Why Dual-Extracted Tinctures Are the Best Way to Enjoy Functional Mushrooms

Functional mushrooms like lion’s mane, reishi, chaga, turkey tail, and cordyceps have been part of traditional medicine for centuries. These aren’t your typical pizza mushrooms—they’re loaded with special plant compounds that researchers are studying for their potential to support wellness.

But here’s the twist: how you consume mushrooms can make a big difference in what your body actually gets from them. At Peak Farms, we use dual extraction to make our mushroom tinctures because it’s one of the most effective ways to capture all the good stuff inside.

What Does “Dual Extraction” Mean?

Think of mushrooms like a locked treasure chest. The nutrients inside are precious, but the “keys” to get them out aren’t all the same. Dual extraction means we use two different keys—water and alcohol—to open the chest fully:

1. Hot water extraction – Like making a strong cup of tea, this method pulls out water-soluble compounds such as polysaccharides (including beta-glucans). These are big, complex sugar-like molecules studied for their role in supporting the immune system. (Analogy: Think of them as the “team captains” in your body’s defense squad.)

2. Alcohol extraction – This works more like steeping herbs in vodka. Alcohol draws out alcohol-soluble compounds like triterpenes, sterols, and certain antioxidants. These don’t dissolve well in water. (Analogy: These are like the oil-based vitamins in your diet—they need a different “cooking method” to get out.)

By combining both methods, you end up with a full-spectrum tincture—like blending all the colors on a painter’s palette instead of just using one or two.

Why Tinctures Beat Other Forms

You can find mushrooms in teas, powders, capsules, or just dried for cooking. While those can be great, dual-extracted tinctures have unique perks:

• More complete nutrient capture – Some compounds only come out in hot water, others only in alcohol. Skip one and you leave treasure in the chest.

• Better absorption – Because tinctures are already in liquid form, your body can start absorbing them faster than raw or powdered mushrooms. (Analogy: It’s like eating soup versus raw vegetables—the nutrients are already loosened up and ready to go.)

• Convenience – No need to brew tea or cook—just a few drops under your tongue or in your coffee.

• Long shelf life – Alcohol works like a natural “time capsule,” keeping your tincture potent for months or even years.

  
  

What Science Says About Extraction

• Beta-glucans – These are water-soluble compounds concentrated through hot water extraction. Studies suggest they help support healthy immune responses.  (Think of them as the “command signals” telling your immune cells when to show up for work.)

  
  

  🔗Wasser, 2014

  
  

• Triterpenes and sterols – These are alcohol-soluble compounds, especially abundant in mushrooms like reishi. They’ve been studied for their potential adaptogenic properties, helping the body adjust to stress.  (Picture them as your body’s “balance coaches,” helping keep things steady.)

  
  

  🔗(Paterson, 2006)

• Full-spectrum synergy – Research suggests that multiple mushroom compounds may work better together than separately, a bit like how a whole band playing sounds richer than a single instrument.

  
  

  🔗(Zhou et al., 2015)

How to Use Peak Farms Dual-Extracted Tinctures

Using tinctures is simple: just add a daily serving to coffee, tea, smoothies, or take it directly under your tongue for quicker absorption. Because they’re concentrated, you only need a small amount to get the full range of extracted compounds.

At Peak Farms, we make ours in small batches from 100% fruiting bodies—the actual mushroom, not the grain it’s grown on—so you’re getting maximum potency and purity.

The Peak Farms Difference

• Locally crafted in Gypsum, Colorado

• Made from whole fruiting bodies, never mycelium on grain

• Dual-extracted for complete nutrient capture

• No fillers, no artificial flavors—just pure mushrooms

Bottom line: If you want the complete nutritional and functional profile of mushrooms, dual-extracted tinctures are one of the most effective, easy, and long-lasting ways to get it. With Peak Farms, you’re getting a product made with care, precision, and respect for the mushrooms—from spore to bottle.