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5 Ridiculously Delicious Cordyceps Mushroom Recipes

cordyceps smoothie
Written by Real Mushrooms - Updated: September 11, 2024

Cordyceps mushroom supplements are gaining popularity across all walks of life – leaving many searching for recipes that incorporate cordyceps mushroom capsules and powders into their favorite foods.

You may not have a lot of time to meal plan, or to prepare elaborate dishes – so we’ve put together five of our favorite cordyceps mushroom recipes for you. These flavor-packed foods and drinks will have you craving your new favorite treat, and reaping the health benefits of cordyceps mushroom supplements. And don’t worry, we have all the info to make these goodies keto, vegan, and auto-immune friendly!

So, let’s begin by gaining an insight into cordyceps mushrooms and why they have gained momentum as a superfood. Then we’ll cover five delicious and simple recipes using our Real Mushrooms cordyceps mushroom supplements. And finally, we’ll sprinkle in key information for you regarding how to obtain pure, organic, and potent mushroom supplements to use into your own recipes.

cordyceps militaris
Organic dried Cordyceps militaris mushrooms go through a hot water extraction process maintaining all nutrients of the mushroom to create a pure, extract powder

What Are Cordyceps Mushroom Supplements?

Before we jump into the kitchen – let’s take a moment to understand our key ingredient.

Medicinal mushrooms have been used for thousands of years by healers in Asian cultures. As the news of nutrient-rich mushrooms has gone mainstream, more people than ever before are giving medicinal mushrooms a try.

This leads us to the cordyceps mushrooms themselves. The most well-known species of this fungus is Cordyceps sinensis which is linked to a number of health benefits, including improved:1

  • Energy
  • Immune system function
  • Appetite
  • Stamina
  • Endurance

Cordyceps sinensis mushrooms (the caterpillar fungus) are harvested in the wild alpine regions of the Tibetan plateau. But as the news of the mushrooms’ health benefits spread, so did their usage. Over the last 4 decades, the demand has skyrocketed, and unfortunately, the wild supply couldn’t keep up.

This led to a price increase, and now one kilogram of Cordyceps sinensis easily costs $20,000, making these mushrooms the most expensive mushroom on the planet. So it’s no wonder many refer to cordyceps as “Himalayan gold”.

If Cordyceps sinensis is so expensive, then that begs the questions — How can your cordyceps supplements possibly have Cordyceps sinensis as an ingredient and moreover, what’s actually in your cordyceps mushroom supplement?

worm mushroom
Real Cordyceps Sinensis costs upwards of $20K per kilogram. Real Mushrooms offers an affordable and just as potent alternative

Is Cordyceps Sinensis Really in Your Supplement?

Because Cordyceps sinensis is extremely difficult to obtain and has such an outrageous price tag, be on the lookout for labels citing Cordyceps sinensis as an ingredient. Very rarely is this species of cordyceps sold in North America. But if you do see it on an ingredients list be wary as it is very unlikely for it to be the caterpillar fungus. It’s likely composed of either pure mycelium in the form of Cordyceps Cs-4 or myceliated grain, which contains no actual mushrooms and very little of the beneficial bio-active compounds that are present in the mushrooms.

This means that because the nutrient-dense mushroom (fruiting body) has been substituted with myceliated grain, you’re left with lower amounts of beta-glucans2,3 — valuable compounds present in the mushroom. Sadly, many companies are still selling their cordyceps mushroom supplements with either the Cordyceps sinensis photos or marketing information.

The key takeaway here is to always be careful about not only what mushrooms you’re purchasing, but what you’re putting into your body. Always research the products and companies you purchase from.

Selecting a True Cordyceps Mushroom Extract

Here at Real Mushrooms, we use only Cordyceps militaris mushrooms as this species of Cordyceps can be cultivated at an economic scale. More and more research is revealing that Cordyceps militaris has very comparable properties to wild Cordyceps sinensis. This is fantastic news because it allows you to obtain similar health benefits at a fraction of the price.

We create pure organic cordyceps mushroom extracts with high amounts of bioactive compounds. One of the key compounds in any type of Cordyceps mushroom is called cordycepin, and this has very potent anti-oxidant properties and supports a healthy inflammation response.3 Cordyceps militaris has up to 90 times more cordycepin compared to wild Cordyceps sinensis.

At Real Mushrooms, you can be sure that our products are made with the highest quality organic Cordyceps militaris mushrooms to ensure pure and potent mushroom products.

cordyceps mushroom recipesAdding Cordyceps to Recipes

The recipes below are just a few suggestions for unique, well-balanced drinks and snacks. In general, Cordyceps works well added to just about any drink or meal because it blends easily and the taste is virtually undetectable.

