Are cordyceps, a killer fungi, the new wellness superhero?

Picture this. An aggressive fungi takes over a wriggly caterpillar. The spores maliciously fill the caterpillar with filaments (hyphae). And when the helpless worm dies, the fungi starts fruiting off its carcass and turns into a, well, caterpillar-shaped mushroom. The scene seems a prequel to a zombie apocalypse. But, wait, the story ain’t over yet. A few weeks later, you might be tempted to stir the parasitic fungi into your mug and quaff the mushroom coffee. Trust me, these cordyceps are not merely a happy caffeine rush. Treatises on Chinese medicine vouch that the parasitic fungi can replenish the kidney, soothe the lung, stop bleeding, eliminate phlegm, treat fatigue, cough, renal dysfunction and – this one is for the hyposexuals – perk up libido.
In total, more than 750 species of cordyceps have been identified, of which at least 35 kinds have potential health benefits and medicinal properties. If you’re searching for cordyceps benefits, cordyceps sinensis (the Chinese call it a very sing-song DongChongXiaCao which translates into ‘worm in winter, grass in summer’) should be on top of the list. That’s the one growing on a wriggly caterpillar!
But do you actually just stir the caterpillar fungi in your mug? No, mushroom coffee is a blend of ground mushrooms and coffee beans combined to brew a dark, smooth, and nutty coffee. In the United Kingdom, scientists have stirred scorn but Harvard Health states conclusively that the health benefits of mushroom coffee include better sleep, more energy, improved focus, immune-boosting benefits, and reduced inflammation.
The Chinese have been using cordyceps for hundreds of years; the West, however, has barely woken up to its joys. It is Hollywood that brought cordyceps its unending buzz. The ‘killer fungi’ (the prestigious Cleveland Clinic calls it so) was thrust into the spotlight thanks to its tie-in to HBO’s hit show The Last of Us and its zombie lore. But even before its big Hollywood break, cordyceps were an Olympics curiosity. In 1992, the Chinese women’s Olympic running team broke numerous world records. And the world wondered what got the spring in their gait. The team was tested for banned substances but none was found. Eventually, the Chinese team revealed that it underwent intense training at a high altitude and used cordyceps as the main booster. That Olympics revelation triggered a lot of scientific curiosity and studies about the performance-enhancing capabilities of the cordyceps.
By 2009, there were about 100 scientific research institutes working on the research and development of medicinal fungi and more than 200 factories engaged in producing fungus preparations. The numbers have grown exponentially – now, so many are vouching for the potential benefits of cordyceps – from ScienceDirect, Nature, Cleveland Clinic, National Institutes of Health, Scientific American, to name a few.
Because cordyceps (known as ‘keeda jadi’ in Hindi and ‘yarsagumba’ in Tibetan) grow at a very high elevation, it is not easy to forage and consume fresh. In India, cordyceps are found in high-altitude areas situated in the Himalayas, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Sikkim or Arunachal Pradesh. However, nowadays a few companies that are growing cordyceps in laboratories creating high-potency fruiting bodies in regulated conditions without the usage of insects.
Cordyceps are now being sold as coffee substitute, capsules, and oils. There is a growing demand for cordyceps in India amongst sports and wellness enthusiasts and the market has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 13%, with continued expansion expected as more products are launched and consumer awareness increases.
Founded in 2021 by Richa Jaggi and Shivam Singhee, Awshad was amongst the first companies to bring medical cannabis to the Indian market and is the first company in India to pioneer products like Calmashroom, a capsule that has cannabis with cordyceps mushroom and Myndshroom, a brain health supplement with cordyceps, lion’s mane and L-theanine.
With a few mushrooms having earned the notoriety as powerful recreational drugs, questions have been raised about the legality of medicinal mushroom and cannabis. Richa Jaggi confirms that all Indian states allow the sales and consumption of medical cannabis and medicinal mushrooms. Ingestible medical cannabis requires a prescription from a certified medical practitioner while all topical products can be sold over the counter. Medicinal mushrooms do not need any prescriptions and can be easily bought over the counter as a natural health supplement. Arshad has a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence for its nutritional supplement Myndshroom.
If you want to get adventurous in the kitchen, you can make a cordyceps smoothie, or just poach it, sprinkle with salt and drizzle sesame oil. You can eat the fruiting body raw – with or without the insect husk. But it will likely taste better if you cook it in pastas or soups, or even add them as a topping to pizza or flatbreads.
If you are buying cordyceps in any form, check the label for C. sinensis (C. militaris is a good alternative) and consult with a nutritionist or physician about the dos and don’ts. That ‘worm in winter, grass in summer’ fungi can do you a lot of good, but use caution.