Reishi mushroom, a type of fungi found in hot and humid climates, has played an important role in traditional medicine for over 2,000 years. It’s been used to treat everything from high blood pressure to indigestion, and has even been referred to as the “mushroom of immortality.”
Modern research has discovered why reishi is so beneficial— it contains important bioactive compounds that lend themselves to a variety of health benefits.
At Rasāsvāda, we harness the power of Reishi mushrooms in our Black Ginger non-alcoholic restorative spirit. It’s made with 100% plants and 0% preservatives to support longevity and vitality.
Read on to explore both the modern science and the rich history of reishi, including the 6 key benefits of this medicinal fungus.
Botanical Overview
Botanical name: Ganoderma lucidum
Family: Ganodermataceae
Common name: mushroom of immortality, 10,000-year mushroom, divine mushroom, spirit mushroom
Location: Asia
What are Reishi Mushrooms?
Reishi — also called lingzhi in Chinese, meaning “spirit mushroom” — is a medicinal and adaptogenic fungus that mainly grows on hardwood trees and can be found all over the world, but typically thrives in hot and humid climates.
Unlike culinary mushrooms, reishi has a tough, chewy texture and is rarely eaten raw. Instead, it’s typically dried and ground into a powder, steeped as a tea, or processed into an extract. Its flavor is earthy and woody, with a pronounced bitterness.
At Rasāsvāda, reishi adds both function and flavor to our Black Ginger restorative spirit. Unlike typical teas or powders, the reishi in Black Ginger is slowly simmered with other adaptogens and botanicals in a traditional decoction process, unlocking its full spectrum of benefits and flavors.
Types of Reishi Mushrooms
There are many different kinds of reishi; some are found in the US, while other types of Reishi are specific to Europe and China. They vary in color, and can be red, black, blue/green, white, yellow, and purple.
There is some debate over the naming of reishi species, since there are so many different types. But in general, species are region-specific.
- Ganoderma lucidum refers to reishi cultivated in China and East Asia (the species used in Traditional Chinese Medicine) and is known for its health benefits, including its adaptogenic properties.
- Ganoderma resinaceum and Ganoderma carnosum are typically found in Europe
- Ganoderma tsugae and Ganoderma curtisii are typically grown in North America
There is a lot of variation in quality— even among the species Ganoderma lucidum (used for its health benefits), and it's important to know where your reishi comes from and how it's grown, when searching for health products that contain reishi.
Why the Type of Reishi Matters
There are a lot of factors that contribute to the quality of reishi: where the mushroom is grown, how it's grown, how it's harvested, and the species are just a few of the factors that influence the levels of beneficial compounds present in the mushroom. For this reason, a product labeled G. lucidum or reishi could have high or low amounts of healthful compounds.
Log-grown mushrooms result in higher levels of bioactive compounds compared to other cultivation methods. For example, a common practice is to grow mushrooms on grain mixes and harvest only the immature mushroom or mycelium. This results in large proportions of starches and lower levels of key bioactive compounds in the final product.
At Rasāsvāda, we source log-grown Ganoderma lucidum from China—the variety that is prized in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Our proprietary decoction process - slowly simmering whole mushrooms - preserves the mushrooms' full spectrum of beneficial compounds, flavor, and ritual integrity.
History of Reishi Mushrooms
Reishi has a rich history in Asian culture, dating as far back as 221-206 BC when reishi mushrooms were referred to as “a miraculous king of herbs” by Chinese people. The mushroom’s importance extends beyond its medicinal properties, too. It was also a cultural symbol for many parts of Eastern Asia, appearing in paintings, statues, carvings, and even fashion.
Medicinally, it’s often used in traditional medicine to treat insomnia, hypertension, liver disease, heart disease, and for general well-being and longevity.
Because of reishi’s prevalent use in traditional medicine, researchers are interested in unraveling the extent of reishi's healing properties and how to harness its benefits.
Magu, a mythical figure in Chinese and Korean folklore, is known as a guardian of healing herbs and longevity. She’s often celebrated for giving the world reishi mushrooms as a gift for well-being. Here, she’s shown holding a reishi mushroom, a symbol of her connection to nature’s restorative power and the ancient art of herbal healing.
Reishi Mushroom Health Benefits
Scientists have been studying the benefits of reishi mushrooms for over 30 years. Here are six key benefits and the science behind them.
1. Promotes heart health
There are a few different ways that Reishi mushrooms may improve heart health. The beneficial compounds in Reishi mushroom may help keep mitochondria (the powerhouse of your cells) healthy, according to one study. This is important because damaged mitochondria can lead to excessive free radicals, a common cause of heart disease.
Reishi mushroom may also help keep blood pressure and cholesterol levels in a healthy range. Elevated levels of which are a major contributor to heart disease.
