Everyone knows what a mushroom is, but what is mushroom mycelium? If this is a mystery to you, you aren’t alone. The reason why so many people aren’t sure of the answer is that much of mushroom mycelium growth is invisible to us. The mycelium consists of a network of fine threads known as hyphae - you could say that they are comparable to the roots of a plant since they’re responsible for absorbing the nutrients mushrooms need to grow. The mushroom itself can be compared to a flower. It’s made up of hyphae that grow into the structures we’re all familiar with and its purpose is to produce and distribute the spores or “seeds” of mushrooms. For this reason, mushrooms are known as the “fruiting bodies” of the fungus. Do All Mushrooms Have Mycelium? All mushrooms have mycelium, but not all fungi produce mushrooms. The network of hyphae that supports these organisms feeds on organic matter, either through parasitism of live organic material or by digesting dead organic matter so that it can be absorbed. Mushrooms don’t photosynthesize, so they have to get their nutrition from organic material just as we do, albeit without actually “eating.” The mushroom mycelium network continues to grow until the conditions are just right, and then it produces fruiting bodies that will start a new generation. If you enjoy eating mushrooms, the fruiting bodies are the most interesting and useful parts of a mushroom. But, for nature, mycelium is even more important. Apart from breaking down organic matter so that it can be useful to other organisms, certain types of fungal mycelium help trees to absorb water and nutrients more effectively. These fungal networks have even been shown to help trees to communicate with one another! Is Mycelium Useful in Other Contexts? We’ve seen that mycelium is an extremely important part of any ecosystem, but it can have other uses that benefit us. For example, mycoremediation uses fungi to digest certain types of waste and contaminants. Fungi can be used to purify soil, air, and water and may even be used to combat nuclear waste. Food scientists have also been hard at work developing mycelium-based meat substitutes that mimic the appearance and texture of meat. But, it’s the nutritional content that makes mycelium meat so successful as a meat substitute. It contains all the necessary amino acids the body needs plus vitamins, minerals and fibre. To crown it all, it’s a planet-friendly food source. Could this be the future of agriculture? By manipulating the growth of mycelium, we can create several useful, biodegradable materials too. Adidas is already making shoes using ‘leather’ made from mycelium rather than animal hides, and Ikea is working on introducing environmentally friendly packaging from mycelium. There’s also exciting progress toward the use of mycelium as a lightweight, fire-resistant and environmentally appropriate building material. Mycelium vs. Mushroom (Fruiting Body) For Production of Supplements Mushroom mycelium certainly offers considerable potential, but there’s one area where fruiting bodies have the edge, and that’s nutritional value. Although mycelium is edible and contains many beneficial nutrients, fruiting bodies contain higher concentrations of the beneficial nutrients if you choose to consume mushrooms as a health supplement. In considering the differences between mushroom supplements made from mycelium versus those made from fruiting bodies, it’s vital to know more about the production and extraction processes. When mycelium is sourced to make a supplement, it is likely to be grown on an edible substrate, such as grain, with both ground up together to produce the mushroom powder. It contains mycelium, but it isn’t pure mycelium. Compare this to the higher concentrations of nutrients in fruiting bodies, and it's easy to conclude that supplements extracted only from fruiting bodies and grown on natural wood substrates are a much better source of nutrition and more bioavailable too. Another reason why fruiting bodies are significantly better is based on how much natural light they absorb during their growth. It’s possible to grow mushrooms without sunlight, but letting them soak up their share of natural light allows them to produce a Vitamin D precursor that our bodies can transform into the “sunshine vitamin.” With around half the people in the world unknowingly living with Vitamin D deficiencies, this is an important consideration. Mycelium can be grown with light exposure, but since it grows much faster in the dark (its natural habitat), that’s often how it’s produced: just one more reason why Grass & Co. choose to only use fruiting bodies in their formulations. Grass & Co. Supplements Made From Fruiting Bodies At Grass & Co, we’re proud of the fact that we bring you the very best in natural nutritional supplements using 100% fruiting bodies grown in greenhouses on natural substrates and are hot water extracted. Whether you’re looking for FOCUS from Lion’s Mane, are eager to POWER up with Shiitake, or hope to RELAX with Maitake, you’ll find that our products all feature potent organically-grown fruiting bodies to optimise your nutrition and boost your healthy lifestyle. Explore our range of natural, vegan-friendly functional mushroom supplements today. Better nutrition is the key to better health - the natural way. Grass & Co. and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. The information and products presented on this site are not intended for medical use nor do they make any medical claims. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health-related programmes. More about functional mushrooms
