Monkey Head Mushroom: You’ll Go Bananas For It

Monkey Head Mushroom

Consumers aren’t “monkeying around” with mushrooms any longer. Edible fungi are growing in popularity in meals and as supplements.

Statistics collected by the United States Department of Agriculture report that the value of sales for the 2019-2020 U.S. mushroom crop was $1.15 billion USD, up 3 percent from the previous season.

And if you’re looking for a new variety of mushroom to try, the Monkey Head mushroom should be on your list. When you first see the Monkey Head, you’ll probably wonder: Is Monkey Head mushroom same as Lion’s Mane? Yes it is.

The mushroom classified by the genus Hericium erinaceus is known by several other names:

• Lion’s Mane mushroom
• Mountain-Priest mushroom
• Bearded tooth fungus
• And more (read on…)

This edible mushroom that is part of the tooth fungus group is worth getting to know. So let’s delve into the Monkey Head Mushroom.

Identification of Monkey Head

The Monkey Head mushroom is native to North America, Asia and Europe. It is identified by its long spines, which hang and droop down.

Monkey Head mushrooms are typically found on hardwoods, where they tend to grow in a single clump of dangling spines. In the wild, these mushrooms are common during late summer and fall. They like to grow on hardwoods such as beech and maple.

They are typically considered saprophytic, meaning they feed on dead and decaying wood, helping to speed the decomposition of the plant and breaking it down to convert it into nutrients. But the Monkey Head can also be found on living trees, so it could also be endophytic or parasitic.

Are they the same as Lion’s Mane?

In short, yes, the Monkey Head and Lion’s Mane mushrooms are the same.

The genus of mushrooms called bearded tooth is part of the family known as Hericiaceae. These edible mushrooms are white and fleshy and the fruiting bodies resemble a mass of icicle-like spines. The drooping spines give rise to the alternate name Lion’s Mane.

The Monkey Head is most commonly sold in its dried form, hence the resemblance to a Monkey Head. They are also called Bear’s Head and occasionally a Pom-Pom mushroom. The fact that they look bulbous, furry, or resembling a small bath sponge or loofah has caused some people to ask: What is a monkey head mushroom made of?

There can also be some confusion with another mushroom. The Latin genus name and species name for Monkey Head – Hericium erinaceus – both mean hedgehog in Latin. The German name means hedgehog goatee, and some of the common English names are bearded hedgehog and hedgehog mushroom.

But another species of mushroom, the Hydnum repandum, is commonly known as the sweet tooth, wood hedgehog or hedgehog mushroom.

Facts about Monkey Head

The most interesting facts about monkey head mushrooms are related to the benefits they can provide to your well-being.

Hericium erinaceus, also known as Lion’s mane mushroom, has been shown to have the following health benefits:

• Antioxidative effects
• Antidiabetic effects
• Anticancer effects
• Anti-inflammatory effects
• Antimicrobial effects
• Antihyperglycemic effects
• Hypolipidemic effects

It has been used to treat cognitive impairment, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Here’s a snapshot of the studies that indicate its health benefits:

• Researchers looked at the neurodegeneration that follows traumatic brain injury, which can lead to Parkinson’s disease. They found that Hericium erinaceus and Coriolus versicolor (or turkey tail mushroom) could be used as nutritional products for the prevention of those neurodegenerative processes.
• Another study reviewed the literature on the potential benefits of Hericium erinaceus as a treatment for depressive disorder as well as the mechanisms underlying its antidepressant-like activities. Results indicated the potential role of the mushroom as a complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of depression.
• One study looked at the effects of a Hericium erinaceus solid-state fermented wheat product on brain cells of zebrafish embryos damaged by 1% ethanol. Researchers concluded that the extract could protect and repair the brain cells, and therefore “has great potential as a raw material for neuroprotective health products.”
• Another study looked at the effects of Hericium erinaceus in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, the principal cause of dementia. The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease increases with age, and it has been found that altered antioxidant systems and inflammation play a role in these types of neurodegenerative disorders.

