Key takeaways
- Reishi’s triterpenes need alcohol and its polysaccharides need hot water.
- Dual extract tinctures capture both; water-only powders capture few triterpenes.
- Whole Reishi powder is woody and unextracted.
- Tinctures contain alcohol and make Reishi’s bitterness easier to take.
Reishi is sold as tinctures and powders. Because of its bitterness and its chemistry, the choice between them works a little differently from other mushrooms.
Reishi tinctures
Most quality Reishi tinctures are dual extracts, which matters for Reishi because its triterpenes need alcohol and its polysaccharides need hot water. See How Reishi Is Extracted.
Reishi powders
- Whole dried powder: ground Reishi, unextracted. Reishi is woody and indigestible, so this is quite different from an extract.
- Extract powder: often a hot water extract, which captures polysaccharides but relatively few triterpenes, unless alcohol extraction is also used.
- Mycelium or spore powders: different materials again.
Side by side
| Tincture | Powder | |
|---|---|---|
| Extracted? | Yes, usually dual | Depends |
| Triterpenes | Captured if alcohol is used | Low in water-only extracts |
| Contains alcohol | Yes | No |
| Bitterness | Easy to take in a drink | Very noticeable |
Which to choose?
If you want an extract that reflects both of Reishi’s main compound groups, a dual extract tincture is a natural fit. If you avoid alcohol, look for an extract powder that states how it was made. See How to Choose a Reishi Extract.
Our Reishi tincture is a dual extract of UK-grown fruiting bodies.