Why We Use 100% Fruiting Body Mushrooms in Our Extracts & Powders

If you’ve spent any time shopping for mushroom supplements, you’ve probably come across terms like fruiting body, mycelium, full spectrum, and myceliated grain. It can get confusing quickly. Since we first started growing mushrooms years ago, one of the most common questions asked is: what is the difference between fruiting body and mycelium?

At Volcano Mushrooms, we’ve chosen to use 100% fruiting body mushrooms in our extracts and powders. It’s a decision we’ve made intentionally, and one that reflects how we think about mushrooms as growers, extract makers, and consumers ourselves.

Using 100% fruiting body mushrooms means you’re getting the part of the mushroom traditionally valued for its naturally occurring compounds, without added grain or fillers. This approach may offer a more concentrated source of naturally occurring constituents like beta-glucans, while supporting greater transparency about what’s in each product and a closer connection to how mushrooms have been used for generations.

It Starts on the Farm

When we walk through our grow rooms and harvest Lion’s Mane, Red Reishi, or Oyster mushrooms, we’re harvesting the fruiting body—the mushroom itself.

The fruiting body is the part most people recognize. It’s the flowing white cascade of Lion’s Mane, the dense, lacquered conk of Reishi, or the elegant shelves of Oyster mushrooms unfolding from hardwood. It’s the mushroom itself—the part that has been harvested, dried, brewed into teas, and respected in traditional use for centuries.

As growers, it’s also the part we’ve spent months cultivating.

We perform sterile culture work, mix substrates, inoculate bags, monitor temperatures and humidity, and wait patiently while the mushrooms develop. When harvest day arrives, the fruiting body is the culmination of all that work.

So when we make an extract, that’s what we want in the bottle.

Fruiting Body vs Mycelium: Mushrooms, Not Grain

Mycelium is an important part of a mushroom’s life cycle. It’s the underground network that allows fungi to grow and thrive.

Many commercial mushroom products, however, are made from mycelium grown on grains such as rice or oats. In some cases, portions of that grain remain in the finished product.

That’s not necessarily wrong. It’s simply a different approach.

For us, we prefer the simplicity of using the mushroom itself.

When someone purchases a Lion’s Mane extract from Volcano Mushrooms, we want them to know exactly what they’re getting: Lion’s Mane fruiting bodies that were cultivated, harvested, and extracted with care.

The same goes for our Reishi, Turkey Tail, Chaga, and Oyster products.

Why We Believe 100% Fruiting Body Mushrooms Matter

One of the things we love most about farming is that it keeps us connected to the source.

We see the mushrooms grow from beginning to end. We harvest them by hand. We dry them. We extract them. We bottle them.

Using fruiting bodies allows us to maintain that connection throughout the entire process.

It also gives us confidence in what we’re offering.

We don’t have to wonder how much grain is present or explain complicated manufacturing shortcuts. We know exactly what went into every batch because we handled it ourselves.

So why choose fruiting body mushroom extracts? For us, it comes back to transparency and connection to the source.

Taking the Extra Step

After harvest, we don’t simply grind mushrooms into powder and call it a day.

Many of our products are made using a dual-extraction process that combines both water and alcohol extraction. Different compounds within mushrooms dissolve differently, so using both methods helps us capture a broader range of the mushroom’s naturally occurring constituents.

The process takes time. In our case, it often takes months from harvest to finished extract.

There are certainly faster ways to make products, but that’s never been our goal.

Our goal is to create extracts we would feel proud giving to our own family.

A Simple Philosophy

The mushroom industry is full of marketing claims and buzzwords.

Our philosophy is much simpler.

Grow quality mushrooms. Use the fruiting bodies. Extract them carefully. Be transparent about the process.

That’s the approach we’ve followed from the beginning, and it’s the one we’ll continue to follow as Volcano Mushrooms grows.

Because at the end of the day, when you buy a mushroom supplement, we believe you deserve to know exactly what’s inside.

And for us, that starts with real mushrooms.

Below are a few common questions about fruiting body mushrooms, mycelium, and myceliated grain.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are fruiting body mushrooms?

Fruiting body mushrooms are the visible part of the mushroom—the part most people recognize and harvest.

Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Oyster, Turkey Tail, and Chaga all produce fruiting bodies that have been used in teas, powders, and extracts for generations.

Fruiting body vs. mycelium: what’s the difference?

The fruiting body is the mushroom itself. Mycelium is the root-like network that helps fungi grow.

Both are part of the mushroom life cycle, but many mycelium-based supplements are grown on grain. Some of that grain may remain in the finished product.

At Volcano Mushrooms, we use 100% fruiting body mushrooms for greater transparency and a closer connection to traditional mushroom use.

Do mushroom supplements contain grain?

Some mushroom supplements may contain grain, especially products made from mycelium grown on rice, oats, or other grains.

This does not mean all mycelium products are the same. But it can make it harder to know how much mushroom material is present.

Our extracts and powders are made with 100% fruiting body mushrooms and no added grain fillers.

Why choose 100% fruiting body mushrooms?

We choose 100% fruiting body mushrooms because they offer a simple, transparent approach: real mushrooms, carefully harvested and prepared.

Fruiting bodies are the part of the mushroom traditionally valued for their naturally occurring compounds, including beta-glucans.

For us, using fruiting bodies helps ensure that every extract and powder begins with the mushroom itself.

What is myceliated grain?

Myceliated grain is grain, such as rice or oats, that has been colonized by mushroom mycelium.

In some products, the mycelium and grain are dried and processed together. This is different from using the harvested fruiting body of the mushroom.

At Volcano Mushrooms, we prefer to use 100% fruiting body mushrooms rather than myceliated grain.

Explore our 100% fruiting body mushroom extracts and powders,

crafted in small batches from real mushrooms.