Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) is a type of fungus that grows mainly on the bark of birch trees in cold climates, such as Northern Europe, Siberia, Russia, Korea, Northern Canada and Alaska.

Chaga is also known by other names, such as black mass, clinker polypore, birch canker polypore, cinder conk and the sterile conk trunk rot (of birch).

Chaga produces a woody growth, or conk, which looks similar to a clump of burnt charcoal — roughly 10–15 inches (25–38 centimeters) in size. However, the inside reveals a soft core with an orange color.

For centuries, chaga has been used as a traditional medicine in Russia and other Northern European countries, mainly to boost immunity and overall health.

Lion’s mane is a mushroom with a history of both medicinal and culinary uses in Asia and Europe. Medicinal mushroom use dates back to 450 BCE when Greek physician Hippocrates discovered the potential anti-inflammatory properties of fungi as well as its role in wound cauterization, according to a 2017 study in the Journal of Restorative Medicine^[1].

Lion’s mane grows on old or dead broadleaf tree trunks. Broadleaf trees shed their leaves seasonally and spread their seeds using a vessel, such as fruit.

Lion’s mane is composed of two parts: the visible fruiting body (the mushroom) and the mycelium, which is the bottom structure that resembles roots. Both the fruiting body and the root-like mycelium contain compounds that offer potential health benefits.

Reishi mushrooms, scientifically known as Ganoderma lucidum, Bio-compounds found in reishi mushrooms have the ability to activate our immune system. Some studies have found that reishi mushrooms could possibly increase lifespan, fight cancer and improve overall well-being.

Reishi is a bitter, edible mushroom also known as Ganoderma lucidum or lingzhi mushrooms. They are grown and cultivated in East Asia, where they have been used in Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years.

Reishi has 400 different bioactive compounds and these have been reported in scientific studies to have a number of effects 

The shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) has been treasured in Asia for over a thousand years. Its name comes from Japan, where it was first found growing on the shii tree (a type of oak) — “take” simply means mushroom in Japanese, so “shiitake” translates as “mushroom of the shii tree.”

In both Chinese and Japanese traditional medicine, shiitake was considered a symbol of health and longevity. It was often reserved for the emperor and noble families because of its rarity and powerful healing reputation. Over time, its cultivation spread throughout Asia, and today it is one of the most widely grown specialty mushrooms in the world.