Image courtesy of Healthline.
Weight loss is a difficult process that takes up a lot of time and energy, and therefore most people would consider taking a shortcut if it came with more benefits than drawbacks. Turkey tail mushroom counts as one of those shortcuts and they come with a lot more benefits than drawbacks as a natural food substance. They can bring you a bunch of physical benefits, and one of the biggest ones is weight loss. With turkey tail mushrooms, you can enjoy mushrooms and lose some weight at the same time.
So do you add turkey tail mushrooms to your diet? We have some ideas listed out below. Turkey tail mushrooms can be eaten in a variety of ways for their weight loss benefits, and you can get their benefits in whichever way you prefer. Turkey tail mushrooms can change your weightloss journey for the best, so keep reading to figure out how to go about it.
What Is A Turkey Tail Mushroom?
Turkey tail mushrooms are a multicolor mushroom found all throughout the world. Its unique coloring makes it stand out from other mushrooms in the wild. It carries several different shades of brown from sandy brown to mahogany and darker. They are also rounded and curved, with some mushrooms containing multiple curves like rose bud petals. And on top of being a beautiful sight in the woods, these mushrooms have several medicinal benefits. It can be used for multiple health reasons, including for weight loss.
Turkey tail mushrooms, also known as Coriolus versicolor, contain compounds that can have an effect on the immune system, the gut, and more. Turkey tail can be taken in supplement form or eaten fresh. It all depends on how someone wants to take it. Both methods also work out just fine together or alternately. Turkey tail is also the kind of healthy mushroom that comes with almost no side effects, so you can really go all out when taking it.
Turkey Tail Mushroom Benefits
Turkey tail mushrooms pack a load of benefits that can help you out in a lot of ways before you even get to their weight loss properties. First off, turkey tail mushrooms are packed with antioxidants, which come with a load of benefits. Antioxidants are substances in the body that protect your cells from the free radicals that can cause damage to them. This damage is caused by oxidative stress, which can happen when there is an imbalance between antioxidants and unstable molecules. This process can help prevent inflammation and ward off different types of cancer. It can even help to destroy some cancer cells and potentially prevent the worst from happening.
The types of antioxidants found in turkey tails are called phenols and flavonoids, and of those two there are multiple different types. The phenolic compounds include 35 different kinds, and the flavonoid compounds are quercetin and baicalein. They release protective compounds that improve the overall immune system.
Turkey tail mushrooms also contain polysaccharopeptide, a protein bound carbohydrate. They have a wide range of effects on immune cells, both activating certain immune cells, and suppressing certain cells. They also fight inflammation and increase the number of white blood cells in the body. This substance is so effective, it is often used as an anticancer agent in combination with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy in eastern countries like China.
Turkey tail mushrooms also contain a type of polysaccharide that may have the ability to suppress certain tumors. A study has shown that eating turkey tail mushroom daily has had the effect of shrinking certain tumors. Other studies have shown that turkey tails can improve the survival rates of people with certain types of cancer when combined with other treatments. The cancer it has the best impact on is colorectal and intestinal cancer. This is in part due to the positive effects that the substance has on the gut.
Turkey tail mushrooms have many positive benefits on the gut. Turkey tail contains prebiotics, which feed the helpful bacteria in the gut. The bacteria in your gut has a direct effect on your immune system, and so the better off your gut bacteria is, the better your immune system will function. Turkey tail modifies the composition of the gut bacteria and increases the presence of good bacteria like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. Meanwhile, it reduces the presence of other harmful bacteria like Clostridium and Staphylococcus. Having high amounts of good bacteria in the gut alongside low amounts of bad bacteria improves cholesterol levels, improves digestion, and reduces the occurrence of illnesses like diarrhea.
Does Turkey Tail Mushroom Help With Weight Loss?
Turkey tail mushrooms perform a few functions that can help a person lose weight. Some of the ways this mushroom regulates weight is by controlling the gut microbiome, enhancing insulin sensitivity, and increasing the metabolism. A higher metabolism leads to more calorie burning, which leads to more fat and therefore weight loss.
Enhancing insulin sensitivity is something that also enhances weight loss effects because glucose is also a big weight loss culprit. Controlling glucose levels through insulin is the way that prescription drugs like Ozempic can bring about weight loss so well. And while mushroom tails won’t be as powerful as a drug like Ozempic, using a similar weight loss tactic in a natural form can potentially lead to powerful results. More research is still needed on turkey tail mushrooms and their effect on weight loss, but some studies over the years have shown positive results that show how well turkey tail can impact weight loss.
