Fruiting Body vs Mycelium

Turn over almost any mushroom supplement and you will see one of two phrases: fruiting body or mycelium. They sound technical, but the difference is simple, and it is worth knowing before you buy.

Two parts of the same organism

A mushroom is the visible part of a much larger fungus. The fruiting body is the part you would recognise: the cap and stem of a Reishi or Turkey Tail, the shaggy head of a Lion’s Mane. It is the reproductive structure, the part that releases spores.

The mycelium is the fungus’s threadlike network. It grows through whatever the fungus is feeding on: soil, wood, or, in a lab, a substrate such as grain. Mycelium and fruiting bodies are both part of the same fungus, but they are not identical in what they contain.

Why the label matters

Some mushroom supplements are made from mycelium grown on grain. In that case the finished powder can include the grain the mycelium grew on, because the two are hard to separate. Others are made from fruiting bodies only.

Neither label tells you everything on its own, but it tells you what you are actually paying for. That is why it is worth looking for these details on the bottle:

• Which part of the mushroom is used. Look for “fruiting body” or “mycelium” in the ingredients or the product licence information.
• Whether grain or a carrier is listed. If a grain or other substrate is part of the ingredient list, it is part of what you are taking.
• An extract ratio or a measured compound. Numbers like “10:1” or “40% polysaccharides” tell you how concentrated the extract is. Our guide to reading a mushroom supplement label explains these.

What we use

We have handled mushrooms for three decades, from picking wild Morels and Pine mushrooms in the 90s to running a wild-food shop in Richmond. When we started making extracts, we stayed with the part of the mushroom we know best: the fruiting body.

Our Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Cordyceps and Turkey Tail extracts are made from organically grown fruiting bodies, and every product carries a Health Canada NPN with the extract ratio printed on the label.

The short version

The fruiting body is the mushroom you can see. Mycelium is the fungus’s threadlike growth, and when it is grown on grain, the grain can end up in the product. Read the label, look for which part is used, and look for a number that shows how concentrated the extract is.

Want to see how the formats compare? Our Buyer’s Guide lays out drops, gummies, capsules and powders side by side.