September is Organic September, a campaign run by the Soil Association to raise awareness of organic food, farming, and products, and to encourage us to think more carefully about where our food comes from and how it is produced.
When we choose organic, we often think about the food on our plate. But the same principles can apply when choosing supplements, including medicinal mushrooms.
When it comes to mushrooms, sourcing matters.
Mushrooms have a close relationship with their growing environment. Whether they are cultivated under carefully managed conditions or wildcrafted in their natural habitat, where and how a mushroom grows is an important part of its story.
But with organic mushrooms, certification is only part of the picture. It's also worth understanding how they are sourced, grown, and prepared.
Organic certification means that a product and its production methods must meet defined organic standards.
For consumers, certification provides an additional level of reassurance that defined standards have been met. Rather than simply relying on a manufacturer's description of how an ingredient has been produced, recognised organic certification means that production is assessed against established standards.
For mushroom supplements, this can be particularly relevant because of the close relationship between a mushroom and its growing environment.
But organic certification doesn’t tell you everything.
It doesn't tell you whether a mushroom was wildcrafted or cultivated, which part of the mushroom has been used, whether it has been extracted, or how it has been prepared.
Those details matter too.
Unlike plants, fungi obtain nutrients from their surrounding environment and growing substrate. This makes the growing conditions an important part of understanding a mushroom.
Some mushrooms are well suited to controlled cultivation, while others have traditionally been wildcrafted. Depending on the mushroom and the product, the fruiting body, mycelium, or a broader combination may be used.
There isn't one approach that's right for every mushroom. What matters is that the approach is appropriate to the individual mushroom.
At Mushrooms For Life, we work with specialist growers who understand the requirements of different mushroom species and their traditional growing regions.
For us, it's about understanding the mushroom and choosing the right approach for it.
Not necessarily.
Wildcrafted mushrooms develop in their natural environments, where growth conditions and substrates can vary. Cultivated mushrooms are grown in managed environments using selected growing conditions and, where appropriate, defined substrates.
Both approaches have a place.
For some mushrooms, wildcrafting is part of their traditional habitat and story. Our chaga, for example, is sustainably wildcrafted from birch trees in China's Jilin Forest.
Other mushrooms, such as cordyceps, are particularly well suited to cultivation.
The key point isn't that wildcrafted is better than cultivated, or vice versa.
It's that the source, growing method, and preparation should be appropriate to the mushroom.
Different mushrooms. Different origins. Different growing methods.
Organic certification is a good place to start, but it shouldn't be the only thing you consider.
Look for a product that clearly tells you:
What mushroom you're getting: the species or blend it contains.
Where it comes from: whether it's cultivated or wildcrafted and, where relevant, what it was grown on.
Which part of the mushroom is used: such as fruiting body, mycelium, biomass, or a combination.
How it's prepared: whether it's used whole or as an extract, and what extraction method has been used where relevant.
How it's tested: including information about quality, purity, and traceability where available.
Whether it's genuinely organic: look for recognised organic certification rather than relying on terms such as "natural", "pure" or "clean".
The more clearly a product explains these things, the easier it is to understand what you're buying.
At Mushrooms For Life, we take an individual approach to every mushroom, from sourcing and cultivation or wildcrafting through to preparation, testing, and formulation.
We work with specialist growers and suppliers who understand the requirements of different mushroom species and have experience working with mushrooms in their traditional growing regions.
Our mushroom powders and capsules are certified organic by the Soil Association.
For us, certification provides an important foundation for our approach to sourcing and production.
But organic is just one part of the picture.
We consider the characteristics of each mushroom when developing our products, using appropriate preparation and extraction methods where relevant.
Our mushroom powders undergo third-party testing to help check for contaminants and support the quality and purity of our products.
Choosing organic mushrooms isn't just about looking for an organic logo. Certification gives you an important level of assurance, but it's also worth understanding the story behind the mushroom.
Where was it grown or wildcrafted?
Which part of the mushroom is used?
How has it been prepared?
And can the brand explain how its products are tested?
This Organic September, take a closer look at the mushrooms you're choosing.
Know your mushrooms. Know your source. Know how they're prepared.
