Today, Americans honor one of our favorite culinary creations, a captivating combo we like to call the Chocolate Milkshake! We want to wish everyone a Happy National Chocolate Milkshake Day! In celebration of this beautiful day and in dedication to the health and wellbeing of ourselves and our community, we would like to share a very special (much healthier) version of the favorite American delight! Our recipe contains a pre-preapred blend of Maca Mocha Mushroom powder from PlantSpeak Herbal LLC consisting of 14 different species of medicinal mushrooms, as well as maca, gently sweetened with cocoa powder, coconut sugar, and date sugar, all organic and sustainably sourced ingredients.
The wide range of compounds from the plethora of potent mushroom species in this blend combine to be supportive of the entire body, making our version of the chocolate milkshake totally guilt-free! Rest assured, this botanical boost to the staple dessert beverage is actually nourishing for us to drink, especially when we use milk alternatives. By substituting the milk and ice cream for plant-based, cruelty-free options such as almond milk, almond milk ice cream, coconut milk, or coconut milk ice cream, we can drastically improve the nutritional value, digestive efficiency, as well as our moral standing in the food chain!
Some of the strongest immuno-supportive compounds studied today come from a diverse genetic line of medicinal mushrooms, and modern health science is really just beginning to tap into the potential of fungi as a natural medicine powerhouse. There are currently 140,000 known species of mushroom-forming fungi, of which scientists are only familiar with about 10 percent, according to world-renown mycologist Paul Stamets from his article "The Most Powerful Medicine in Nature". Paul Stamet studies the ancient Old Growth forests of the Pacific Northwest, and firmly believes it to be a resource of incalculable value, especially in terms of its fungal genome. As a conservationist, the dedicated botanist currently works to preserve, protect, and clone as many ancestral strains of mushrooms as possible from this pristine woodland ecosystem, which includes a large portion of our homeland in Oregon.
As a defense against bacterial invasion, fungi have evolved to develop strong antibiotics. You may know of or have been perscribed in the past to treat an infection, penicillin, streptomycin, or tetracycline. All of these broad-spectrum antibiotics come from fungal extracts. According to Dr. Mercola, there are mushrooms that are known to kill bacteria, viruses, and even yeast—this particular quality may come as a surprise to some, due to the fact that both are fungi. Certain species of mushrooms can actually aid in the body in the elimination of cancer cells, while others have the ability to facilitate nerve regeneration. Mushrooms can also support a natural aging process, boost our immunity, improve our blood flow and cardiovascular health, and help to stabilize blood sugar levels. Using a blend of multiple mushroom species, organically grown, for a more potent therapeutic affect. Dr. Mercola is an osteopathic physician board-certified in family medicine, trained in both traditional and natural medicine, and creator of an established natural health resourse online which I use and reference often, Mercola.org. I highly recommend reading his article "The Health Benefits of Mushroom Consumption" if you would like to learn more about how this incredible lifeform on Earth can help us!
In addition to the 14 species of mushrooms, Maca is another key botanical element in the unique pre-prepared powder blend, which is contributing to the overall range of nutritional value. For years, Maca has been used successfully by native people of Peru for hormonal imbalances for both men and women, to help with fertility, ease menopausal symptoms, loss of energy, libido and depression. Results of a study published in the International Journal of Biomedical Science, may suggest that action of Maca relies on plant sterols, which act as chemical triggers to help the body itself produce a higher level of hormones appropriate to the age and gender of person taking it.
CHOCOLATE MACA MUSHROOM MILKSHAKE RECIPE:
1/2 CUP Yogurt or Almond milk
1/2 CUP Crushed Ice or Ice Cream
2 TBSP Almond Butter
1-2 TSP Mocha Maca Mushroom
1 Ripe Banana
4 Raw Dates
Blend and enjoy!