Mycocentrics founder Jordan Gros espouses the health benefits of these often mysterious fungi
She likens herself to the Lorax; only instead of trees, she speaks for the mushrooms.
Jordan Gros is a biological and agricultural engineer originally from Thibodaux who has dedicated her life to the study, science and promotion of nature—mushrooms to be exact.
“I always had an interest in more esoteric, weird things, and I always had an interest in holistic health,” Gros says. “I just think that the stars aligned for me.”
Following an unusual cross-country journey that started with a degree from LSU, grew to mushroom cultivation in Massachusetts, and ended with a skiing accident in northern California, Gros returned to Louisiana with severe injuries and a searching soul. Mushrooms sparked joy.
“I just started going down wormholes of mushroom research,” she says.
Gros dove into the medicinal and functional benefits of mushrooms. She learned about the molecules present in different mushroom types and began exploring methods of extraction. She built a network with U.S.-based mushroom farmers for inspiration and supplies.
Soon, Gros started curating her own functional mushroom products and sold them at local farmers markets and on Etsy. Today, she owns and operates the mushroom-centered business Mycocentrics.
Mycocentrics currently offers five mushroom tinctures, or liquid extracts designed to provide an easy way to consume mushrooms and reap nutritional benefits.
Chaga is one antioxidant-rich example. The nutrient-dense mushroom contains high levels of superoxide dismutase, which supports cellular health. Gros lists improved skin protection as one of the main benefits of her Chaga tincture.
Gros markets her Cordyceps mushroom tincture for daily vitality. Cordyceps, which is a rich natural source of the compound cordycepin, is currently being researched for potential benefits to athletes, including enhanced stamina, endurance and muscle recovery. Traditional Chinese medicine has long prescribed cordyceps as a treatment for fatigue, respiratory diseases and cardiac dysfunction, and some Chinese athletes have even credited a nutrition regimen including cordyceps as vital to their success.
Reishi is another mushroom Gros works with and recommends for general wellbeing, including decreased stress and improved sleep. She says some of the coolest feedback she’s received involves customers’ sleep scores increasing on their smartwatches after incorporating her Reishi tincture into their routines. Other customers who take Reishi and Turkey Tail, another popular mushroom tincture Mycocentrics offers, have reported better hair growth.
The key to realizing the benefits of mushrooms, Gros says, is consistent use. “It is totally about a lifestyle incorporating mushrooms,” she affirms. “It’s something that you want to have in your system every day.”
Gros says the tincture form is an ideal way to get the benefits of mushrooms into one’s body.
“It’s going to be the most bioavailable,” she says. “It’s going to be the most concentrated, and it’s very convenient because you can just add it into anything you’re eating or drinking.”
For use, Gros recommends dropping 2 milliliters of a mushroom tincture under the tongue up to three times per day. Tinctures eliminate many of the barriers people who “don’t like mushrooms” experience by removing texture issues. Tinctures can also be mixed into tea, juice or other beverages to effectively mask the mushroom taste.
A huge part of Gros’ personal mission is to educate consumers so that they expand their knowledge and comfort level with mushrooms.
While a lot about mushrooms remains a mystery to modern science, the fungi have historically held nutritional and medicinal significance in Asian, Greek and Native American cultures. In contemporary America, however, many have an ingrained fear of mushrooms, also known as mycophobia.
To combat this, Gros often hosts nature walks and talks to give people hands-on experiences with mushrooms. On a recent nature walk, Gros believes she discovered a new Amanita mushroom species and is eagerly awaiting the DNA sequencing to confirm.
Mushroom research is on the rise, Gros says, but still in the early stages where anyone has the potential to make a new discovery. She invites everyone to join her nature walks through her social media pages and the Mycocentrics email list, the Mycelial Network.
While Gros has big business plans for Mycocentrics—she hopes to one day grow all of the mushrooms she extracts and introduce even more value-added products—strengthening the link between people and mushrooms remains at the forefront of her goals. Eventually, she dreams of opening a brick-and-mortar store where she can sell her products, host educational workshops and give enthusiasts a space to enjoy mushroom mocktails and learn.
“My role in all of this is not only to create incredible products, but really to connect the community and get people excited about mushrooms,” Gros says. “I think I’m just a conduit and that I can be a messenger for the mushrooms.”
This article was originally published in the November 2026 issue of 225 Magazine.
