Home Nutrition Mushrooms Turkey Tail Mushroom Benefits Plus 1 Awesome Recipe

Turkey Tail Mushroom Benefits Plus 1 Awesome Recipe

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Turkey Tail Mushroom Benefits Plus 1 Awesome Recipe
Close up of Trametes versicolor aka Turkey Tails

If you are generally interested in medicinal mushrooms then you might have already heard about the turkey tail mushroom. Medicinal mushrooms are mushrooms that include certain compounds that can be beneficial for health. Turkey tail mushrooms got their name from the noticeable colorful stripes that resemble the feather plume on a turkey’s tail. This shroom originates from China, where the locals used it as a medicinal tea for thousands of years. Aside from being healthy, the turkey tail mushroom is also one of the most beautiful mushrooms in the world.

What is Turkey Tail Mushroom?

Turkey Tail Mushroom

This mushroom is associated with the “cloud mushroom” family. It’s also one of the hundred mushrooms that are studied for their potential health benefits. It’s one of the most beautiful and useful mushrooms in the world.

This mushroom is associated with the “cloud mushroom” family. It’s also one of the hundred mushrooms that are studied for their potential health benefits. It’s one of the most beautiful and useful mushrooms in the world.

Turkey tail shrooms can usually be found on dead logs in woodland forests around the world. If you want to find one you can try looking on the ground while you are hiking in a wooded area. Although these mushrooms vary in color, the most typical color is bright green. However, there is a turkey tail mushroom look alike, so be careful. A crust fungus stereum ostrae is the closest look alike to turkey tail mushrooms since they both have color rings, and they are tough and thin. This fungus is also commonly known as the “false turkey tail”.

Turkey Tail Mushroom Identification

  • They have pores under the sides.
  • The pores are small and barely visible.
  • A rather fuzzy surface but hardly visible.
  • Contrasting color rings on the cap.
  • Fresh turkey tails are usually thin and flexible.

Turkey Tail Mushroom Health Benefits

There are numerous turkey tail mushroom benefits but we are going to talk about some of the most popular and important ones.

Treating and Preventing Common Colds and the Flu

People have used turkey tail mushrooms for centuries to help fight off various infections, cases of flu, and common colds. This is because this mushroom can boost your immune system and make it more adaptable for fighting different germs. This is also a benefit of turkey tail mushrooms that has the most evidence to support it. Once the flu season arrives you can also consider adding turkey tail supplements into your eating regime. Studies have shown that the turkey tail mushroom can help regulate the body’s immune system thereby helping it fight off infections, diseases, and numerous illnesses.

Boosts Immune Function in People with Different Cancers


Some researchers suggest that turkey tail mushrooms contain antitumor components that are linked to the improvement of immune function.
One test study examined PSK (polysacchearopeptide), a component found in turkey tail shrooms, and came to the conclusion that this component can prevent the growth of human colon cancer cells. Also, a component called Colorius Versicolor Glucan (CVG) which is also found in these mushrooms was shown to be able to repress different types of tumors.


In one animal study, the researchers injected around 80mg of CVG extracts in tumor-bearing mice. The results showed that the size of the tumor was significantly reduced after only a few days. The researchers suggested that these results were possible because of the boosted immune response linked to turkey tail mushrooms.

Turkey Tail Mushroom close up

There are also studies that examined the effect of this mushroom on breast cancer. The results showed certain turkey tail mushroom estrogen benefits.


There are also studies that examined the effect of this mushroom on breast cancer. The results showed certain turkey tail mushroom estrogen benefits. The compounds found in turkey tails help increase the number of immune cells (especially in patients on chemo and radiation therapies) and prevent aromatase, the enzyme that produces harmful estrogen in breast cancer.

There are also certain turkey tail mushroom dog benefits.

In a study that examined dogs with highly aggressive cancers, the researchers injected around 50mg of turkey tail extracts per pound (100mg per kilogram) of body weight. The extracts were able to drastically slow down the progress of cancer cells and greatly improved their chance of survival. More research is needed but it seems likely that vets will use turkey tail mushroom for dogs with dangerous cancer.

Turkey Tail Mushroom Side Effects

After talking about the benefits of turkey tail, let’s see if there are some negative reactions you should worry about when taking them.
When you plan on trying new medicinal foods, it’s always best to check with your doctor first. This applies strongly to pregnant women.


Although there aren’t any general side effects of turkey tail mushrooms, some people have reported bowel problems (diarrhea and darkened stool) and darkened pigmentation in the nails. Turkey tail shrooms are considered safe but if you do notice any adverse effects contact your doctor immediately.

Turkey Tail Comparison to Other Mushrooms

Although there are over a hundred mushrooms on the market that are known for their medicinal properties, the three most popular choices are turkey tail mushrooms, reishi mushrooms, and Chaga mushrooms. We have created a short comparison of these three so you have a better idea of what you want to buy.

Reishi Mushroom: Reishi mushrooms are most commonly used by people who want to level their hormones, regulate blood sugar, struggle with allergies and asthma, and improve liver and heart health.

Chaga Mushroom: Chaga mushrooms are most commonly used by people who are looking to decrease inflammation, boost endurance, strengthen their immune system, and fight off viral infections.

Turkey Tail Mushrooms: When it comes to turkey tail mushroom they are often purchased by people who want to fight off infections. They are also used by patients who are on chemotherapy due to their cancer-fighting properties.

Turkey Tail Mushroom Dosage


The turkey tail mushroom edible can be used but it’s very hard to chew. This is why most people used turkey tail mushroom powder or a turkey tail mushroom supplement instead. You can find it combined with similar mushrooms in form of a supplement in most of your local health stores. The supplements are usually in capsule form and you can take them to boost your body’s immune function.

There isn’t a specific dosage for turkey tail mushrooms that is generally recommended. When you look at the labels on the products you will mostly see they suggest taking 1-3 capsules a day. Take them with a glass of water or before a meal. The turkey tail powder form can be added into water, juice, or smoothies.

Turkey Tail Mushroom Recipe

Here is one of our favorite recipes you can use to prepare turkey tail mushrooms.

Turkey Tail Mushroom Turmeric Latte

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes


Ingredients:
1 teaspoon of turmeric latte powder
1 Chopped raw ginger
¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ground turkey tail
Pinch of pepper
1 teaspoon of coconut oil
1 cup of coconut milk
Honey or some other sweetener


Step-by-step recipe:

Preparation

Chop the ginger into a few slices.
Take a small-sized saucepan and mix all of the ingredients into it except the honey. It’s best if you have a saucepan with a lip. Put it on the stove and turn it on to medium heat.

Cooking instructions

Pay attention when the saucepan starts to simmer, you don’t want to boil the mix. Stir the mix continuously when it starts to simmer and turn down the heat a bit and leave to brew. Leave it for about 10 minutes to get the best flavor.

Serving suggestion

Pour the latte into a cup and add honey. Enjoy!

Turkey Tail Mushroom – The Verdict

The evidence that supports the medicinal properties of turkey tail mushrooms is strong. There is no question that turkey tail mushrooms have numerous benefits and are generally considered safe to use. It’s considered best for boosting immune function, prevent common colds, and it’s anavario prescribed to patients who are on chemotherapy.
People have used this mushroom for centuries to prevent all kinds of diseases, so if you are interested in taking medicinal mushrooms for their health benefits, this one should be on the top of your list.

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