Podcast Episode 170 with Mushroom Expert Jeff Chilton

Welcome and thank you for listening. Today I have a special guest, Jeff Chilton. He is the president of Nammex, nammex.com, a company that supplies certified mushroom extracts to the US supplement industry. He has been a leader in the field of mushroom science beginning in the late sixties and worked on a mushroom farm as early as 1973. He was involved in the cultivation and development of the shiitake, oyster and enoki mushroom sales beginning in 1978. His experience took him to China during the 1990s where he introduced the standardization of organic mushroom farming. The medicinal portion of the mushroom lies in the percentage of beta glucans. Jeff has been involved extensively in the chemical testing of the amount of beta glucans in extracts as well as DNA testing to determining the authenticity of the extracts.
During this episode we discuss all things mushrooms including their life cycle, when organic varieties are best and what makes a mushroom a must for people wishing to achieve optimal health and wellness.
Jeff and I both eat mushrooms several times a week. He believes that shiitake is one of the most health promoting grocery store mushroom varieties you can purchase on a regular basis. 85% of medicinal mushroom extracts come from organic farms in China making them a leader in organic mushroom farming. We would encourage you to try different varieties of mushrooms available in your local grocery store or asian markets. King Oyster mushrooms are one of my favorites and are known to have little chemical exposure even if not organic.
Be aware that foraging for wild mushrooms takes an education. Take time to learn from a reliable guide before sampling wild mushrooms. The wrong variety could lead to fatal liver failure so get educated. Jim suggests learning one or two local varieties well before venturing out on your own.
Check out Jim’s website at nammex.com as well as realmushrooms.com if you would like to try some quality tested extracts. Feel free to email me at jami@doctordulaney.com and visit the website at doctordulaney.com to see what is happening with our practice focused on food and movement as medicine. Thank you for listening.