Food

5 magic mushroom recipes (no, not that kind) for beauty and wellness

These little fungi have been steadily gaining popularity for their reputed health benefits.

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Photo: Stocksy
Published Mar 10, 2016

Written by 

Victoria Lewis

You’ve probably heard talk of “magic mushrooms” (or you’ve consumed them, that’s cool too). Of course, you’d probably be thinking of the hallucinogenic variety, but as it turns out, regular old mushrooms are pretty magical too.

In fact, the little fungi have been steadily gaining popularity over the years (starting centuries ago with Eastern medicine) for their reputed health benefits. “Mushrooms are very diverse,” explains Sandra Carter, founder of Om, Organic Mushroom Nutrition. “They have antioxidants, beta glucans, and amino acids, plus they’re very high in vitamin D—and are a natural, vegan source of it, no less—and other vitamins and minerals.”

And Carter would know. She’s got a Ph.D in preventative medicine, a master’s in public health, and has worked with mycologist Steve Farrar for years studying the properties of different types of mushrooms.

‘Shroom power

Now, she’s just relaunched her company Om (previously known as Mushroom Matrix) with 10 unique organic mushroom powders, from an immunity-boosting reishi to a proprietary “beauty blend” designed to support hair, skin, and nail health with a mix of eight different types of mushrooms.

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To formulate her powders, Carter grows 12 different mushroom species at Om’s San Marcos, CA, headquarters. A few of her favorites: cordyceps (popular with athletes for its reputed energy-boosting power), the adaptogenic reishi, and maitake, which reportedly regulates blood sugar.

But if you’re thinking you’ll just add some mushrooms to your next salad, think again. “A lot of the varieties of mushrooms that we grow, like cordyceps or reishi, wouldn’t be found in a regular produce aisle,” says Carter. “Which is why it makes much more sense to consume them in powder form.” Yes, we’re going way beyond the button here.

From smoothies to sautés

Carter recommends sprinkling mushroom powder in your morning smoothie, adding it to your salad dressing at lunch, or tossing it in the pan when you sauté your veggies for dinner. “There’s no strong flavor to the powders, so it won’t interfere with what you’re cooking,” says Carter. “And it’s really a product you want to take every day to get the best benefits from it, so it’s important to make it a part of your daily ritual.”

If you want to take the mushroom magic to the next level, though, you can pair super nourishing foods with specific powders to boost everything from your complexion to your energy levels.

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Need inspiration? We enlisted nutritionists, Emily Potter of NourishMint Wellness and Lauren Felts, founder of The Holy Kale, to dream up some delicious mushroom-focused recipes for all your wellness needs.

Read on for five delicious and nutritious recipes that give you your mushroom fix, and more.

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Photo illustration: Jenna Cantagallo

Beauty + Vibrance Juice

“I’m all about creating beauty from the inside out, and if your GI tract is happy and healthy, chances are that the rest of your body will be as well,” Potter says. “I added lemon and ginger because it tastes amazing but also creates more hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which supports digestion and breaking down of nutrients.”

Ingredients6 carrots1 green apple4 stalks celery1 cucumber1 lemon, peeled1-inch piece of ginger, peeled1 tsp OM Beauty powder

Juice carrots, apple, celery, cucumbers, ginger, and lemon. Once juiced, stir in 1 tsp of OM Beauty. Serve chilled.

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Photo illustration: Jenna Cantagallo

Turmeric Grounding Tea

“Turmeric is one of the most anti-inflammatory foods on the planet,” Potter says. “Coconut milk makes this creamy and raw honey sweetens it up a bit while adding an immune-boosting element.”

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Ingredients
1 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)1 tsp ground turmeric1/2 tsp ceylon cinnamon1/4 tsp cardamom1 tsp raw organic honey1 tsp OM Reishi powder

Heat coconut milk and slowly stir in remaining ingredients. (Note: You can also put all ingredients into a milk frother—heat and enjoy!)

