Functional mushrooms have pretty magical benefits for your body but sorry kids, they are NOT “magic mushrooms." They won't make you hallucinate or find God, but they might help you arrive at some very poignant mental and physical epiphanies.
Some of the MVPs of the functional mushroom world are: reishi, chaga, cordyceps, lion’s mane, and turkey tail mushrooms. Feel like you’re in a Harry Potter botany class yet? (Us to, us to, we wish.)
These little toadstools are powerhouses that have been used for thousands of years to support our bodies in an array of ‘functions’. Functional mushrooms overall contain powerful healing supportive properties that keep your brain boosted, your mood elevated, your immunity humming, your libido buzzing, and your stress at bay. Some even have cancer fighting and adaptogenic properties. Meaning they work within your body to fine tune what your body needs. See? Freaking magic.
They also look pretty freaking magical too:
While they may be new to you, these mushrooms have been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, among other cultures around the world for over 5,000 years.
I am Arianne Jones, SEND cofounder, healthy chef, bar recipe developer and Olympian-turned-health coach. I discovered the power of functional mushrooms and adaptogens after I was diagnosed with Lyme disease almost five years ago. Coming out of the Olympics, my body was broken, my adrenals were tapped, and I was constantly sick with little to no energy. When I was diagnosed with Lyme, it made a lot more sense that I needed a lifestyle overhaul, and so I turned my attention to how to naturally heal.
I began my love affair with adaptogens and functional mushrooms, ingesting them daily and watching my life change. My adrenals rebalanced, my stress hormones lowered, my levels of energy increased, mental focus came back, and I was finally able to sleep well and wake up rested. My body really responded to the medicinal properties of mushrooms and how miraculous they knew how to help me repair, restore, and get back to the strongest version of myself.
When we launched SEND, there was no question in my mind that mushrooms and adaptogens needed to be a part of our solution to healthier snacking on-the-go. So I formulated recipes geared towards performance and recovery, knowing that the properties of these powerful ingredients really worked.
In addition to organic, whole, protein-rich, gluten free tasty goodness, here's what's so magical about our bars:
Our Lemon Cherry Perform Bar contains
- Lion’s Mane which is known to sharpen focus, enhance clarity, uplift moods, and spark creativity. Brain boost initiated.
- Cordyceps which are known to boost endurance, support stress and enhance stamina.
And our glorious Salted Peanut Recover Bar (that tastes like the peanut butter cookies of our childhood) contains
- Chaga mushrooms which is known to balance energy, reduce fatigue, combat inflammation, and super support your immunity as one of the highest anti-oxidants on the planet.
- Ashwagangda which is known to reduce stress, promote well-being, calm the nervous system & help regulate cortisol.
Send-ing good vibes.
Love, Jones
*Interested in nerding out further on their functions and benefits?
PubMed is our favorite database for research and articles. It is an online search engine that comprises medical studies freely available to the public.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed.
Pro tip? Use the search bar at the top of the page and enter the name of the mushroom or adaptogen you want to read about.
Most formal research on mushrooms uses the Latin name of the mushroom, so we've listed them below. We’re all about making your life a little easy everyday:
Lion’s Mane – Hericium erinaceus
Chaga – Inonotus obliquus
Cordyceps – Cordyceps militaris
Turkey Tail – Trametes versicolor
Tremella – Tremella fuciformis
Reishi – Ganoderma lucidum
Have fun nerding out, we always do!
*We are not doctors, nor do we pretend to be. This information is not meant to treat, cure, heal or diagnose any illness or disease. Please seek advice from your trusted medical professional(s) if you have questions if these products are right for you.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent any disease.