Yeongji Tea

Also Known As: Lingzhi, linggzhi, Ling zhi, reishi, Yeongji-beoseot-cha, Ganoderma lucidum, hangul, Red Reishi, and Reishi mushroom tea.

Yeongji is the common Korean name for the mushroom Ganoderma lucidum, and its close relative Ganoderma tsugae.

The Yeongji mushroom is what the Chinese refer to as Lingzhi, or the Japanese call Reishi. All of these names refer to the same mushroom species.

The Ganoderma lucidum, or Yeongji, has been used for over 4,000 years in traditional Chinese medicine.

The Yeongji mushroom grows up to 8 inches or more in diameter in the moist and temperate forested sections of Asia, Europe, South America, and the United States.

It is a large, kidney shaped mushroom with a corky texture and a brown cap with distinctive growth rings that appear in a semicircular pattern. These mushrooms grow in six different colors, with the red mushroom being the most common. The other colors are purple, green, white, yellow, and black.

What is Yeongji Tea? Yeongji Tea is made from the fresh or dried Ganoderma lucidum species of mushroom. The mushrooms are thinly sliced or pulverized.

Yeongji Tea Preparation:

Due to its bitter taste, Yeongji Mushroom tea is usually prepared as a hot water extract.

• Add 5 grams or about 1 tsp of thinly sliced or pulverized Yeongji mushroom to 4 or 5 cups of boiling water. The mushroom can be fresh or dried.
• Bring to a simmer, cover and continue to simmer for two hours. Strain the tea, removing the mushroom pieces, and cool.
• Add honey, fruit juice or even green tea to help the taste. It will store in the refrigerator for a few days and keep its potency.

Home Remedies Using Yeongji Tea:

Benefits of Yeongji Tea:

Historically the Yeongji Mushroom was classified into six categories according to their shapes and colors, each color was said to nourish a different part of the body. Red was used for the heart, purple for joints, green for the liver, white to treat the lungs and skin, yellow for the spleen, and black for the kidneys and brain. Yeongji Tea was believed to contribute to a long life.

Today, Yeongji Tea is still used as a general tonic believed to promote vitality, balance blood pressure, clean the blood, stimulate liver action, and fight the effects of aging and stress. The antioxidant properties of the mushroom fight against free radicals and protect against the effects of radiation. Yeongji Tea used by cancer patients to reinforce the membrane of cancerous cells and impede the spread of these cells.

Yeongji Tea has anti-inflammatory abilities, it helps relax skeletal muscles, calm the central nervous system, and fight against the stimulating effects of caffeine and other stimulants.

Yeongji Tea will also improve blood flow and reduces the heart’s oxygen consumption. The tea will help eliminate cholesterol build-up, increase blood circulation, and help maintain healthy cholesterol levels and platelet activity. It is believed that Yeongji Tea may increase the production of interferon, stimulating the immune system and helping to fight viral infections and tumors.

Current research on the Yeongji indicates that it, “May possess anti-tumor, immunomodulatory and immunotherapeutic activities, supported by studies on polysaccharides, terpenes, and other bioactive compounds isolated from fruiting bodies and mycelia of this fungus. It has also been found to inhibit platelet aggregation, and to lower blood pressure (via inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme), cholesterol, and blood sugar.”

Side Effects of Yeongji Tea:

Yeongji Tea is generally considered safe as the mushroom has been used as food for thousands of years.

Rare side effects from Yeongji Tea include dizziness, dry mouth, upset stomach, nose bleed, sore bones, gastrointestinal distress or irritated skin.