Understanding Extraction Ratios 

In the world of medicinal mushroom or functional mushroom-based supplements, you must have come across references such as 4:1, 8:1 or even 12:1 products. This generally refers to the extraction ratios offered by the supplement company. You do not have to be an expert to understand what it means as we have put together a brief article for you to understand extraction ratios and what it means for you. 

The extraction ratio, or the concentration ratio, refers to the amount of raw material used to produce the resulting extract. For instance, an 8:1 ratio means that 8 grams of mushrooms have been used to produce 1 gram of mushroom extract. Laboratories often promote high extraction ratios, suggesting their products are more concentrated and contain more beneficial compounds. This is also used to justify higher prices, as a higher ratio seems to indicate more bioactive molecules. However, the strength of a supplement depends on more than just the ratio. Factors like the quality of the raw material, how and where the mushrooms were grown, whether mycelium and/or grains were used, and the extraction process itself are among some important aspects that affect the extract’s quality and potency.

It is important to understand what concentration ratio is being referred to and whether the company is considering the weight of the dry mushroom or the freshly harvested wet mushroom. For some producers, the ratio compares the amount of fresh mushrooms to the resulting powder, while for others, it refers to the amount of mushroom powder needed to make an extract. In the first case, the fresh mushrooms include water, but in the second, the water is removed. Some mushrooms, like Lion’s Mane, contain a lot of water, and drying them can reduce their mass by 90%, giving a 10:1 ratio without extraction. However, extraction is critical as otherwise the beneficial compounds remain locked in the mushroom’s structure and are not bioavailable.

To get a full extract from a mushroom, an extraction process is needed. This can be done using water, alcohol, or both, depending on the type of mushroom and the nature of its bioactive compounds. At Organic Mushrooms, we use a patented double hot water extraction process instead of a single method. Depending on the mushroom strain, it takes 2 to 8 weeks for the fruiting bodies to mature. Once harvested with the mycelium, the fruiting bodies are dried and prepared for extraction. First, they undergo hot water extraction, and then the residue is treated with steam extraction. After both steps, the nutrients are spray-dried to remove water, leaving the final extract in powder form.

A simple ratio isn’t enough to judge the quality of a medicinal mushroom supplement. To get meaningful information, it’s important to check the detailed breakdown of bioactive molecules on the label. Following key guidelines for identifying a quality product, the focus should be on the quantity of specific bioactive compounds, like cordycepin in Cordyceps, inotodiol and betulin in Chaga, and grifolan in Maitake. Analytical tests to measure these compounds can ensure purity and are also essential for confirming quality.

At Organic Mushrooms, we have created a variety of supplements which vary as per the consumption preferences of our customers: 

Extract Powders: Organic Mushroom Extract Powders are 100% natural extracts of functional mushrooms extracted using a patented double extraction method using hot water and steam. Our extract powders are 100% organic, gluten-free, non-GMO and without any fillers. There are multiple ways to incorporate extract powder into your daily diet either by using it for making curries, soups, baked items or adding them into smoothies. 1/3 teaspoon is 1 gram of mushroom extract.

Organic Mushrooms Tinctures are created by mixing extract powder into food-grade cane alcohol and hot water. Our tinctures have a 33:33:33 ratio of mushroom extracts, hot water and food-grade cane alcohol. Tinctures offer the fastest solubility and can be consumed directly or easily mixed with juices. 1 tincture dropper equals 1 gram of mushroom extract.

Organic Mushrooms Capsules have the mushroom extract powder filled in vegetarian hypromellose caps which are easily digested when consumed. Capsules are convenient to have on the go. Each capsule contains 500mg of mushroom extract.

Organic Mushrooms Supplement Gummies are made by mixing the extract powder with gelatine and organic cane sugar. Each gummy equals 1 gram of mushroom extract.

It is recommended to have 1-3 grams of mushroom extracts per day. The potency of all our supplements is the same, the only difference is the way of consumption. You can choose the type that’s easiest to incorporate into your daily routine.