Turkey Tail Mushroom Side Effects
One great thing about turkey tail mushrooms is that you are unlikely to experience any negative side effects. Side effects are incredibly rare, and so you mostly won’t have to worry about them. But in case of this rare occurrence, you need to know what some of these side effects can look like. Turkey tail mushrooms can in some occasions come with gastrolienal side effects. Those side effects can include stomach pain, gas, bloating, constipation, and nausea. These side effects can potentially come on with excessive use of turkey tail mushrooms, and all you would have to do to put a stop to them is eat more mushrooms.
Other side effects that can happen on rare occasions when using turkey tail mushrooms are low blood pressure, low blood sugar, low white blood cell count, heart palpitations, and rashes. One rare symptom is a symptom that mimics the cold and flu. If any of these symptoms occur, you need to stop taking turkey tail mushrooms and take a break. And if you are allergic to mold, you are likely to have allergic reactions to turkey tail. Those symptoms can include swelling of the throat, trouble breathing, and skin rashes.
How to Take Turkey Tail Mushrooms
Every mushroom is different, and turkey tail mushrooms are often prepared differently from the average grocery store mushroom. It is leathery and tough in texture, so it isn’t normally cooked into meals. Turkey tail mushrooms are usually dried and then ground into a powder. Once it is in powder form, it is then used to make tea. It can also be used similarly to many food powders and mixed into smoothies and soups. Another way to take turkey tail mushrooms is through supplements. With a daily supplement, you can get all you need and more from turkey tail.
Supplements
Turkey tail mushrooms are a type of mushroom that don’t tend to taste the best when cooked in traditional ways. Their tough and rubbery texture keeps them from being pleasant to chew on depending on how it is cooked. Turkey tail mushrooms can be decent to eat, you just have to cook it in certain ways. But these mushrooms are best enjoyed as a powder or a supplement. That way, you can get all the nutrients this fungus offers without having to deal with the tough texture.
You can find different types of turkey tail supplements on the market. Some of the supplements use the whole mushroom in their product, and others are made with the important extracts taken from turkey tail mushrooms. There are benefits to taking supplements that provide the whole mushroom or the important compounds in it in a concentrated form. The best turkey tail mushroom supplements come from natural sources and don’t use grain or other fillers. The best supplements that use the whole mushroom also make sure only to use the cap. The stem doesn't need to be included for nutritional benefits.
Powdered Turkey Tail Mushrooms
Another way to get turkey tail mushroom into your diet is through powdered mushrooms. Powdered mushrooms can be added to all types of food and drinks. Mushroom powder is used similarly to how collagen powder is used, but the flavor isn’t as easy to disguise. You can try to disguise it or you can use it in foods with complementary flavors. You can enjoy several meals with turkey tail mushroom powder from coffee and tea to smoothies and shakes. You can even make soups and stews with mushroom powder.
What are some specific ways you can use dried mushroom powder? One way to use it is as a rub for meat. Meat tastes great when seasoned with different herbs and spices, so why not try mushroom powder as a spice? You can also season vegetables with mushroom powder. Just toss them and cook them the way you normally would, and you will experience a burst of new flavor that you’re not used to. You can even add a teaspoon or so to enhance certain desserts.
Here is a powdered mushroom recipe:
Mocha Mushroom Smoothie
This mocha mushroom smoothie is chocolatey and really healthy when you add in turkey tail mushroom powder. With a combination of proteins, healthy fats, and caffeine, this smoothie can give you a great breakfast on the go!
Ingredients:
- Turkey tail mushroom powder
- Chocolate protein powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Almond nut butter
- Stevia
- Green Tea
- Coconut milk
What you need to do to make this smoothie is combine all the ingredients on the list together in a blender until it reaches the right consistency. You can make it as thick or as thin as you like, and then pour it into a container of your choice.
Dried Turkey Tail Mushrooms
Dried mushrooms can create some of the most amazing flavors. They will add a rich umami flavor to soups, stews, and braised meat. And you can maximize the flavor profile based on how you use it. Dried mushrooms can be simmered for broth or even rehydrated and added to different meals or meal prep items.
Turkey Tail Mushroom Compound Butter
Compound butter is a butter flavored with different seasonings. Dried mushrooms pack a lot of flavor and therefore make a great ingredient for compound butter. The concentrated umami flavor will add a lot to a stick of butter and then any meal you add it to. You can add a turkey tail mushroom flavored butter onto your steaks, pastas, stews, and anything else that can be improved with some umami flavor.
Ingredients:
- Turkey tail mushrooms
- Butter
To make this dried mushroom compound butter, you will need to soak the mushrooms to rehydrate them and bring out the flavor. The next thing you need to do is get the butter to a creamy consistency to mix in the mushrooms after chopping them up into smaller pieces. You will then mix it together, place the mixture into a container, and put it in the fridge. It will be ready to use as soon as it solidifies.
Turkey tail mushrooms can lead to some significant weight loss, so adding it to your diet can give you many benefits. Follow some of the directions on this page and you can be eating your way to better health very soon.
