Coffee is probably one of the most profitable businesses to get into these days. The lines forming in and outside popular coffee brands like Starbuck's or Seattle's are testimony to the world's love affair with coffee. Whether this is because of a fad or because we need caffeine to get through the day, I really can't tell. Personally, there is something about waking up and smelling that fresh, bittersweet concoction to start the day.
There are a growing number of entrepreneurs that are now introducing what is called "Healthy Coffee". Although regular coffee does have its benefits; it is a great antioxidant - a substance that prevents oxidative damage to our bodies. Oxidation is what happens when cells use oxygen and they produce waste called 'Free Radicals' which also damages other cells. Antioxidants act like vacuum cleaners and help us eliminate these toxins. Coffee made from Reishi Mushrooms (other names include ganoderma lucidum, lingzhi, ling chi) is one example of a healthy coffee.
Reishi mushrooms are actually from the genus asidiomycete fungus (family Ganodermataceae). It's basically a fungus that in some species may form a mushroom. You can't really eat it as itself but it is a popular ingredient in most Asian supplements. The Chinese refer to it as Ling Zhi while the Japanese call it as Reishi. Out in the wilderness, reishi mushrooms look like red-brown shelves shaped like kidneys that are attached onto dead wood. When harvested, they are shaped like regular mushrooms with a dark brown core, light brown middle layer and white caps.
In the East, Reishi Mushroom has long been regarded by many for its medicinal properties. The American Herbal Pharmacopeia and Therapeutic Compendium has also published a monograph for the species. They have beneficial polysaccharides and ganodermic acids. Even beauty products such as the Yves Saint Laurent Temps Majeur Cr