Maple Medicinals

Overview

Maple Medicinals (aka Medicinal Maple Syrup) are concentrated extracts of medicinal mushrooms and/or herbs in maple syrup. This is a unique way to benefit from the wonderful power of mushrooms if you have a bit of a sweet tooth, like me!

These extracts are for people who:

• want to benefit from the healing and immune boosting properties of medicinal mushrooms.
• want an alternative to eating mushrooms raw or with alcohol-based extracts.
• want medicinal extracts that taste good to adults and kids because of the wonderful maple flavors.

Why take medicinal mushrooms?

• Medicinal mushrooms have incredible nutrients and provide support to nearly all the body's systems and regulatory functions.
• Medicinal mushrooms are true powerhouses of pharmaceutical caliber compounds developed directly from nature, including an array of water-soluble polysaccharides (complex sugars) that have shown remarkable anti-cancer, immuno-enhancing and overall healing properties.
• Medicinal mushrooms assist the body in adapting to a variety of types of stress.
• Medicinal mushrooms have a very long history of use in medical traditions from China, Asia, South America, and all advanced ancient civilizations.
• Medicinal mushrooms have been a major area of focus by current, peer-reviewed scientific research.
• Medicinal mushrooms produce no negative side effects and are proven to be non-toxic. Note: not all mushrooms are considered medicinal and please consult your doctor before consuming any mushrooms.

Why combine them with maple syrup?

Maple syrup is the ideal medium to carry these extracts because the concentrated sugars act as a natural preservative. Maple syrup makes the extracts more palatable, especially for kids. The process of extraction can be integrated into the syrup-making process so it is smooth and easy.

What is the extraction process?

Many medicinal mushrooms need to be boiled for a prolonged period of time in order to extract their constituents, particularly the polysaccharides. Once the extracts are in the water they can be made available for consumption.

This type of boiled extraction is called decoction, and it is the traditional method to consume these medicinals. Furthermore, current scientific research proves this to be an effective extraction technique, and most published clinical studies, which test the safety and efficacy of medicinal mushrooms, use hot-water extractions.

How is it integrated into syrup-making?

It takes about 40 gallons of maple sap to make 1 gallon of syrup, and that extra 39 gallons needs to be boiled off in a large shallow pan. Then you simply add the dried medicinal mushrooms to the sap and boil it for 2-4 hours, before straining it out and continuing with the syrup-making process. This results in a syrup that is also a concentrated, decocted extract of a medicinal mushroom or plant root.

Can you make it another way?

Yes, you can produce the same extract by making a concentrated decoction by adding maple syrup and then boiling the extra water off until it turns to syrup. It's just as good, but not as energy efficient.

Is the quality and strength consistent?

Yes, the mushroom decoction is concentrated into the maple syrup at the rate of 960 grams (2.1 lbs.) of dried mushrooms to one gallon, which equals 1250 mg per teaspoon. Standardized methods of production follow every step from growing and harvesting to drying and brewing.

How do I use this product?

The syrups can be used like regular syrup, or simply added to hot water or to any hot drink (they are excellent in coffee). As a daily immune-enhancing tonic, a good practice is to use 1 to 2 teaspoons per day. But I will note that clinical studies from Japan indicate that 2500 milligrams (2 tsps.), twice per day, is an effective dose.