What is Ganoderma

Ganoderma Lucidum

(The Red Mushroom)

There are more than 2500 species of edible mushroom. Some are good for food, others are poisonous. The number is increasing as researchers discover more and more species. Out of these, six (6) are known to have the highest medicinal properties and out of the six, Ganoderma Lucidum or Red Mushroom tops them all. Ganoderma Lucidum is known as reishi or mannentake to the Japanese and ling chih or ling zhi to the Chinese.

Ganoderma Lucidum is a botanical name assigned by mycologists to this mushroom. It gets its name from its physical appearance. “Ganos” is Greek word which means bright; “derma” is skin and “lucidum” means shinny.

Ganoderma is a fleshy fungus from the family Polyporacea. Known to be a wood decomposer, it grows on dried trunks of dead plum and the decomposing deadwood logs from where they get their nutrients. Before it was cultured, Ganoderma was found in densely wooded mountains with high humidity and dim lighting. They were rarely found, growing on guercus serrata or pasona trees and out of about 10,000 such aged trees, only about two or three reishi growths are found. The scarcity of this mushroom makes it difficult for any ordinary person to buy it so it had become the food of the prominent and the wealthy. Emperors of the great Chinese dynasties and Japanese royalty drank tea and concoction coming from the mushroom, using it for vitality and long life. The ancient Taoists were constantly searching for the elixir of eternal youth, and reishi was believed to be among the ingredients.

Ganoderma’s multiple and nutritional properties vary in the number of days they grow. If taken early, the extract may not contain the many vitamins and minerals in it. Studies have shown that when harvested on the 18^th day, ganoderma has the highest levels of vitamins and minerals. And when harvested on the 90^th day, other nutritional properties are in their highest. Beyond the 90^th day, ganoderma extract loses its potency.

The young ganoderma is a white, horn-like stalk called mycelium while its mature form, like many other mushrooms, forms a cap-like appearance called the fruit body. The quality of ganoderma depends on a suitable environment with organic nutrition and it grows best in a tropical climate with humid condition. Ganoderma has been classified by a very famous pharmacologist, Dr. Li Shin-Chen, into six (6) categories based on color. They are black, purple, blue, white, yellow and the red ganoderma. The red variety has been found to produce the highest quality of nutritional and medicinal properties.

Ganoderma is not a medicine, for it does not directly kill invading organisms like antibiotics do, but the over 200 active elements found in ganoderma, including vitamins, minerals, proteins, polysaccharides, organic germanium adenosine, ganoderic essence, fiber, etc, are nutrients to the body cells for they strengthen the integrity of the cells to fight foreign invaders as well as raw materials for the use of the cells in the production of needed substances for efficient body functions and balance and which are used for energy production.

Ganoderma therefore, is not a medicine but rather a balanced food from nature so provided by the Great Creator for the nourishment of our body’s cells including the strengthening of our natural defenses so our body will be protected from the harsh environment that we are exposed to.◙

Ganoderma

By: Levi H. Pagunsan, M.D. F.P.C.P.

Chapter 4, pp24-26

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