Are Functional Mushrooms Legal?

Functional Mushrooms are 100% legal and generally accepted as safe. Yet – buyers regularly ask: are they legal? The answer is resoundingly: YES!

Regulation of Functional Mushrooms

Mushrooms are experiencing a renaissance. You can’t open social media without seeing an ad for mushroom coffee or supplements. A quick news search on Google returns thousands of stories about the potential benefits of functional mushrooms.

Renewed interest in functional mushrooms makes space for new product innovation. Yet that doesn’t mean that regulation is pending for functional mushroom products. Regulators in Canada and the United States have long categorized functional mushrooms as Natural Health Products (NHPs) and food ingredients.

What Makes a Functional Mushroom an NHP?

An NHP is categorized as a substance or combination of substances that are used in the prevention or treatment of illness or disease.

These products are made from naturally occurring sources such as plants, animals, and minerals. For the most part, these products are regulated by Health Canada in Canada and the FDA in the United States to ensure their safety and quality.

What Makes a Functional Mushroom a Food Ingredient?

Food ingredients differ from NHPs by intention. Food fuels a body and has a history of inclusion in foods.

That’s why most mushrooms are usually considered a food.

That being said, some mushrooms – like cordyceps and turkey tail – are not considered foods. This is largely based on historical use as a natural health product, and limited use as a food ingredient.

A food ingredient is equally regulated in Canada and the United States. Production of foods is managed under a range of production guidelines to ensure hygiene and safety.

What Mushrooms Are Not Legal?

The mushroom renaissance doesn’t stop with adaptogenic mushrooms. Sometimes you’ll see a post for something a little more experiential. A little less regulated. A little more psychedelic.

Intro to Psychedelic Mushrooms

Psychedelic mushrooms vary from their NHP and food cousins in several different ways. Psychedelic mushrooms produce novel effects and altered states of consciousness. Functional mushrooms produce novel adaptogenic compounds that support health and well-being -> without altering consciousness.

Psychedelic mushrooms have no legal precedent as food ingredients in Canada. Functional mushrooms have been used, in most cases, in food products for decades.

The Psychedelic Landscape in Canada

In Canada, psychedelic mushrooms are federally regulated under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. The legal use of these mushrooms is prohibited, except when an exemption is granted for a medical or scientific purpose.

These exemptions are currently reserved for mushroom cultivators who serve clinical research programs or the Special Access Program. The exemptions do not promote or permit the early use of unauthorized drugs nor are they means of circumventing clinical drug development.

What Kind of Mushrooms Does Myzel Produce?

Myzel’s mushrooms are functional and adaptogenic. They are not psychoactive. That means all our mushrooms are legal. Without exception.

Our functional mushroom powders provide all-natural adaptogens that can include boosting mind-body energy. For instance, Lion’s Mane is a powerful nootropic that enhances memory. Reishi supports a reduction in inflammation and anxiety responses. Cordyceps optimizes energy in the body to reduce fatigue.

The mushrooms we grow are very powerful – even if they don’t change your mind in one fell swoop.

Are Functional Mushrooms Safe?

A variety of studies demonstrate the value of consuming functional mushrooms. While many studies rely on small in size, there’s enough evidence to show that functional mushrooms are both safe and offer unique benefits.

That means the mushrooms at the grocery store are entirely legal and generally accepted as safe. The mushrooms in the health food aisle are also legal, and have generally been approved for public sale.

Functional Mushroom Consumption and Safety

When it comes to safety around supplements, it’s important to make informed decisions about the origins of your functional mushroom products.

The best practice is to do your research and to choose regulated products. While functional mushrooms might be legal, there are a variety of growing conditions that can impact their contents and quality.

In order to choose the best mushroom products for your lifestyle, we recommend doing your own research and choosing products carrying quality certifications.

Researching Your Mushroom Supplement

When choosing a mushroom product, consider researching the following:

• Purpose: What do you hope to achieve by consuming the product? Purpose: What do you hope to achieve by consuming the product?

• Side Effects: Does the product list known side effects? Side Effects: Does the product list known side effects?

• Pre-existing health conditions: Does the product you’re considering disrupt prescription medications? Does it exacerbate existing conditions? Pre-existing health conditions: Does the product you’re considering disrupt prescription medications? Does it exacerbate existing conditions?

When adding a functional mushroom to your healthcare routine, we recommend you consult your healthcare provider. That way, you can ensure that functional mushrooms will interact well with your known health conditions and healthcare regimen.

Enjoy the Benefits of Functional Mushrooms!

Mushrooms have officially taken over the wellness space. These legal adaptogens can support health and well-being, in addition to adding flavor to a meal.

At Myzel Organics, product safety is our core focus. We designed our facility to ensure that all our procedures meet food safety and NHP quality requirements. Our goal is to provide the highest possible quality full-spectrum mushroom powder. Questions about our process? Get in touch!

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