Shitake Mushroom Profile
Also known as- Lentinula edodes
Introduction
The health giving properties of shiitake mushrooms have been prized in traditional Chinese medicine for over 6,000 years. The Asian fungi were mentioned in some of the earliest medical texts known for their health-giving properties. They have grown more popular in the US as the general population have embraced ethnic cooking, particularly Asian flavors, and their popularity has only been helped by the growing medical reports that various constituents in shiitake and other Asian mushrooms provide a number of healthy benefits.
Among those benefits are ones that address some of the most common health concerns today. The various nutrients found in shiitake mushrooms have been tested in animal and in vitro studies and found to reduce cholesterol, inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and contain the highest concentration of a potent antioxidant of any other food tested.
Constituents
lentinan, eritadenine, iron, vitamin C, protein, L-ergothioneine
Parts Used
Fungus (whole mushroom)
Typical Preparations
Eaten raw, cooked or reconstituted from dried mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms can be added to soups and sauces, saut*ed with vegetables, meat or tofu or eaten in salads. Also used as a tea, in capsules and as an extract.
Summary
Shiitake mushrooms have been prized for thousands of years for both their smoky, rich flavor and their health-giving properties. Modern medicine has confirmed that the constituents in shiitake mushrooms can be beneficial in fighting cholesterol and its related ills, and may help reduce the risk of cancer as well as encouraging the growth of natural cancer fighting cells in the body.
Precautions
If you are prone to gout or kidney stones, or any other health condition related to uric acid, it's best to limit your intake of shiitake mushrooms as they contain a substance, purine, which can be broken down to form uric acid.
