Home Nutrition Mushrooms All About Lion’s Mane Mushroom Plus 1 Amazing Recipe

All About Lion’s Mane Mushroom Plus 1 Amazing Recipe

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All About Lion’s Mane Mushroom Plus 1 Amazing Recipe
Edible Lion's Mane Mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) in the Netherlands

You probably think that eating mushrooms that resemble a lion’s mane might be going a bit too far. However, the fact that this mushroom could potentially lead to major brain damage repair has the potential to fight cancer, and is currently being researched for numerous other benefits might change your mind.

A large number of researchers believe this mushroom to have great brain-boosting potential and the results of the recent studies are proving that claim to be true.

Lion’s mane mushroom is essentially regarded as a nootropic. This food has gained a lot of popularity in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine.

If you are curious to know more about this amazing mushroom, or might even want a recipe to include in your eating regime, then move on to the rest of this article.

What is a Lion’s Mane Mushroom?

The lion’s mane mushrooms also go by the name of hou tou gu or yamabushitake. The mushrooms are huge, white, and hairy. They are very unique because of their resemblance to a lion’s mane during their growth.

They are used both in cooking and in medicine in Asian countries. They are most frequently found in China, India, Japan, and South Korea. People include them in their eating regime or use them as a supplement. Lion’s mane mushrooms can be eaten raw, cooked, dried or used as an addition to your tea or coffee. The extracts of this mushroom can be found in mushroom health supplements.

These mushrooms are full of bioactive substances that can be very beneficial to our bodies, brain, heart, and gut. They contain anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-stimulating components that can do wonders for our bodies.

What Are The Benefits of Using Lion’s Mane Mushroom?

Lion’s Mane Mushroom Against Dementia

As we get older, our brain’s ability to form new connections gets weaker. This is the reason my mental functioning declines with age.
Lion’s mane mushrooms include two special components that can enhance brain cell growth. These components are hericenones and erinacines.
Some animal studies have even suggested that this mushroom could be helpful against Alzheimer’s disease, a brain disease that causes loss of memory.

The lion’s mane mushroom and its extracts were examined and this study and the results were reduced symptoms of memory loss in mice. Neuronal damage is caused by amyloid-beta plaques and it further leads to Alzheimer’s disease.
Although there is little research to conclude that it has the same effect on humans, the fact that it boosts mental functioning can’t be overlooked.

Lion’s Mane Mushroom as a Solution for Depression and Anxiety

There are numerous known causes of anxiety and depression but chronic inflammation is considered to be one of the key factors.
Animal studies done on mice have found that lion’s mane mushroom extract has anti-inflammatory effects that can be very beneficial in reducing anxiety and depression symptoms.

Similar animal studies have concluded that it can help with brain cell regeneration and improve hippocampus functions. Hippocampus is the brain region used to process memories and emotional responses.
Scientists think that the better functioning of the hippocampus could have led to anxiety and depression reductions in mice.

Lion’s Mane Mushroom Against Cancer

If DNA becomes damaged causing cells to divide and replicate uncontrollably it could lead to cancer.
Researchers believe that the lion’s mane mushroom has abilities to cure cancer due to its exclusive compounds.
When the extract of this mushroom is combined with human cancer cells in a test tube, the cancer cells seem to die much faster. This was proven successful with different types of cancer, such as liver, colon, stomach, and blood cancer.
Aside from killing cancer cells, it was also efficient in slowing the spread of these cells.
A study done on mice with colon cancer concluded that the lion’s mane extracts were able to reduce cancer spreading to the lungs by an astonishing 69%.

Lion’s Mane Mushroom Against Diabetes

Putting blood sugar levels under control is the answer to diabetes management. One study showed that blood sugar levels in rats with diabetes had gone down significantly after consuming a lion’s mane mushroom extract for a month.
Diabetes complications include nerve damages resulting due to longer periods of high blood sugar. A study done on rats in 2015 showed some positive results after ingesting lion’s mane extract for 6 weeks. The results were low blood sugar levels, less nerve pain, and enhanced antioxidant activity.

Grilled Lion’s Mane Mushrooms Recipe

Here is one of the recipes you can use to prepare Lion’s mane mushroom.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

Lion’s mane mushrooms (sliced into small steaks)
1 teaspoon of olive oil or butter
Salt and pepper
Salad (optional)

Get rid of any dirty bits from the spines and slice off the part that was attached to the tree.

Preparation

Get rid of any dirty bits from the spines and slice off the part that was attached to the tree. Next, cut the mushroom into small steaks

Grilling

Take a dry pan and cook the steaks for 5-6 minutes on both sides. It’s important for the water in the mushrooms to evaporate for them to become crispy.
When the mushrooms gain a brownish color it’s time to spice them up. You can add in a bit of butter, olive oil, salt, and pepper, on any other spice you enjoy. Continue to cook them on low heat until they get a golden brown color to them.

You can add in a bit of butter, olive oil, salt, and pepper, on any other spice you enjoy.

Serving

Serve the mushrooms. You can even serve it with shrimp, lobsters, or some other vegetables.

Serve the mushrooms. You can even serve it with shrimp, lobsters, or some other vegetables.

Lion’s Mane Mushroom Risks and Side-effects

Lion’s mane mushroom is considered to be generally safe for almost everyone. Several studies have proven that it’s completely non-toxic at various dosages, and it can be taken for longer time periods.
There have been a few potential side effects, such as contact dermatitis and or some form of respiratory problem, but these still haven’t been linked directly to the mushrooms.
If you want to try out this mushroom and happen to have some sort of side effect like burning skin, itching, problems breathing, or swollen lips, you should call your doctor or healthcare provider immediately.

Lion’s Mane Mushroom – The Verdict

Lion’s mane mushroom and its extracts have shown to be able to provide numerous and amazing health benefits. Diabetes, cancer, anxiety and depression, and dementia are just a few examples of diseases it could be beneficial for.
Although the current research shows much promise, it has only been done on animals. More studies are needed on humans to get some concrete results on its efficiency.

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