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Photo illustration: Jenna Cantagallo

Green Beauty Smoothie

“The high levels of silicon in the kale help to make your hair thick and nails strong, plus aloe vera lowers inflammation,” Felts says. “Lastly, the raw honey provides key vitamins and minerals. Each ingredient really makes you glow!”

Ingredients1 cup filtered water1/2 cup blueberries1 1/2 Tbsp avocado1 Tbsp hemp seeds2 tsp sunflower seed butter1/2 cup kale (de-stemmed)1 Tbsp cashews1/2 ounce aloe vera juice1 Tbsp raw honey (Manuka even better)1 tsp Om Beauty powder

Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until creamy. If you desire a sweeter taste, add more honey or 1 date. If you want to skip the sugar, use stevia as a substitute for honey.

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Photo illustration: Jenna Cantagallo

Energizing Blend Bites

“This recipe is packed with healthy fats like coconut and almond butter for brain power, plant-based proteins to keep your energy stable and natural energy enhancers like goji, cacao, and maca,” Felts says.

Ingredients1/2 cup pumpkin seeds3/4 cup almonds9 dates (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes)1/2 cup goji berries1 tsp vanilla extract1/2 tsp cinnamon1 Tbsp plant-based protein2 tsp Om Fit powder1 tsp maca1/4 cup coconut1 Tbsp cacao nibs1/2 Tbsp raisins1/4 tsp salt1 Tbsp coconut oil2 Tbsp almond butter

In a food processor, combine seeds and almonds and process until ground to a flour, with pieces the size of small gravel. Add the dates, goji berries, vanilla extract, cinnamon, protein powder, mushroom powder, and maca. Process until the mixture forms clumps like dough.

Then add in the cacao nibs, raisins, salt, coconut oil, and almond butter. Process briefly to incorporate ingredients. Leave some small chunks for consistency. Then test the mixture. If it is too dry, add some water. If it is too wet, add a bit more almonds.

If you want to make food bars: Place the dough on a cutting board that is lined with plastic wrap. Press the dough out until it is even and compact. Cover with plastic wrap and roll it out with a rolling pin until it is about 1/2-inch thick. Unwrap the dough and cut into squares. Refrigerate.

If you want to make a granola topping: Pull the dough out of the food processor. Start crumbling up the dough until you get little chunks. Store in a Tupperware. Add to yogurt, chia pudding, smoothie bowls, or eat as a snack.

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Photo illustration: Jenna Cantagallo

Calming Tonic with Reishi

“I have absolutely fallen in love with the concept of a warm drink before bedtime. Try drinking a small glass about an hour before bedtime to melt away the stress of the day,” Felts says. “Made with lavender, which is known for calming the mind and body, and then paired with magnesium-rich cacao and almond for relaxing the nerves and muscles, the ingredients in this tonic help to boost the benefits of reishi.”

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Ingredients1 1/2 cup almond milk1 tsp rice bran powder1 tsp Om Reishi powder1 Tbsp raw honey1 Tbsp cacao butter2 drops lavender essential oilPinch of unheated sea salt

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the plant milk to a simmer. Lower the heat to a simmer and add the other ingredients. Whisk the warm milk mixture constantly until the chocolate is totally melted. Serve right away or blend the mixture in a blender until frothy.

Want to have some fungi fun out on the town? Mushroom tonics are the new lattés in LA, and elsewhere, everyone going for a cuppa.

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Food

So, Do Aphrodisiacs Actually Work? Asking for a Friend.

Trying out oysters or extra-spicy food this Valentine’s Day? Here’s what the science says.

a woman wearing red lipstick holds up an oyster to her mouth
Photo: Getty
Published Feb 14, 2025

Written by 

Ruby Harris

Ever bitten into a big, juicy piece of watermelon and immediately wanted to jump on the nearest human being? Regardless of if you answered yes or no to that, just know you’re not alone in your curiosity on aphrodisiacs. 

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According to Dr. Abbey Thiel, a food scientist, there’s no clear, definitive answer as to whether aphrodisiacs are real or effective. “For every study that says certain foods can affect libido/sexual desire, there’s another study that says no they do not,” she explains. 

