How to Prepare Reishi

If you have some raw, whole reishi mushrooms, then you will first need to wash and slice them, boil them in water for several hours, strain them, and then use the remaining water as a reishi tonic tea. This process can be time-consuming and messy, so you can skip the preparation by purchasing a prepared reishi powder or a reishi concentrated extract. The reishi mushroom will come ready prepared in a finely-milled powder which will dissolve in warm water very quickly.

How to Make Reishi Tea

For a speedy reishi pick-me-up, just add half to one teaspoon of the powder to a mug of warm (not boiling) water. Reishi does have a woody and bitter taste which can take a while to get used to. If you want to mask some of the flavor then you can mix in in nut milks, natural sweeteners or spices such as cinnamon. If you’re feeling creative, experiment with incorporating other medicinal mushrooms, tonic herbs, and superfood supplements into you the mix to create powerful longevity tonics.

Reishi can also be used in all sorts of food recipes including those for sauces, soups, dressings, raw chocolates, cakes, and snack bars.

Reishi Dosage and Side Effects

Reishi is a potent medicinal mushroom, so extra care needs to be taken when using it for the first time. It’s recommended that you start with a small dose of reishi powder that is less than 1/2 a teaspoon in size. You can then adjust the reishi dosage to around 1 tsp in size should you require it. Larger doses are sometimes prescribed by Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners for therapeutic reasons.

The American Herbal Pharmacopoeia states that reishi is safe to use, but on rare occasions it may cause an upset stomach, dry mouth or headaches. If you experience any of these symptoms then you should lower your dose or make an appointment to see your doctor. Reishi can also increase energy, and acts as an almost instant pick-me-up. For this reason, it is best to take it in the morning or afternoon but not right before bed.

Reishi Recipes

Cinnamon Reishi Latte

For a delicious winter warmer, make a reishi mushroom tea then add a dash of almond milk, a pinch of cinnamon, and your sweetener of choice.

Reishi Coffee Recipe

Reishi’s bitterness pairs well with coffee and it also helps to give it a nutritional kick. To make reishi coffee, first prepare your coffee exactly how you like it, then dissolve up to a teaspoon or reishi along with a teaspoon of raw virgin coconut oil and natural sweetener in the coffee if required. You can mix the liquid in a blender to create a smooth, creamy and frothy reishi coffee drink.

No-Bake Reishi Protein Balls

If you're in need of a healthy snack that will provide you with a dose of energy, then these tasty reishi protein balls could do the trick. Mix 1/2 a cup of rolled oats with 1 teaspoon of chia seeds, a pinch of cinnamon, 1/2 a cup of your choice of smooth nut butter, 3 teaspoons of natural sweetener, 1 tsp of vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons of reishi powder. Use your hands to mix up the ingredients. Slowly pour in a small amount of nut milk in order to get the right consistency where the balls will easily stick together and not crumble. Roll the mixture into small balls then place them in the fridge to set for 30 minutes.

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