Name: Mushrooms: Medicine or myth? ⏲️ 6 Minute English
Uploaded: 2025-11-30T03:20:05.000Z
Duration: 6 min 14 s
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Six Minute English from BBCLearningEnglish.com hello, this is Six Minute English from BBC Learning English.

Do the names Lion's Mane or Turkey Tail mean anything to you, Neil?

Lion's Mane and Turkey Tail sounds like things you might find in the zoo.

Good guess, but that's they are actually the names of mushrooms.

Lion's Mane is a white hairy mushroom found across Asia.

And Turkey Tail is a brown fan shaped fungus which looks a bit like, well, a turkey's tail.

But if you haven't already heard these names, you probably will soon because these mushrooms are becoming popular as medicine.

Throughout history, our ancestors used mushrooms as food, but

also as medicine for physical problems and mental illnesses like depression.

In the 21st century, this medicine is being rediscovered and marketed.

In 2021, the global medicinal mushroom market was valued at $26 billion and growing.

But how real are the supposed health benefits of mushrooms?

In this program we'll be finding out, along with some useful new vocabulary.

But first I have a question for you, Beth.

Neither plant nor animal mushrooms are mysterious and amazing things.

But which of the following statements about mushrooms is actually true?

A, most mushrooms are poisonous, B some mushrooms can fly, or C some mushrooms glow in the dark.

Ok Beth, we'll find out if that's true at the end of the program.

Scientific researcher Dr. Emily Leeming has been studying the medicinal properties of mushrooms for King's College London.

She shared her discoveries with Sheila Dhillon, presenter of the BBC Radio 4 programme the Food Chain.

So I think these mushrooms are very much having a moment right now.

They're kind of labeled as super brain drugs.

So things are going to potentially help with lessening anxiety, improving, potentially depression.

It's very much about these mind benefits that we're seeing the labels on the claims getting put out there.

I think that at the moment they seem to be quite overblown.

We don't have as much evidence on humans at all.

Dr. Leeming says that right now medicinal mushrooms are having a moment.

If something is having a moment, it's very popular or fashionable at a particular time.

Mushrooms are popular due to the claims about what they can do, for example, reduce depression.

A claim is a statement that something is true, although it cannot be proved and others might not believe it.

Leeming thinks some of the claims made about mushrooms are overblown, exaggerated to seem more significant than they really are.

The Problem is that to sell something as medicine, you need scientific proof of its benefits.

You might feel less stressed after drinking chamomile tea, but

that doesn't mean you can legally call chamomile a medicine, even though it's been used for centuries to help people relax.

However, that hasn't discouraged many from experimenting, especially young people.

Emma Clifford works for food research organization Mintel.

Here she discusses young people's attitude towards mushrooms for BBC Radio 4 program Food Chain.

Lots of people absolutely want there to be scientific proof for health claims on food and drink because there still is a fair amount of skepticism, distrust and general confusion around functionality.

However, I also think that for many consumers, the medicinal properties of certain ingredients based on natural and holistic ancient wisdom may be just as compelling, if not more so, than knowledge based on on modern science and clinical trials.

And I think many people, young people in particular, they're just really intrigued to give these ingredients a go.

People want scientific evidence that what they are taking is good for them.

But many are also convinced by ancient wisdom, a phrase referring to knowledge, philosophy and beliefs that existed before the arrival of Christianity in Europe.

Ancient knowledge about medicinal plants has been kept alive and and some trust this wisdom more than modern medicine.

Young people are especially prepared to give mushrooms a go.

If you give something a go, you try doing something to see if you like it.

They find them interesting and want to know more, which is not surprising given some of the amazing things mushrooms can do.

I think it's time to reveal the answer to your question, Neil.

I guessed one of the amazing things some mushrooms can do is glow in the dark.

About 80 species of fungi are bioluminescent, meaning they really do glow in the dark.

Ok, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned in this program, starting with having a moment.

A phrase meaning to be popular or fashionable at a particular time.

A claim is a statement that something is true or a fact, although it cannot be proved and others might not believe it.

The adjective overblown means exaggerated to seem bigger or more important than it really is.

In Britain, the phrase ancient wisdom describes pagan knowledge, philosophy and beliefs that existed before Christianity.

And finally, when someone is intrigued by something strange or mysterious, they are very interested and want to know more.

Join us next time for more new useful vocabulary here at 6 Minute English.

6 Minute English from BBCLearningEnglish.com.