Rainbo is a medicinal mushroom company founded by Tonya Papanikolov, a longtime friend of Matchaful. At our cafés, we elevate matcha lattes with ingredients that deliver functional nutritional benefits; Rainbo’s products fit right in. Given the synergy of our two companies, collaborating on a creative latte recipe felt like a natural step. Below, learn more about Rainbo, medicinal mushrooms, and our matcha mushroom collaboration.
The Healing Power of Mushrooms
A holistic nutritionist and chef, Tonya lives in Toronto, Canada. Her interest in mushrooms was sparked by a self-healing journey in her early 20s. Since then, mycotherapy (the study of mushrooms as medicines or health-promoting agents) has remained an integral part of her health coaching. This interest eventually led Tonya to found Rainbo, allowing her to share these healthful passions with a wider community. “Mushrooms have the incredible ability to heal and balance the body and mind, and they help heal our environments and ecosystems at the same time,” she says. Tonya firmly believes that mushrooms are not only our future, but that they also promote a healthy planet.
Medicinal mushrooms come in many shapes, sizes, and purposes. Some, like reishi and lion’s mane, are renowned for their adaptogenic function of reducing the negative effects of stress on the body. While others, like turkey tail, contain unique chemical compounds that can have an array of effects, for example anti-cancer properties. The exact health benefits of medicinal mushrooms can be found in their varying concentrations of polysaccharides and triterpenes. Polysaccharides are the macronutrients that store most of a food item's energy. They are essential to a healthful diet and ingested in the form of plants, algae, and mushrooms. Triterpene, a chemical compound, has been described in research as anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, and antitumoral agents in medicinal plants.
Matcha and Mushrooms
In our collaboration with Tonya, we utilized Rainbo’s potent 11:11 Elixir, a powerful blend of eleven medicinal mushrooms. The result is our popular, new winter special, the Shroomy White Chocolate Matcha Latte. Between the beneficial wealth of their 11:11 Elixir’s medicinal mushrooms and the extraordinary antioxidant power of our Ceremonial Hikari Matcha, this luscious drink is a health powerhouse. Dominated by the rich aroma of Ecuadorian cacao butter and finished with vanilla, maple syrup, and a sprinkle of pink Himalayan salt, our mood enhancing Shroomy White Chocolate delivers happiness in a cup. Try it at one of our three cafés or order for local delivery.