Many Real Mushroom customers love adding Cordyceps to a pre-workout smoothie, for instance, to help boost the production of ATP, which leads to increased muscle stamina. Others simply add this mushroom extract powder to their morning coffee or tea, to give themselves an extra energy boost for the day.

We encourage you to play with the versatility of this powerfully beneficial mushroom in your own recipes, and to submit your favorites to [email protected] as we’re always looking to feature unique and delicious new inspirations!

5 of the Tastiest Cordyceps Mushroom Recipes

Now let’s get to the fun part and dig into some delicious and fun cordyceps mushroom recipes directly from our own recipe box.

Living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be a drag, you can enjoy these goodies and treats all while knowing you’re fueling your body with all the valuable health benefits cordyceps mushrooms have to offer. From spiced mushroom coffee to butter biscuits, there’s something for everyone. So let’s get started.

1. Snicker Doodle Ice Cream Shake

Snickerdoodles, ice cream, and mushrooms — yes, you read that right. Rising temperatures make this treat a go-to indulgence when it’s time to cool off and relax. But you’ll not only be helping your mental health with this self-care goodie – you’ll also be helping your body reach peak performance.

snicker doodle ice cream shake

Ingredients:

  • 1 Can BPA Free Organic Full Fat Coconut Milk
  • 1 Pastured Egg + 1 Egg Yolk (If vegan, replace with one flax egg, or omit altogether)
  • 2 tsp MCT Oil
  • 1/2 chopped Frozen Banana (Omit if strictly Keto)
  • 30g/1 scoop Grass-fed Cold Processed Cinnamon Bun or Vanilla Whey Protein (If vegan, replace with Hemp Protein, or omit altogether)
  • 1/2 tsp Pink Himalayan Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp of Real Mushrooms Lions Mane Extract
  • 1/2 tsp of Real Mushrooms Cordyceps-M Extract
  • Organic Stevia to taste (Optional)

Directions:

  1. Blend all ingredients in a blender.
  2. Place this mixture in the freezer for 3 hours.
  3. Reblend for a shake-like texture or eat as-is for a creamy consistency. You can take this a step further and use an ice cream machine to an ultra-smooth treat.

Find the original post here.

2. Spiced Mushroom Cold Brew Coffee

Who doesn’t love a delightful cup of cold brew coffee to kickstart your day or get that much-needed mid-afternoon boost? If you’re a coffee-lover, stay tuned, this cordyceps mushroom recipe is for you.

cordyceps mushroom recipeIngredients:

  • 1 cup cold brew coffee like deathwish or Kimera Koffee
  • ½ cup coconut cream, almond milk or grass-fed dairy whole milk
  • 1 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ginger
  • ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 Tbsp almond or cashew butter
  • 1 tsp of Real Mushrooms Lion’s Mane
  • 1 tsp of Real Mushrooms Chaga
  • 1 tsp of Real Mushrooms Cordyceps-M
  • 1 scoop of vegan or grass-fed whey protein powder
  • 1 to 3 drops of vanilla stevia
  • A handful of cashews and coconut shreds

Directions:

  • Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until the desired consistency is reached. Enjoy!

Check out the original post here.

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Resources

  1. Panda, A.K. & Swain, K.C., 2011. Traditional uses and medicinal potential of Cordyceps Sinensis of Sikkim. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine, viewed 26, June 2020, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3121254/>
  2. McCleary, B. V., & Draga, A., 2016. Measurement of ß-Glucan in mushrooms and mycelial products. Journal of AOAC International, 99(2), 364–373 viewed 26, June 2020, <https://academic.oup.com/jaoac/article/99/2/364/5658031>
  3. Chilton, Jeff, Nammex, 2015. Redefining Medicinal Mushrooms. <http://www.nammex.com/redefining-medicinal-mushrooms/>
  4. Tuli, H.S., Sandhu, S.S. & Sharma, A.K., 2014. Pharmacological and therapeutic potential of Cordyceps with special reference to Cordycepin. 3 Biotech, viewed 26, June 2020, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3909570/>
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Real Mushrooms is the premier provider of organic mushroom extracts, verified for the beneficial medicinal compounds like beta-glucans and free from starchy fillers like grains. With over 40 years of mushroom growing experience, Real Mushrooms prides itself on providing a transparent source of functional mushrooms that you can trust. All the information provided on our blog has been reviewed by our science and medical team.

Disclaimer: The information or products mentioned in this article are provided as information resources only, and are not to be used or relied on to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information does not create any patient-doctor relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment. The information is intended for health care professionals only. The statements made in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information in this article is intended for educational purposes. The information is not intended to replace medical advice offered by licensed medical physicians. Please consult your doctor or health practitioner for any medical advice.

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