Edible mushrooms like Ganoderma lucidum, cordyceps, shiitake, and poria contain beneficial compounds called polysaccharides that may help control blood sugar. When these polysaccharides are digested by beneficial gut bacteria, they produce eight special metabolites that enhance the body’s ability to use glucose and improve insulin sensitivity. The research identified specific bacteria, such as Faecalibacterium and Coprococcus, that produce these beneficial metabolites, suggesting that measuring these markers could help evaluate which mushroom polysaccharides work best for diabetes prevention.