Benefits of Shiitake Mushroom

Shiitake Mushroom (Lentinula edodes)

A culinary medicinal mushroom with tremendous health benefits. Usually seen on Oak trees. Mushroom cultivators also grow them on logs. Shiitake is a delicious, meaty, earthy and often used in Asian cuisine as a strengthening and restoring food. Shiitake in native to Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Korea and China. Often grow on fallen logs shiitake has a large cap and stem. The name Shiitake is derived from Shii for Castanopsis cuspidata, the hardwood tree species that the mushrooms grow on, and take, the Japanese word for mushroom.

Shiitake mushrooms are rich in polysaccharides (long chain sugar) like lentinans and other beta-glucans. These compounds protect against cell damage and boosts white blood cell production for fighting off microbes (immune system).

I personally use them in my miso soup or vegetable stir fry. I love making stir fry using shiitake and bok choy or shiitake and asparagus.

Herbal Properties: 

Adaptogen, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-microbial, Anti-viral, Antioxidant, Cardioprotective, Immune Boosting, and Hepatic.

Nutritional Profile: 

Vitamin D, B, Selenium and Copper.

Benefits:

1. Shiitake mushrooms are powerful anti-viral and has immune stimulating properties.
2. It is also known to inhibit HIV and benefits AIDS patients.
3. The Beta-Glucan in Shiitake, is a soluble fiber in the mushroom that have fat reducing ability. It increases satiety which aid in weight loss.
4. Shiitake is also a liver protector. Shiitake mushrooms helps patients with chronic Hepatitis.
5. One of the known benefits of Shiitake is it speeds up the degeneration of tumor cells.  Current research shows positive impact of breast cancer.  
6. A 100 grams of Shiitake mushrooms contain 5.7 mg of selenium that can improve blow flow, boost immunity, act as an antioxidant and defend the body from cancer.
7. Shiitake mushroom can be taken as food or medicine and provide Vitamin D to the body.
8. The B Vitamins in Shiitake mushroom can reduce stress and balance hormone naturally.
9. Shiitake mushrooms contain phytonutrients that help keep cells in the body from sticking to blood vessel walls and forming plaque buildup, which maintains healthy blood pressure and improves circulation.
10. The antimicrobial properties in Shiitake mushroom have shown to improve conditions such as gingivitis.