinegar (herbal vinegars) to extract compounds, but these are not technically tinctures.
Another way to extract is to use pure water! Things like peppermint tea, marshmallow root tea, and elderberry decoction (to make Elderberry Syrup) all use water for menstruation. These have a much shorter shelf life than alcohol tinctures. Water also extracts different nutrients than alcohol.
A double extraction combines both an aqueous extract and an alcoholic extract of the same plant. Usually you would do one or the other, but for mushrooms there are benefits to doing double juicing. Water extracts beta-glucans and polysaccharides, while alcohol extracts triterpenes.
How to make mushroom tincture
There are many different opinions on the best way to prepare a mushroom mixture tincture. There isn't much evidence behind the different methods, it's more of a preference. After studying the different variations, I chose the mushroom extract method.
You start by putting finely chopped or powdered dried mushrooms in a clean jar. If the pieces are too big, they won't extract as well. And fresh, moist mushrooms are more likely to spoil. I used a mushroom powder, but you can also use foraged and dried mushrooms.
These mushrooms soak in alcohol for 2 to 4 weeks. After draining, put the alcohol in a clean jar and reserve the mushrooms. Some people use the same mushrooms to extract water, while others use new ones.
Next, you'll simmer the mushrooms in water for a bit, then drain them. Finally, the alcoholic and aqueous extracts are combined.
Which mushrooms to use for a mushroom tincture
There are many options here. You can use a single type of mushroom or a mixture of several. Certain mushrooms like shiitake mushrooms and maitake tastes great in soups and stir-fries. Other mushrooms are more bitter and work best mixed into things or as a tincture. Many of these are also nootropics that help the brain.
There is also some debate about which part of the mushroom is best. The fruiting body is the part of the mushroom located above the ground. The mycelium is the underground part. Research shows some benefits of mycelium in some mushrooms, but most of the time it's not as powerful.
Here are a few different options and a quick overview of their health benefits!
- Lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus) – Supports the immune system and cognitive function. Also rich in antioxidants, improves memory and mood and reduces inflammation.
- Reishi (Ganoderma) – Reishi mushroom has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. It helps modulate the immune system, increases healing time and may have a protective effect against cancer. It is an adaptogen that helps protect the heart, liver, brain and more.
- Chaga (Oblique unknown) – Very rich in nutrients, supports the immune system and improves metabolism, strength and endurance.
- Turkey tail (Versicolor documents) – Supports the immune system, contributes to gut health, contains antioxidants and helps reduce inflammation.
- Cordyceps – Increases energy and sports performance and has anti-aging and immune system-boosting properties. They also promote healthy blood sugar balance and protect the liver and heart.
Even More Ways to Get Medicinal Mushrooms
If you don't want to make your own mushroom tincture, several places offer high-quality ones. Four Sigmatics is my favorite place to get mushroom supplements if you want a pill or powder. Plus, they make excellent coffee and cocoa!
How to Make Double Extracted Mushroom Tincture
This recipe uses both water and alcohol for a more potent mushroom tincture. Use any dried medicinal mushroom of your choice or a mixture of several kinds!
Yield: 16 ounces
- ¾ cup mushroom powder (or finely chopped mushrooms)
- 1 and ¼ cups Alcohol at 190°
- 4 cups filtered or distilled water (or more)
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Place the mushrooms in the glass jar and pour alcohol over them. Put the lid on the pot.
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Let the mixture steep for 2 to 4 weeks, shaking daily.
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Filter the mushroom powder from the alcohol with cheesecloth and set both aside. Pour the infused alcohol into a clean glass jar and put the mushrooms in a clean saucepan.
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Add the water to the saucepan and heat the mixture on the stove. Simmer gently for 2 to 4 hours, adding more water if necessary to prevent burning. You want the liquid to reduce by about half.
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Drain the mushrooms from the water and compost.
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You want to have equal parts alcohol and water extractions. So if you end up with 1 cup of alcohol tincture, you will use 1 cup of water infusion. Add additional water or simmer the water until it reaches the same amount as the alcohol mixture.
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Add the water mixture to a clean mason jar.
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Next, slowly add the alcohol mixture while stirring. This helps prevent the polysaccharides from separating too much from the solution.
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Pour some mushroom tincture into a glass dropper bottle and fill it with the mason jar if necessary.
- Store your mushroom extract in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and sunlight.
- Take a drop of liquid once a day or as desired.
- If your mushrooms are in large pieces, put them and the alcohol in the blender after soaking them for a few hours. This is an easier way to grind them. Some mushrooms, like chaga, are very hard and may not blend well.
Are you trying to incorporate medicinal mushrooms into your daily routine? What are your favorite ways to use them?
