Lion's Mane Mushrooms: 4 Health Benefits & How To Use Them

It's always an added bonus when delicious ingredients also happen to be functional foods that bring more benefit to your meal than just an expansive flavor profile. Fungi rightly contributes to a balanced and nutritious diet, but it's worth exploring the more niche variations to spice up your meals and inject your cooking with some unique health benefits. So, have you heard of lion's mane mushrooms?

Lion's mane mushrooms are large white mushrooms that, according to registered dietitian Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN, have a "shaggy, mane-like appearance." Often used in salads, sauteed as a delicious side, or steeped in tea, as you can guess, these mushrooms get their name entirely based on their appearance. But just like many other forms of mushrooms, lion's mane can also provide some significant benefits for your body.

There's a pretty good breadth of research on the benefits of lion's mane mushrooms, and while the studies largely involve cell or animal trials rather than human studies, the impact of this ingredient appears to be wide-reaching. "Hericium erinaceus, or lion's mane, have a long history in Chinese medicine and Oriental medicine due to their myriad of nutritional benefits," notes Leah Johansen, M.D., staff physician at Lifeforce:

This stimulation is due to the compounds hericenones and erinacines2 found in lion's mane mushrooms. It is notable, however, that the majority of these studies have been conducted on animals, so more research on humans is needed before coming to a definitive conclusion. 

Additionally, research has found that lion's mane extract helped reduce anxiety and depression in mice due to the anti-inflammatory impact it can have (more on that below).

The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits of this mushroom can help to reduce illnesses related to inflammation, including health risks caused by obesity through limiting inflammation from the fat tissue4. 

More specifically, studies have shown that lion's mane mushrooms may be able to limit the growth of the bacteria H. pylori5, which is considered to be responsible for causing ulcers in the stomach. However, as of right now, this has only been seen in a test tube and not an actual stomach, so more research is needed. 

With supplements, powder form is the most common. You can add it to coffee, tea, a smoothie, or soup. Just make sure you're heating them thoroughly, recommends Johansen. "You need to heat to release their nutritional benefits."

Perfect to accompany any recipe that would incorporate mushrooms to begin with, cooking with lion's mane mushrooms is a great way to diversify your diet and add a range of nutrients to your meals that you may not get otherwise. Sauté them in your next stir fry, throw them into a pasta dish, or even add to any soup for a rich flavoring and the knowledge that you're fueling your body well.