Fungus.
Such an unpleasant word. Nobody wants to talk about fungus or a turkey tail for that matter. (What is a turkey tail anyway?) Yet here we are not only talking about fungus, but also about Turkey Tail.
The thing is, unbeknownst to many of us, fungi (a.k.a mushrooms) are some of the most fantastic, beneficial, and powerful things in nature.
There are many types of healthy - medicinal - fungi in the world
Medicinal and nearly magical. No, not the ‘magical’ kind that may send you on a trip at Cirque du Soleil, but mystic enough that they may make several of our modern-day health problems slowly -and steadily- go away.
For example, reishi mushrooms have been used in Eastern medicine to prevent aging, as modern western medicine finds its amazing benefits for liver detox. And cordyceps mushrooms have been used to help cardiovascular health, as an aphrodisiac, and also as anti-aging medicine.
Lion’s mane has been known to give your brain a wake-up call and studies show it may help fight dementia, while the chaga mushroom has been linked to suppressing cancer progression in mice.
To this mighty list of fungi, we add the remarkable turkey tail mushroom.
Turkey Tail Mushroom: Nutritional and Healing Properties
Known as Trametes versicolor and Coriolus versicolor in scientific circles it’s surprising we don’t consume more of the turkey tail mushroom. Not only is it abundantly healthful, but it's also native to forests all over the world, including the ones in North Ameria.
You’ve likely come across at least one turkey tail mushroom in your life (whether you know it or not). You may have noticed its particular cloudy, curvy, and interestingly diverging earth-tone stripes that closely resemble the feathers of a turkey’s tail.
It’s not the most originally-named mushroom out there, but it is incredibly healthy!
Hidden in the colorful fan-like shape of the turkey tail mushroom are potent antioxidants, exceptional beta-glucans known to enhance immune function, Polysaccharide K or PSK and Polysaccharide Peptid or PSP (compounds used to treat cancer), and prebiotics.
Turkey Tail Mushroom & Your Immune System
We go over the health benefits of the turkey tail mushroom in depth in another article, but here’s what you need to know:
- It is packed with antioxidants (over 35), which help reduce oxidative stress from free radicals that cause damage on healthy tissue and cells.
- Reduced oxidative stress and inflammation are known to strengthen the immune system (turkey tail mushroom consumption enables both.)
- Turkey tail mushroom has quercetin which helps the production and release of immunoprotective proteins.
- In a test tube study, it actually showed antibacterial properties. Turkey tail did not allow the dreaded Staphylococcus Aureus (strep) and Salmonella to flourish and take hold.
By making your immune system more resilient, turkey tail is an ideal aid during the winter to avoid seasonal colds and flu.
If you’re looking to stay strong during cold-season, grab a cup of our star immune-system-boosting night-time tea; turkey tail mushroom is a star ingredient in our Organifi Gold along with other eight superfoods.
It’s so powerful, it may help clear out HPV, fight cancer, and lower insulin resistance!
Let's take a closer look at these possible benefits of turkey tail mushrooms:
May Help with Cancer Treatment Recovery
We’re only now getting to know, research, and understand the benefits of turkey tail mushrooms in western medicine. But there is some compelling research emerging.
For example, this study concludes that there is “significant survival advantage” in patients who underwent breast, colon, and colorectal cancer treatment when they mix their regular medication with turkey tail mushroom extract.
These results were supported by other two different studies: one that observed PSK compound in over 8,000 patients and another clinical trial that noted turkey tail is a “safe immunotherapy” for breast cancer patients.
Isn’t that a great reason to start consuming it for prevention purposes?
May Help Clear HPV
The Human Papilloma Virus, also known as HPV, is a growing threat in the US.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that it is so common that “nearly all sexually active men and women get the virus at some point in their lives.”
Turkey tail has so far shown to be effective in HPV treatment and virus isolation with some research resulting in 88% clearance in people treated with the mushroom in conjunction with other medication, vs. only 5% clearance in the control group.
It may even be an excellent aid in HPV detection, which may lead to better, more accurate, and ultimately effective eradication therapy and/or vaccines.
While HPV is not something to be ashamed of, it is nice to have natural solutions available. And adding some superfoods to your diet is certainly easier to include in your life than age-restricted vaccines.