2. Blood sugar control
Reishi contains compounds that can help keep blood sugar levels in check. This could be key for people who are living with diabetes or other conditions that impact blood sugar regulation. And while researchers have extensively studied how these compounds work, scientists still aren’t sure if reishi works in humans. Scientists are still figuring out how to tap into these blood sugar controlling benefits.
3. Antioxidant rich
A diet rich in antioxidants is essential for good health, and reishi mushrooms are full of beneficial antioxidants. Antioxidants are compounds that help prevent damage to cells and are linked to lower rates of disease. They’re found in plants and fungi (like reishi), and there are thousands of different types. In reishi, there are two main types: polysaccharides and triterpenoids. Researchers believe that the antioxidants in Reishi have the potential to keep the body’s tissues healthy and lower the risk of disease.
4. Immune support
There are a lot of ways to take care of your immune system. Sleep, exercise, and a healthy diet are some of the most obvious (and most important) ways to help your body fight illnesses. But certain compounds, like those found in Reishi mushroom, may also have the potential to give your immune system added support. Reishi was found to help activate the immune system when faced with certain viral infections. It may have the potential to help your body recover quicker during illness, but more research is needed.
5. Stress and adaptogenic properties
Adaptogens are natural compounds that help support your body’s response to stress. Reishi is a type of adaptogen, and it helps the body adapt to stress in a few different ways. The antioxidants in reishi help ease a specific kind of stress called ‘oxidative stress’, which occurs when free radicals build up in the body. This type of stress reduction doesn’t necessarily make you feel calmer, rather, the benefits are noticed over time.
One 2025 study, though, did find that consuming Reishi mushroom led to feelings of relaxation and signs of lowered physical stress in healthy college-aged women. This suggests that Reishi may be beneficial for the nervous system when taken consistently. In this particular study, the participants took reishi over a period of one month.
6. Energy and vitality
In traditional medicine, various types of mushrooms were commonly used for energy. There is even evidence that the Greeks and Vikings ate mushrooms for strength during battle. Modern science shows mixed results, but one study on mice found that reishi increased endurance during exercise. There is also evidence that reishi may help with sleep, which can also support energy.
How Can I Add Reishi into My Routine?
Reishi is often sold in supplement form as an extract, a powdered drink mix, or in a capsule. There is no specific dose recommendation for reishi, it will depend on the type of reishi you are taking (whether it is an extract or powder, for example). Researchers are still figuring out the best dose and preparation for reishi.
The most important thing to consider when adding reishi to your ritual is the purity of the reishi you are consuming. There is no standardization for reishi, and where it's harvested and how it is purified will affect how well it works. While reishi is generally considered safe, some mild side effects are possible and include dizziness or upset stomach.
The reishi used in our Black Ginger restorative spirit is Ganoderma lucidum, log-grown and sourced from China, and goes through a proprietary extraction process to preserve both its health benefits and bold flavor.
Reishi in Rasāsvāda’s Black Ginger
Reishi is one of the foundational ingredients in Black Ginger, a non-alcoholic spirit restorative made from 100% plants with no preservatives. In addition to reishi, Black Ginger contains a blend of other health-supporting plants like meshima mushroom, burdock root, cardamom, and black ginger, which deliver support for libido, detoxification, recovery, vitality, and more.
Ready to experience the benefits for yourself? Enjoy it neat, mix it with sparkling water, or add a shot to your daily drink—whether that’s a smoothie, wellness tonic, or cocktail.
Key Takeaways
Reishi (Lingzhi) is a type of fungi found in parts of Asia and Europe, and has been widely used in traditional medicine for over 2,000 years. Modern science suggests that reishi may help support heart health, blood sugar control, stress and relaxation, and overall health and well-being. There is no specific dose recommendation for reishi. The dose will depend on a few factors like the type (extract, powder, tea), and where reishi is harvested. The reishi used in Rasāsvāda’s Black Ginger restorative is log-grown and sourced from China, and carefully cooked down to preserve flavor and health benefits.
FAQs
Sources
Foods | Nutritional Profile and Health Benefits of Ganoderma lucidum “Lingzhi, Reishi, or Mannentake” as Functional Foods: Current Scenario and Future Perspectives
Frontiers in Pharmacology | Antioxidant, antibacterial, antitumor, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and nevro-protective activity of Ganoderma lucidum: An overview.
Human Nutrition & Metabolism | Effect of Ganoderma lucidum supplementation on biochemical and psychophysiological biomarkers in female college students: a dose-response study
Heliyon | The anti-fatigue and sleep-aiding effects vary significantly among different recipes containing Ganoderma lucidum extracts
Scientific Reports | Ganoderma lucidum promotes sleep through a gut microbiota-dependent and serotonin-involved pathway in mice
Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism | The Efficacy of Ganoderma lucidum in Overweight Individuals: A Randomized Placebo-controlled trial.
Open Journal of Medical Microbiology | Clinical Isolate of Candida tropicalis from a Patient in North Carolina: Identification, Whole-Genome Sequence Analysis, and Anticandidal Activity of Ganoderma lucidum
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