Why We Don't Use Raw Mushroom Powder
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f you walk into a health food store, you’ll see shelves lined with mushroom powders. It seems logical to think that sprinkling these on your dog’s food is a great way to boost their immune system.
But there is a biological hurdle that most pet owners—and many pet brands—don't realize: the cell wall.
Mushrooms have a tough outer shell made of chitin, the same substance that makes up crab shells. A dog’s digestive system simply cannot break this down.
If you feed them raw powder, the medicinal compounds remain locked inside that "crab shell," and the powder passes right through them. You are essentially feeding them expensive fibre.
As a grower, I know that to get to the good stuff—specifically the Beta-Glucans—you need heat and time. That is why we use a hot-water extraction process. We simmer the mushrooms to break down that chitin wall, releasing the immune-modulating compounds into a liquid broth.
Our lab results prove the difference. We tested for Beta-Glucans and found levels between 1.45% and 1.67% which totals 16.8 mg per treat. That number represents bioavailable medicine, not indigestible fiber. When you choose an extract over a raw powder, you are choosing a key that actually unlocks the door to your pet's health.