The Shiitake is a mushroom that primarily grows in Japan, China and Korea. This mushroom thrives in a shady environment so it will generally be found growing in forests. The Japanese name, Shiitake, is derived from “shii” meaning the shiia tree where these mushrooms grow, and “take” meaning mushroom. The Chinese refer to this mushroom as hsaing ku, which means fragrant mushroom.
Asians have been claiming the amazing healing and medicinal benefits of the Shiitake for centuries but it has only been in recent years that those of us in the West have started to consider the possibilities of health benefits from this mushroom. Many believe this mushroom has several amazing healing properties including lowering cholesterol, and treating certain types of cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure, viral infections, and immune disorders.
The expression “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” is a perfect analogy to the Japanese belief in eating Shiitake every day. This mushroom, when dried and added to your dishes, is an excellent source of protein. It a great food source for vegetarians because it is also a non-animal source of iron. It contains vitamins B2, B5 and B6 and D2 and the minerals manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, copper and zinc. It is also an excellent source of dietary fiber.
Since the 1960’s, there have been animal and human studies conducted with the Shiitake that have yielded some positive results. The belief is that these mushrooms contain several important healing compounds: lentinan, 1,3 beta glucan, and eritadenine. Lentinan is believed to stop or slow tumor growth. 1,3 beta glucan is believed to help reduce the side effects of cancer treatment. Eritadenine is considered to help lower cholesterol by blocking the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. Many think that the vitamins and minerals in this mushroom help boost the immune system, which is why so many people use it to help treat immune related diseases.
I can’t state conclusively that eating the Shiitake mushroom every day would prevent me from catching a cold or lower my husband’s cholesterol. But I can’t say that it won’t either. Here’s my secret: I mix Shiitake mushroom powder in my spaghetti sauce. Not only does it add a wonderful, delicious flavor to my sauce, but my husband and kids all eat it without ever knowing it is there. And, I don’t get the “eeeeewww, mushrooms!” exclamation from my 9 year old.
So this year when I have two less colds than you do and you ask me my secret I’m going to say “It’s the Shiitake!”