What’s an aphrodisiac? 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines an aphrodisiac as “any product that bears labeling claims that it will arouse or increase sexual desire, or that it will improve sexual performance.” 

However, certain studies have pointed out , there are currently no FDA-approved medications on the market for women which treat lower libidos—so many choose to try out  products they’ve already got in their pantry instead. Thiel notes that many of the common aphrodisiacs people opt for include: Honey, watermelon, seafoods (especially oysters), ginger, and ginseng. 

What does science say about aphrodisiacs?

While there’s studies that both prove and disprove the efficacy of certain foods as aphrodisiacs, Thiel says this may be because of the subjects of some of these studies. “Most of the studies that look into aphrodisiacs are animal studies and use rats instead,” she says. “For example, male rats given a diet of 10 percent [honey] had higher testosterone levels.” Thiel elaborates that it’s also a bit difficult to translate study findings into human terms because rat anatomy is quite different from human. There’s also a matter of “how long a man could eat that much honey on a daily basis,” she says.

Unfortunately, scientists tend to agree that it can’t be as simple as just serving up a plate of oysters for dinner tonight. Though, Thiel does point out that some studies have shown that eating oysters can help with testosterone synthesis and increase the circulating levels of testosterone, but as for a scientific consensus on any specific foods as an aphrodisiac, the jury is still out. 

How *can* you use aphrodisiacs?

There is definitely some good news behind all of the studies that have been conducted. While scientists haven’t yet been able to pinpoint anything concrete in favor (or not in favor) of aphrodisiacs, they have found that eating these so-called aphrodisiac foods can have certain positive side effects. Thiel explains that these can include “increased testicular health, higher semen quality, lower oxidative stress,” but she did mention that this may not be “special to aphrodisiacs [and] simply eating a healthy diet [may] do the same thing.”

A study on aphrodisiac herbs for the management of male sexual dysfunction echoes this idea though. The research paper aims to examine whether any of the widely available herbal aphrodisiacs (including dates, certain types of shrubs, and nutmeg) could also have an effect on erectile dysfunction. Ultimately, the study found that “further research into the efficacy and safety of herbal approach for the management of (erectile dysfunction) is necessitated worldwide.” Going on to explain that all the herbs reviewed in the study “exhibited significant pharmacological activity.” 

So while we may not be able to say with absolute certainty whether aphrodisiacs are effective at increasing libido, we can say that some of the other side effects they bring may provide some use in the bedroom. Ultimately, Thiel does make an important point, which may be helpful to remember going into Valentine’s Day this year: “The idea of aphrodisiacs is fascinating and fun, but it’s important to remember that enjoying good food with someone special is often more impactful than the specific ingredients.” 

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Food

Food Trends Come and Go, But Kombucha Is Forever—Here’s Why, According to an RD

Here's what an RD has to say about the kombucha trend, why it's held such staying power, and what to look for when you're stocking up.

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Photo: W+G Creative
Published Feb 3, 2025

In Partnership With 

GT's Living Foods

Written by 

Well+Good Editors

There was the low-fat craze of the 1990s and 2000s. The ‘10s rolled in with celery juice, Impossible burgers, and truffle oil on everything—followed by whipped coffee, feta pasta, and the gazillion other viral #foodtok moments of the current decade. Try to keep up with the latest food trends, and you’re in for a quite a ride.

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There’s nothing wrong with opting into the (literal) flavor of the month—but when it comes to nutrition, it’s worth paying special attention to the foods and drinks that have lasted longer than a season. For registered dietitian Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LD, kombucha is high on that list of long-standing staples.

According to Google Trends, the kombucha trend entered the wellness mainstream around 2017—but Manaker notes that its history stretches back thousands of years, originating as a traditional fermented drink in East Asia. “What has given kombucha such remarkable staying power, compared to other fleeting food and beverage trends, lies in its unique combination of health benefits, historical significance, and overall appeal,” she says.

