You’ve likely seen an array of mushroom-infused products lately, from mushroom coffee and chocolates to adaptogenic powders and skin care serums. Earthy, rich, and powerful mushrooms have entered the health world in a big way, but they are far from new. For centuries, people have used functional mushrooms in various health and wellness rituals. 

Functional mushrooms are not just some passing health trend; rather, they are being celebrated for their unique, bioactive compounds. Modern science is now confirming what ancient traditions understood: mushrooms have health properties that support immune function, maintain skin health, and support energy levels. 

Why Choose Functional Mushrooms?

Chaga, reishi, turkey tail, lion’s mane, cordyceps, and other mushrooms are considered to be functional mushrooms. Unlike your standard white button mushroom, functional mushroom varieties contain unique compounds like triterpenes, antioxidants, and polysaccharides. Many of these compounds, especially beta-glucans, have been studied for their effects on stress response, physical performance, skin health, and immune function. 

Traditionally, people consumed these functional mushrooms in the form of teas, powders, or tinctures. Nowadays, you can obtain these mushrooms in more easily accessible formats, such as gummies, supplements, and coffee powders. Just make sure that you do your research before you purchase products, because you want to avoid added sugars and unnecessary preservatives, fillers, or binders. 

3 Functional Mushrooms To Try

You can easily incorporate many mushrooms into your daily diet, but it can be difficult to know where to start. Not all functional mushrooms are created equal, nor do they offer universal benefits. Consider your goals before you just start taking mushrooms at random. Make sure the ones you choose fit your health and wellness needs. Below, you will find three, well-researched mushrooms that support common wellness needs. Incorporate them into your routine to help improve skin texture, beat fatigue, and support overall resilience. 

Tremella For Healthy Aging And Skin Hydration

This edible, gelatinous fungus has been used for centuries in Chinese herbal medicine and cuisine. Due to the high levels of polysaccharides that function similarly to hyaluronic acid, tremella mushrooms have a unique ability to retain moisture. For this reason, you can commonly find tremella mushrooms in anti-aging and moisturizing products. A small study from 2021 found that a hand sanitizer gel with tremella mushroom extract was more effective than a placebo in moisturizing the skin. Other research indicates that the polysaccharides may decrease skin damage caused by UV rays. 

Cordyceps For Energy And Endurance

Traditional Chinese Medicine has used cordyceps, a genus of fungus, to help treat kidney diseases, renal dysfunction, fatigue, and cardiac dysfunction. More recently, researchers have focused on the benefits of cordyceps for athletic performance and energy. In fact, some studies show that cordyceps help increase oxygen utilization and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. That is essential for optimal muscular function during exercise, making cordyceps beneficial for overall vitality and physical performance. A small study from 2024 monitored young adults who were either given a placebo or one gram of cordyceps prior to high intensity interval training. Researchers noted after taking cordyceps, people experienced less muscle damage and after cell repair. Not all research is consistent with these findings, though, so more studies are necessary.

Chaga Mushrooms For Immune Support

Some people refer to chaga as the “king of mushrooms” because it is rich in antioxidants and beta-glucans, to which researchers attribute the immune-modulating effects. Research indicates that chaga mushroom acts as a potent immune modulator, encouraging stronger immune function by increasing white blood cell production. Additionally, researchers note that chaga aids the formation of beneficial cytokines, while reducing inflammation in the process. Beneficial cytokines are specialized proteins that regulate the immune system. That could help the body fight infections, from minor colds to more serious illnesses.

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If you are passionate about hair care and find yourself leaning more towards DIY, natural recipes, you clicked on the right article. Not only are DIY recipes cost-effective compared to regular hair care products, but they are also free of harmful chemicals. The lack of chemicals in DIY products is one of the primary reasons people start using them. You don’t want to harm your body with a hair care product that has a comparable, natural alternative recipe.

Hair gel may seem difficult to make, but it’s very easy to whip up a quick batch. In fact, you can customize DIY hair gels to your needs, increasing the hold if necessary. The best thing about this hair gel recipe is that you won’t break the bank! You will, however, need to acquire the following ingredients:

• Gelatin
• Aloe vera
• Filtered water
• Olive oil

Are Natural Hair Gels Effective?

Yes, they are effective and healthy for your hair. They may not provide a significant hold, but they do help to enhance the look of your hair. Some people find that they provide a gentle hold, making it very easy for styling. The great thing about natural hair gel is that they don’t contain drying ingredients like alcohol. Drying ingredients can dry out the hair, irritate the scalp, increase product build-up, and contribute to hair fall. Free yourself from the bonds of drying ingredients by using the homemade hair gel in this article. It may help contribute to healthier hair, as the ingredients tend to strengthen hair, encourage hair growth, and hydrate the scalp.

Why Use Gelatin?

Containing keratin proteins that bind with hair to strengthen it, gelatin makes for an excellent addition to homemade hair gel. Gelatin adheres well to damaged areas of your hair, helping to smooth out hair cuticles, reduce breakage, and boost shine. If you want a cruelty-free option, you can replace gelatin with agar-agar, which is derived from seaweed and has a jelly-like texture. If you use gelatin, make sure to not go overboard because too much protein can cause hair to harden, lose flexibility, and break more easily. The amount of gelatin in this recipe, though, is so small that it won’t be an issue, even if you use this gel daily. If you notice that your hair loses flexibility, you should deep condition your hair and rotate this recipe in with agar-agar or flaxseed options.

Homemade Hair Gel

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cool filtered water
• 3/4 teaspoon gelatin
• 1 tablespoon aloe vera
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 5 drops essential oil of your choice

Instructions:

• Pour the water into a small saucepan and mix in the gelatin until well-dissolved.
• Put the saucepan over medium-low heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the aloe vera, olive oil, and essential oils. Pour this mixture into a glass jar and place in the fridge so it can cool. It’s best to stir periodically during the cooling process.
• Once the gel cools completely, mix it up with a fork and smash any big lumps. If you want, pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. That step is up to you, though.

