First of all, thank you for joining this new adventure, which is the Kenonai Raw newsletter. How exciting!

To start with, a small announcement. We are celebrating the launch of the ”Karvoihin katsomassa” book with a small gathering among the writers and close ones on Saturday, November 30th in Turku at Lounasravintola Bistro, starting at 3 PM. Of course, others are welcome as well—feel free to come and say hello in person if you’re in the Turku area. You can also buy the book from me at the event, signed, if you’d like.

Now, without further ado, let’s dive into the main topic.

FUNCTIONAL/MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS

The use of mushrooms for health promotion, in addition to cooking, is nothing new. According to ancient writings, they have been used in China for thousands of years. In Japan, they are still used in cancer treatments today. Even Ötzi the Iceman had two different types of mushrooms in his pouch, one for fire starting and the other for combating parasites.

According to studies and experts in the field, medicinal mushrooms have many positive effects on bodily functions. These include, but are not limited to, the following: anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective (liver-protecting), neuroprotective (nerve-protecting), gut function, and blood sugar regulation. The most important bioactive ingredients are the polysaccharides in the mushroom cell wall, alpha- and beta-glucans, but terpenes also play a significant role in their benefits.

Mushrooms contain D2 vitamin, which cats unfortunately cannot utilize, but humans and dogs can. Did you know that the amount of D2 vitamin in mushrooms can be increased several times using light? This is specifically mentioned in the "Forever Dog Life" book. In an example with shiitake mushrooms, 15 minutes of light exposure with the gills facing up increased the D2 content by 15%. After 8 hours, it was increased by 1150 times. After reading this email, I believe you might want to try growing your food mushrooms under a light or herb lamp in your own little corner.

Animal studies on the topic are not abundant, but there are plenty of anecdotal results. A counter-argument at this point might be, ”Cats are obligate carnivores, they haven’t eaten mushrooms!” Well, not the cat itself, but its prey might have. In that case, the cat would have indirectly benefited because the prey would have already broken down the mushroom’s thick cell walls in its digestive system, and the plant-eating stomach would have released the medicinal components.

HOW TO CHOOSE A QUALITY PRODUCT

Mushrooms have a very tough cell structure mainly consisting of chitin. Therefore, mushrooms must be processed in a certain way for all the health-promoting ingredients to be extracted. When looking at product descriptions on the manufacturer’s website or in online stores, you want to see that the product is at least hot water extracted, depending on the mushroom preferably also alcohol extracted, as this ensures that the remaining ingredients are included. If the product says it’s only fermented, it will not have nearly the effects it claims. Simply fermenting the fruiting body, i.e., the above-ground part of the mushroom, does not break down the mushroom’s cell walls properly because heat is missing. In that case, you will only access a fraction of the ingredients you’re buying the product for. The lowest-quality products simply have the mushrooms powdered, providing a good source of fiber, but that’s all.

Adding mycelium (the fungal root system) to a product is beneficial for the manufacturer because it takes less time to cultivate than growing the fruiting body. Unfortunately, this also means the product’s quality is lower because the mycelium is ground up with its growth substrate. The growth substrate is often some form of grain, so this can be an issue for those with gluten sensitivities.

A good manufacturer will explain the production method to consumers and will display third-party research results, including data on heavy metal concentrations.

Mushrooms should always be cleaned and cooked before eating. Mushrooms contain spores that could cause issues if eaten raw. Also, do not eat or feed random wild mushrooms unless you are an experienced forager and know exactly what you’re doing. Cooking also makes mushrooms more accessible to the body, as I have already mentioned. So, you can safely offer your cat the mushrooms you eat, as long as you haven’t seasoned or salted them.

Even a high-quality product cannot save you from a poor diet, whether it’s for a human or a cat. Supplements can certainly be helpful, but the best benefits come when everything is in balance.

SO WHICH MUSHROOMS ARE THEN USEFUL?

I am not a mycologist, just an enthusiastic cat owner and nutrition advisor, so here I will mention a few mushrooms that, based on my reading and experience, are the easiest for cats to eat in terms of taste. Mushroom extracts are available in both powder and liquid forms. You can choose the version that best suits your cat. Liquid extracts contain fewer active ingredients due to the production method. If more is better, and your cat agrees to eat the powder mixed with food, then the powder is the better option.

Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis & militaris)

The Chinese parasitic mushroom is the famous zombie mushroom that takes control of an ant in the wild. This is specifically Cordyceps sinensis, but there are many different species. Militaris is easy to cultivate in controlled environments, such as on rice. Sinensis is not so easy. It is very rare in the wild and specialized to grow inside a living host. A product containing Cordyceps sinensis consists of a mycelium mixture, not the actual fruiting body/mushroom because it cannot be cultivated.

Cordyceps is number one in supporting a cat’s health. When you read about all the positive effects of cordyceps, it can be overwhelming because the list is so long. The most important benefits are supporting the kidneys, heart, and lungs. Many cats suffer from kidney problems sooner or later – which I believe is mostly due to diet – so cordyceps is a good supplement to give as a preventive measure. Cordyceps also increases the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in the cells’ energy factories, the mitochondria, which helps boost vitality in the body.

Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)

The hedgehog mushroom is known for its nerve-protective effect. It helps new nerve cells grow, so it can be called a memory mushroom. At least in humans, lion’s mane also lowers blood pressure. Because of this, I couldn’t continue using it as my already low blood pressure dropped further. Lion’s mane is also very good for helping with gut issues due to its anti-inflammatory effects. I’ve noticed this gut-healing effect in my own kitten.

Hanabi has been quite a project, as when she first arrived, she had loose stools most of the time. Almost two months passed before I realized that she needed a significantly high amount of fiber. Increasing the amount of bone didn’t fix everything, nor did adding butternut squash. When I combined these two things with a dose of lion’s mane, Hanabi’s stomach finally started working normally. Right now, I’m trying to leave out the pumpkin and give her a slightly larger dose of this mushroom. The only thing left to treat is the rash on her neck, which originally stemmed from an imbalance in her gut.

Tremella (Tremella fuciformis)

Known as snow fungus, tremella has become popular for its positive effects on the skin. Like other mushrooms, tremella offers many other benefits, but its skin-related effects are the most prominent. Another significant benefit of tremella is its neuroprotective properties, meaning those who can’t eat lion’s mane can gain similar benefits from this mushroom.

I haven’t offered tremella to my cats yet, but my own skin has benefited from using it as part of my improved diet. I don’t remember the last time I had pimples since I started using it. Tremella can also help with faster wound healing. I’m thinking about starting to add this to Hanabi’s food to help heal the skin on her neck. (Added note 15.1.: I did start adding this to Hanabi's kefir treat and it did help with healing her skin)

Tremella is not the easiest to cultivate, so finding a good manufacturer to ensure the product’s quality is important.

A brief mention of other mushrooms

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus): Chaga supports gut function and contains the highest amount of antioxidants. It is not a true mushroom but a woody growth on birch trees.

Reishi (Ganoderma lingzhi): The mushroom of eternal life. It has broad effects, including improving sleep quality. It is extremely bitter in taste. The more bitter, the higher the quality of the product. Not cat-friendly in taste.

Shiitake (Lentinula edodes): Good for gut health and heart health.

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor): Turkey tail mushroom is widely used in cancer treatment and boosts immunity.

There are so many different medicinal mushrooms that there’s not enough space in this email to go through all of them. There are also many I don’t even know about yet or that aren’t strongly marketed. I hope you’ve learned something new from this and can think about whether you could add these health-promoting elements to your own or your cat’s diet. At the end of the email, I’ve also included some scientific and other articles if you want to dive deeper.

Until next time!

Iida

1) Medicinal Mushrooms: Bioactive Compounds, Use, and Clinical Trials / https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7826851/

2) Functional Components from the Liquid Fermentation of Edible and Medicinal Fungi and Their Food Applications in China / https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10217627/

3) All About Mushroom Extracts: The Good, The Bad, and The Terrible / https://wholesunwellness.com/all-about-mushroom-extracts-the-good-the-bad-and-the-terrible/

4) Mushroom fruiting body vs mycelium: Which one is the best to use in medicinal mushroom products? / https://www.mycotrition.com/2024/04/23/mushroom-fruiting-body-vs-mycelium/

5) How to Identify Myceliated Grain / https://www.realmushrooms.com/how-to-identify-myceliated-grain/

6) Cordyceps militaris as a Bio Functional Food Source: Pharmacological Potential, Anti-Inflammatory Actions and Related Molecular Mechanisms / https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8875674/

7) Enhancement of ATP generation capacity, antioxidant activity and immunomodulatory activities by Chinese Yang and Yin tonifying herbs / https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5689651/

8) Lion’s Mane Mushroom: A Comprehensive Review of Health Benefits Research / https://newhealthjournal.org/news/lions-mane-mushroom-health-benefits-research/

9) Gastroprotective Effects of Lion’s Mane Mushroom Hericium erinaceus (Bull.:Fr.) Pers. (Aphyllophoromycetideae) Extract against Ethanol-Induced Ulcer in Rats / https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3835629/

10) Extracts from Hericium erinaceus relieve inflammatory bowel disease by regulating immunity and gut microbiota / https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5689651/#:~:text=erinaceus%20extracts%20could%20promote%20the,gut%20microbiota%20and%20immune%20system.

11) A review on the production, structure, bioactivities and applications of Tremella polysaccharides / https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8172338/

12) Medicinal Mushrooms: 7 Kinds and Their Unique Health Benefits / https://www.realmushrooms.com/7-medicinal-mushroom-benefits-for-health/

13) https://leecarrollherbalist.com/blog-articles/

14)The Art of Mushroom Extraction: Methods for Maximum Extract Potency / https://www.realmushrooms.com/mushroom-extraction/