Back to the ’90s for a minute: That sacred, historical significance of kombucha is what inspired a California teenager named GT Dave to eschew the food trends of the day in favor of a—at the time—less popular way of supporting his and his family’s health. In 1995, Dave was gifted an heirloom Himalayan SCOBY (or symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, the living culture used to ferment kombucha). He was intrigued by the healing effects he’d seen firsthand when his mother was sick, so he began crafting his own homemade kombucha. His at-home hobby turned into SYNERGY, The Real Kombucha, and a suite of other probiotic-rich, living foods.

This year, GT’s Living Foods celebrates 30 years of crafting kombucha the real way: traditionally fermented with heirloom cultures for billions of living probiotics. While other health trends have come and gone, it’s clear Dave was ahead of the curve all those years ago.

Here’s what Manaker has to say about why the kombucha trend is so much more than just a passing fad, the health benefits of the drink, and why it’s worthy of a forever spot in your daily wellness routine.

The health benefits of kombucha

The secret to foods that outlast all the fads? They strike the balance of nutritious, tasty, and generally low-effort. Done, done, and done: According to Manaker, the health benefits of kombucha are wide-ranging—and its delicious, tangy taste is the cherry (or guava, or pomelo, or strawberry) on top.

First and foremost, studies suggest that drinking kombucha may help boost your gut health, which has a major effect on your overall well-being. “Kombucha is a source of probiotics, which are beneficial microorganisms that support gut health by balancing the gut microbiome,” Manaker says. “A healthy gut microbiome is linked to improved digestion, immune health, and nutrient absorption.”

Some kombucha contains polyphenols and bioactive compounds, which Manaker says may help manage inflammation in the body, as well as antioxidants, which help combat oxidative stress by neutralizing harmful free radicals. “Data highlights that the consumption of antioxidant-rich beverages like kombucha can support overall cellular health and potentially reduce the risk of chronic diseases,” she says.

To reap its full benefits, Manaker recommends sipping kombucha daily. “Consistent consumption helps colonize the gut with the beneficial probiotics found in this fermented beverage, supporting a balanced and healthy microbiome over time,” she says—with the caveat that not all kombucha is created equal. Choose one that contains live probiotics and diverse strains (like SYNERGY, The Real Kombucha), she says, because these ingredients contribute more actively to gut health.

Why the kombucha trend has such staying power

From Manaker’s POV, the “kombucha trend” has withstood decades (correction, centuries) of changing food-and-beverage tides because it’s equal parts nutritious and delicious. “A growing awareness of gut health and its importance to overall well-being has kept kombucha in the spotlight,” she says. “Its natural probiotics and enzymes support a balanced microbiome, which in turn promotes digestion, immunity, and even potentially mental health.”

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And beyond its health benefits? “Kombucha’s distinct, tangy, and slightly effervescent flavor profile has helped it gain a loyal following as a delicious and refreshing alternative to sugary sodas or artificial drinks,” Manaker says.

What to look for in a quality kombucha

“When choosing a kombucha brand, it’s essential to prioritize quality, ingredients, and sourcing,” Manaker says. She looks for options that are raw, organic, unpasteurized (to help preserve the live probiotics and enzymes, she says), and grown by the traditional fermentation process. “Transparency about the ingredients and brewing process is another key factor,” she adds. “Opt for brands that list exactly what they use without hidden sugars or synthetic flavorings.”

GT’s SYNERGY checks every one of her kombucha boxes. She loves the small-batch brewing and weeks-long fermentation process, which separates GT’s from most other kombuchas on the market *and* boosts its nutritional value. “It’s clear [GT’s Living Foods] never cuts corners—each bottle is raw, unpasteurized, and free from artificial flavors, which only enhances the natural and refreshing experience. And since it is made with real tea, it naturally contains antioxidants to support my brain health.”

Manaker’s go-to for a little well-being boost is Pomelo Pink Lemonade, but you can’t go wrong with any of SYNERGY’s 23 fizzy flavors. Try them all and find your favorite—and then make kombucha a forever thing in your life.

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