How To Use:

• Place a small amount of the gel onto your finger tips and run them through your wet hair, starting at the roots and finishing at the tips.
• Continue applying your desired amount of gel, smashing any gelatin chunks with your fingers if you see them. Use liberally or conservatively, depending on how you like to style your hair.

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Supplements have become commonplace in modern day society. From vitamins and minerals to herbal and DIY supplements, a lot of concern is placed on the composition of the capsules themselves. The health and quality of capsules are of equal importance to the ingredients within. Capsules dissolve quickly, they are tasteless, and people have an easier time swallowing them, when compared to other pills or tablets. Capsules offer their advantages, but one must understand the difference between vegetarian and gelatin capsules.

Gelatin Capsules

Gelatin and vegetarian-based capsules look the same, but the notable difference is what each capsule is made of. Gelatin comes from bovine (cattle) or pigs, and the process involves boiling down certain parts of the animal until it is a gel-like consistency. This gel cools and expands when mixed with cold water. The resulting product is an odorless, tasteless gel capsule that most companies use to encapsulate their herbs, powders, and other supplements.

Vegetarian Capsules

For people who have a sensitivity or difficulty digesting gelatin, vegetarian capsules are the perfect option. They are also the optimal choice for those with dietary, religious, or cultural restrictions, and they are better suited for herbs, powders, supplements, and vitamins. Vegetarian capsules are made from forming vegetable cellulose, the most common of which is Hydroxpropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC). The source of HPMC will depend on what the company uses when committing to vegetarian capsules.

What Dherbs Capsules Are Made Of

The reason Dherbs uses vegetarian capsules is because they contain no animal byproducts, and there are no known potential risks of taking them in a long-term scenario. Dherbs’ capsules are 100% natural and non-toxic and can be stored for up to three years in a cool, dry place without the risk of bacterial growth, when compared to traditional tablets. The capsules themselves are manufactured from the following materials:

• Hydroxpropyl methyl cellulose
• Purified water
• Carrageenan
• Potassium chloride

Dherbs Capsule Allergen And Gluten Statement

For the empty hard shell vegetarian capsules that Dherbs uses, there are no raw materials, including additives, that are used during the production process. No raw materials that are listed as allergens in EU Directive 2000/13/EC or its amendments that have their origin in cereals, crustaceans, peanuts, gluten, eggs, fish, soybeans, milk, nuts, celery, sesame seeds, mollusks, wheat, mustard, corn and/or lupin are in the capsules. The capsules are also free of sulfur dioxide or sulfites at concentrations of more than 100 ppm. The vegetable capsules that Dherbs uses are free of the specified known allergy stimulating substances.

Dherbs Non-GMO Declaration

Dherbs’ vegetable capsules are guaranteed not to contain GMOs (genetically modified organisms) as defined by the EU “Organic” Regulation 2093/91 and UKROFS, the Soil Association Standards for Organic Food and Farming (new Section 2.4) prohibit the use of genetically modified organisms* (GMOs) and products derived from them in organic production systems and organic products. These capsules are not derived from or produced using GMOs or their derivatives, and the capsules never come in contact with any genetically modified substances.

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In a world of processed foods, added sugars, trans fats, chemical additives, and GMOs, it can be hard to know if what your eating is vegan or not. There are actually lots of foods, which people think are vegan, but actually have animal products in them. We don’t want you to be in the dark about these secretly non-vegan foods, so we did some digging and found some pretty surprising results. We hope this helps in your quest to keep eating a healthy, vegan diet.

Frozen French Fries

It’s hard to believe that these aren’t just potatoes. Some, not all, frozen French fries are cooked in animal fat before they are frozen. Make sure you read the label to find out if they were. It will be beneficial to cut these out of your diet because they are loaded with chemical additives and processed ingredients.

Worcestershire Sauce

This classic sauce is notoriously made with anchovies to achieve its flavor. There are, however, brands that don’t use anchovies, which make it vegan friendly.

Chip

While this isn’t true for all chips, a lot of chips are made with pork enzymes. If you glance over the ingredients, you might miss “porcine enzymes.” Be on the lookout for this ingredient, especially in brands like Doritos and FritoLay.

Orange Juice

This may be a shocker to anyone on a vegan diet. Some orange juice brands usually enhance their OJ with omega 3, which they derive from fish. You can actually get omega 3s from plant-based ingredients. When you freshly make your juices, though, you’ll never have to worry.

White Sugar

First off, stevia and agave syrup are way healthier options than regular sugar. Refined sugar is not naturally white; rather, bone char, which is often labeled as “natural carbon,” is used to give sugar the white color.

Honey

Veganism means that you don’t consume anything that is a product of the animal kingdom. Since honey is a product of bees, it is technically not vegan, although some choose to overlook that.

Breath Mints

Altoid uses gelatin in the production of its mints. Ingredients may not be the first things you look at when you buy breath mints, but companies can use animal products in many things. Altoid does make a vegan-friendly breath mint called “sugar-free smalls.” It probably isn’t the only brand that uses gelatin, so be on the lookout.

Pad Thai

If you order Pad Thai at a restaurant, it is probably made with fish sauce because that is a classic ingredient in the dish. If you make Pad Thai at home, you can easily omit the fish sauce without compromising the flavor.

That’s a pretty surprising list, right? In addition to the above foods, marshmallows, Jello (obviously), some bagels and bread, dark beer, Caesar dressing, and French onion soup all have animal products in them. Make sure you double check for animal products when you’re buying food.

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