May Help with Insulin Resistance
Early testing shows promising properties to treat, improve, or eliminate insulin resistance, by drastically reducing blood sugar levels, even in athletes, making the extract a viable solution with little to no side-effects for Diabetes Type 2 patients and other individuals with pancreatic or insulin resistance issues.
By now you’re probably convinced that the mounting evidence of the turkey tail mushroom health benefits makes it an attractive addition to your diet.
And you’re right.
But, before you go foraging the forest for some turkey tail goodness you must know that the reason we don’t eat it more often is that its chitinous cellular structure makes it really hard to digest.
In fact, it is best consumed in infusions and extracts.
How to consume Turkey Tail Mushroom to Maximize it's Health Benefits
- Eat it in soups: you’ll find it as part of healthy mushroom broth, but because it is a little chewy most people avoid it.
- Brew it in tea: get it dehydrated from the organic store and mix in with other herbal tea powders; it’s got a strong smell and taste for some so you may like to try different options. Or, try our Gold superfood powder and get the benefits in a delicious pre-mixed tea.
- Get a supplement: usually mixed with other potent mushrooms in extract form, you can add supplements to support your diet and cash in on the health benefits without having to go hunting in the woods - or deal with the chewiness!
There is no recommended dosage, but some clinical trials have found that as little as six to nine grams a day had positive effects on women who had undergone aggressive breast cancer treatment, improving their recovery rates.
In Eastern Medicine, it's not uncommon to enjoy a turkey tail infusion daily, which explains why its medicinal powers have been readily available for the population.
For you to get results, we recommend starting with the six grams a day and monitoring energy levels, cold-season resistance, and overall health to see if that’s enough for you. Of course, you could just take it in a superfood supplement and not worry about dosage!
A Cheat Sheet to Turkey Tail Mushrooms
|
Scientific Names |
Trametes versicolor & Coriolus versicolor |
|
Common Name |
Turkey Tail Mushroom |
|
Origin |
Named after the feathers of a turkey tail |
|
Available |
Worldwide, easily found in North American Woods |
|
Historical Medicinal Use |
As Yun Zhi in traditional Chinese Medicine it is known as the “Cloud Mushroom” and has been used to treat cancer, deter tumor growth, strengthen the immune system, and energy booster. It’s been recognized as an antitumor drug in Japan since 1977, through its PSK component. Its component PSP was approved in 1991 in China as viable radiotherapy complement in cancer treatment. |
|
Not to be confused with |
The Stereum Ostrea mushroom or False Turkey Tail, which tends to be lighter in color and similar to an Oyster. |
|
Nutritional and Health Properties |
A high percentage of protein-bound polysaccharide (PSK), Polysaccharide Peptide (PSP), Quercin, and prebiotics. |
|
Used Nowadays For |
Immune System Strengthening Cancer treatment and recovery HPV detection and clearing Antinflammatory agent Antibacterial Lower Blood Sugar Improve Insulin Resistance |
|
Recommended Dosage |
To be determined. One study found that 6 to 9 grams a day helped with faster recovery for breast cancer survivors. |
|
Is it Edible? |
No, it is consumed in tea, broth, powder extract, and supplements. |
|
How to Consume |
Brewed for long periods of time in tea, mushroom broth, powder supplements (make sure they’re not mixed with rice), and superfood supplements like Organifi Gold. |
The Bottomline:
The turkey tail mushroom is a the forefront of medical research nowadays due to its ubiquitous presence, relatively easy production, and irresistible therapeutic uses against critical illnesses affecting the world today from cancer to HPV.
But we don’t have to be sick or undergoing treatment to leverage its power.
It’s immune system strengthening capacities and preventative advantages make it a must-have in our superfood arsenal! And that's exactly why we've chosen this superfood as a star ingredient in Organifi Gold and our other Gold flavors.
This guide is meant to make it easy for you to navigate that research, understand the potential perks of its regular turkey tail mushroom consumption and let you form your own opinion.
But we must say, it’s definitely worth the try!
We hope you found this post useful and that you share it far and wide, the health benefits of turkey tail mushroom are too impressive to keep this to ourselves!
Let us know if you tried it and how it went.
We’re in this together.