This study looked at the important antioxidant effects of Hericium erinaceus in rats. Hericium erinaceus administration had a positive effect, reducing behavioral changes and degeneration. Results showed that the mushroom extract has “protective effects on behavioral alteration” associated with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as regulating cellular brain stress.

That’s a sampling of studies that have displayed the many positive properties of Monkey Head Mushrooms. There are also indications that it can help shrink the size of colon tumors, fight off leukemia cells, act as a digestive aid, help prevent heart disease, and serve as an anti-inflammatory.

Vegan Sweet and Sour “Pork”(but not “Pork”)

Monkey Head mushrooms are popular in vegetarian and vegan recipes as a replacement for meat. Their fibrous texture also soaks up liquid and therefore absorbs flavors.

However, Monkey Head mushrooms are a true delicacy in that you’ll have to spend some time preparing them. They require extensive soaking prior to cooking, unlike most mushrooms. As described in the recipe below, alternately soaking and squeezing the mushrooms until they excrete clear water is how to get them ready for cooking.

Is Monkey Head mushroom bitter? Yes, it can be. The dried Monkey Head has a bitter aftertaste, unless you soak and squeeze the water out of them several times. That preparation helps remove the bitterness.

This recipe for Vegan Sweet and Sour “Pork” (using Monkey Head) is adapted from EatWKriss.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 ounces dried monkey head mushroom
• ½ tbsp soy sauce
• 4 ounces cornstarch

Assorted vegetables:

• ½ red onion chopped into quarters
• ½ green bell pepper chopped
• 1 small tomato chopped
• 1 stick of pineapple chopped

Sauce:

• ⅓ cup ketchup
• ⅓ cup water
• ½ tbsp vinegar
• ½ tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch

Directions

Prepare the mushrooms:

• Tear the dried mushrooms into small bite-sized chunks and soak in water for 30 minutes. Gently squeeze the mushrooms to remove all the liquid and discard the water. Repeat this process two more times.
• Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Add in the rehydrated mushrooms, cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes.
• After cooking, rinse the mushrooms in cold water to cool. Gently squeeze some of the remaining water, then place the mushrooms in a bowl.

Cook the sweet and sour:

1. Prepare a large pan with at least one inch of cooking oil. While the oil heats, add soy sauce to the mushrooms and mix well, then lightly dust each piece in cornstarch.
2. Shallow fry the mushrooms for 4-5 minutes, until light golden brown and crispy. Place on a wire rack to drain excess oil. Pour out most of the oil, leaving a small amount to cook the vegetables.
3. Over medium-low heat, cook the red onion, bell pepper and tomatoes for 30 seconds. Add in the pineapple and cook for another 30 seconds. Then remove the vegetables from the pan.
4. In a bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients together then pour into the pan. Reduce over low heat until it thickens.
5. Turn off the heat, then stir in the fried mushroom and vegetables, evenly coating with sauce.
6. Serve immediately with rice.

Where to buy

You may have to do some searching to find where to buy Monkey Head mushrooms. They can be found in some grocery stores, Asian specialty stores, or you can purchase them online from sellers on Amazon, for instance.

It is possible to grow Monkey Head at home with a mushroom kit. Some companies sell a wood-based substrate for creating a mushroom patch, for instance. Is Monkey Head mushroom psychedelic? No, it isn’t.

There are also options to buy supplements or powder and add the health benefits without finding, preparing and cooking the mushrooms.

Of course, you can always forage for Monkey Head if you know they are native to your area.

Final Thoughts

The Monkey Head mushroom is called by several other names, but there’s no mistaking its many health benefits.

Whether you call it Monkey Head or Lion’s Mane, or you think it looks like a hedgehog or a bath loofah, it’s worth finding and adding the Monkey Head mushroom to your diet.

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8228340/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6982118/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8198590/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8615045/

https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Wisconsin/Publications/Crops/2020/US-Mushrooms-08-20.pdf

https://eatwkriss.com/vegan-sweet-and-sour-pork/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hericium_erinaceus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydnum_repandum

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hericium

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2018/04/14/2003691277#:~:text=The%20monkey