Turkey Tail Mushroom Benefits, Uses, and More!
Turkey Tail is a functional mushroom with a well-earned reputation for supporting gut health, immune system health, healthy cell turnover, and encouraging the body's natural ability to maintain blood sugar levels within normal ranges.
The Turkey Tail mushroom is among many functional mushrooms commonly used to improve a sense of overall well-being. Here at Mushroom Revival, we believe in the fantastic health-supporting properties of mushrooms and provide the highest quality supplements to help you experience their health benefits.
Want to learn more about this genuinely fantastic mushroom? Well, keep reading! In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know about Turkey Tail mushroom benefits, and how to use Turkey Tail.
What Is Turkey Tail?
Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor), often called turkey tail fungus, is a type of fungi that grows on logs, stumps, or trunks of dead or dying trees. Commonly found in North America, Europe, and Asia, it has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese herbalism.
Turkey Tail has a vast fruiting body, different from the traditional caps and stems you commonly see on other mushrooms. It is also distinct from other mushrooms because it does not have gills. Instead of hosting their spores in gills, Turkey Tail mushrooms hold their spores in small tubes called pores.
Unlike other mushrooms, Turkey Tail mushrooms are generally not edible mushrooms for humans due to their thick and woody structure, so you won’t see Turkey Tail mushrooms on the menu of your favorite restaurant. Finding high-quality turkey tail extracts is the key to experiencing the Turkey Tail benefits, or better yet a combination of all the best mushrooms in our Daily 10 mix.
Turkey Tail Mushroom Benefits For Your Well-Being
Now that you know a little about Turkey Tail’s history and where it grows, let's discuss why Turkey Tail may be so beneficial for your health and well-being!
Supports Antioxidant Activity, Including Phenols And Flavonoids, That May Support Healthy Cell Turnover
Turkey tail mushroom may support antioxidant activity, including phenols and flavonoids. Antioxidants play an essential role in fighting free radicals in the body that can lead to cell damage and oxidation. If you ingest phenols regularly, this can have an impact on balancing your body's natural inflammatory response post-workout or other normal everyday activities. Additionally, flavonoids have been known to help promote mental clarity, focus, and memory by offering nourishment to our neurons and cerebral system.
It Contains Two Polysaccharides (PSP and PSK) That Can Help Balance The Immune System Functions Of The Body
Turkey Tail mushrooms, and other functional mushrooms, contain polysaccharides that can help to balance the body's natural immune system health. The two polysaccharides found in these mushrooms are PSP and PSK. PSP is an abbreviation of the term polysaccharide peptide, and PSK is short for the term polysaccharide krestin. Both of these important bioactive substances support and balance the body’s own immune response.
With its rich polysaccharide content, Turkey Tail mushroom may act as your military defense in the colder seasons, helping your body protect itself from those dreaded sniffles. Finding functional foods and supplements that support a healthy immune system is more important than ever, and Turkey Tail mushroom is the perfect wellness tool.
It Has Nutrients That Can Be Supportive For Your Gut Health
Researchers are finding out more and more about the importance of gut health - not only for digestion, but for weight control, mental health, inflammation, and a host of chronic health issues. Having a healthy and diverse gut microbiome can improve your overall sense of wellbeing, which lends credence to the old saying “I can feel it in my gut”. Your brain communicates with all your organs, including your gut, and poor gut health and gut microbiome can impact your mental health.
Turkey Tail mushroom contains beneficial compounds that are valuable in supporting gut health. The PSK in Turkey Tail mushrooms may be instrumental in helping to feed and support your digestive system's flora (healthy bacteria).
It Has YZP Protein, Which Can Help Enhance Your Athletic Performance By Balancing Energy Levels
Protein-bound polysaccharide in a Turkey Tail mushroom may be instrumental in supporting your body’s normal ability to recover from physical occasional stress post-workout. The YZP and protein bound polysaccharides found in dried Turkey Tail mushrooms help support athletic performance by balancing energy levels in the body and encouraging recovery.
It Has 1,3 1,6 Beta-glucans That May Support Blood Sugar Levels in Healthy Ranges And Immunity
Turkey Tail mushrooms contain beta-glucans, which are soluble fibers often found in fungi, plants, and bacteria cell walls. Different types of beta-glucans have different structures, meaning that not all are the same. The 1,3 1,6 beta-glucans in Turkey Tail mushrooms may be helpful in supporting healthy cell turnover and growth. The 1,3 1,6 beta-glucans found in functional mushrooms can also support the body's natural defenses and a balanced immune health system. Most importantly, Turkey Tail 1,3 1,6 beta-glucans may also support the body's natural ability to maintain healthy blood sugar levels already in healthy ranges.
It Has Adaptogenic Qualities For Balancing Occasional Stress
Turkey Tail mushroom benefits the body by acting like your personal zen coach, supporting your body’s natural ability to handle occasional stress. With its adaptogenic qualities, Turkey Tail mushroom can help to put your body into cruise control, not overdrive. Turkey Tail mushroom is another tool to add to your belt for promoting overall mental well-being.
Choosing the Best Turkey Tail Products
Even though Turkey Tail is not good for enjoying as part of a meal, there is a wide range of Turkey Tail products that may support improving your overall health. The first critical step is choosing a reputable company that will provide you with the highest quality product, so here are a few things to look for.
When choosing any Turkey Tail supplement, you should opt for products that use only the fruiting bodies of the functional mushrooms. Otherwise, you will be investing in a product that contains mushroom mycelium. The mycelium is the root of a mushroom that feeds from a substrate like rice grains or oats, which is then included in the finished product. The substrate will dilute the product, acting as a filler. This means you’ll get a product with a much lower mushroom content. Avoid products that do not distinguish whether they are fruiting body or mycelium extracts, as this could indicate a lower-quality product. Important keywords on the label that indicate mycelium content are “mycelial biomass”, “mushroom mycelia”, and “myceliated rice, starch, and presence of oats/rice or other grains”. Another differentiating factor would be products that are 100% Certified USDA Organic, as these products are held to a much higher standard.
How To Consume Turkey Tail Mushrooms?
Check out these various Turkey Tail mushroom products that allow you to get health benefits in an easy-to-use form.
Tinctures
Turkey Tail mushroom tinctures are a quick and easy way to get your daily dose. A tincture is a versatile supplement method that allows you to incorporate functional mushrooms into your daily foods and beverages. Simply add a few drops of the tincture to your morning coffee or oatmeal, and enjoy the benefits Turkey Tail mushroom offers for the rest of the day. Or, if you'd like, you can apply a few drops of Turkey Tail mushroom tincture underneath the tongue for faster absorption into the bloodstream.
Tinctures are extracts made by creating a concentrated Turkey tail extract from its fruiting body, which means you can receive the benefits of turkey tail with only a couple of drops of the tincture.
Powder
Are you a fan of protein powder? Then you'll love a mushroom supplement powder. Turkey Tail powder is an excellent addition to your morning smoothie or protein shake, or you can enjoy it as a tea or on its own with milk or water. Turkey Tail mushroom powders come in various flavors, so you can match your supplement powder to the flavor palette of your morning smoothie!
Some Turkey Tail powders contain a mixture of extracts from different functional mushrooms to provide you with as many mushroom benefits as possible. Consider whether you'd like a Turkey Tail mushroom powder or whether you'd like a combination product that gives you all the mushroom goodness in a single supplement.
Capsules
If you're a person who's always in a hurry in the morning, you don't have to carve out time to include supplements in your daily routine. Just take Turkey Tail capsules while you're on the go!
Gummies
If you want a fast and easy way to take your Turkey Tail mushrooms but aren't a fan of tablets or capsules, you might consider opting for Turkey Tail gummies. Mushroom gummies contain all the benefits of mushroom supplements in a tasty treat— simply chew and swallow to receive results.
Side Effects Of Turkey Tail? When To Consult A Doctor?
So, are there any side effects to look out for with Turkey Tail? Turkey Tail mushrooms are generally safe and very well tolerated. If you have any pre-existing mushroom allergies, you should avoid taking any mushroom supplements.
Before adding any supplement to your routine, it’s a good idea to consult a healthcare professional if you have any questions or concerns.
Conclusion
Functional mushroom supplements can provide powerful support for both physical and mental wellness. Consider consuming Turkey Tail mushroom to your daily supplement routine and check out the Mushroom Revival Daily 10 Mix Supplements, which contains Turkey Tail extract and nine other mushroom extracts to help you improve your overall sense of well-being.
