Shiitake mushrooms

What are shiitake mushrooms?

Shiitake mushrooms are tinted brown, with caps that grow between 2 and 4 inches (5 and 10 cm), naturally on decaying hardwood trees.

They are most common in Eastern Asia.  

Over 80% of shiitake mushrooms are grown in Japan, although China, Singapore the United States and Canada, also produce them.

You can find them fresh, dried or in various dietary supplements.

• Reduce stress

• Boost and strengthen your immune system

• It aids heart health and reduce weight loss

• Shiitake mushrooms may also help fight infections and promote bone health

• Skin care

• Helps hair growth and repair

• Reduce inflammation

• Improve circulation

• Improve digestion

Benefits of Shiitake mushroom

Shiitake mushrooms are one of the most popular mushrooms worldwide mainly for their compounds that may help fight cancer, boost immunity, and support heart health.

They also boast polysaccharides, terpenoids, sterols, and lipids, some of which have immune-boosting, cholesterol-lowering, and anticancer effects.

Reduce stress

Shiitake mushrooms have a high concentration of antioxidants, such as phenolic compounds, diterpenoids, vitamins C and A, gallic acid, and others, which can greatly reduce oxidative stress throughout the body. These active substances are renowned for seeking out and eliminating free radicals before they have a chance to result in chronic illness, early ageing, or cognitive issues.

Boost and strengthen your immune system

A study showed after one month of taking a daily dose of shiitake mushroom, immune markers improved and inflammation levels dropped. Main compound that helps the immune system is polysaccharides that is found in the shiitake mushrooms.

Aging can weaken the immune systems (age), but a study showed giving mice a supplement from shiitake helped reverse some age-related decline in immune function.

The polysaccharide lentinan in shiittake mushrooms helps fight tumours by boosting the immune system

The growth and spread of leukemia cells after taking lentinan has been shown to improve.

Major cancer treatments in Japan and China use lentinan combined with other medicines to strengthen the immune systems.

Immune system support

Shiitake mushrooms support a stronger immune system. Shiitake mushrooms contain a variety of antioxidants, including vitamin C, which is well known for its immune-boosting properties. More crucially, specific signaling molecules included in shiitake mushrooms can enhance the effectiveness of our immune system and hasten its reaction to allergens and other things that may be detrimental to us.

It aids heart health and reduce weight loss

Shiitake mushrooms have compounds that help lower cholesterol which helps with heart health.

• Beta glucans. This type of fibre can lower cholesterol.

• Sterols. These molecules help block cholesterol absorption in your gut.

• Eritadenine. This compound inhibits an enzyme involved in producing cholesterol.

A study with rats shows that shiitake would reduce and prevent an increase in high blood pressure.

Two groups of rats were given a high-fat diet: one with shiitake mushroom and one without shitake and it showed that the rats given shiittake mushroom produced less fat in their livers, lower cholesterol levels and there was less plaque on their artery walls.

Still, these effects need to be confirmed in human studies before any solid conclusions can be made.

Shiitake mushrooms have several compounds that may reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol.

Weight loss

According to a 2014 study published in the Nutrients magazine, eating shiitake mushrooms to fight obesity is a wonderful method to achieve your weight loss goals.

Shiitake mushrooms are a fantastic snack for people who are attempting to lose weight because of how many nutrients they contain in relation to how many calories they contain. 

With only thirty-five calories in one hundred grammes of these mushrooms, you may increase your mineral and antioxidant intake without going over your calorie allotment. These mushrooms also stimulate the metabolism and circulation, which can help with weight loss attempts.

Shiitake mushrooms may also help fight infections and promote bone health

Support healthy bones

Studies have shown taking Shiitake mushrooms can help the absorption of calcium and prevent bone resorption. (High vitamin D). There is a rise in the osteoclast activity (the action of breaking down bone). The study also showed if you take shiitake by itself, it will increase bone mineralization and the production of a bone building compound known as osteocalcin.

Skin care

Shiitake mushrooms have a vast number of antioxidant chemicals that are effective at protecting the body from free radicals and oxidative stress. They aid in preventing wrinkles and other ageing symptoms while also lessening the visibility of scars and blemishes and enhancing the skin's youthful radiance. These mushrooms have also been referred to be a natural acne cure due to their high selenium content, as deficits in this mineral are frequently associated with the manifestations of acne.

Helps hair growth and repair

One of the most important components of collagen, outside vitamin C, is copper. Shiitake mushrooms are the fourth most dense copper source in our diet, and since collagen is necessary for the formation of all tissues, muscles, bones, blood vessels, and skin in the body, eating shiitake mushrooms regularly will undoubtedly accelerate our pace of growth and repair.

Reduce inflammation

It has been demonstrated that eating even little doses of these mushrooms lowers blood levels of inflammatory chemicals, which impede signals to muscles and tissues. Those who suffer from arthritis, gout, migraines, inflammatory bowel diseases, and other irritation-related problems can benefit greatly from this.

Improve circulation

Despite being frequently disregarded, copper is an essential part of our health. Since these mushrooms have a high concentration of copper, it can help the body absorb more iron, which is important for healthy circulation. Red blood cell synthesis requires iron, which can increase energy levels and resource delivery to specific body regions.

Improve digestion

These mushrooms are excellent for digestion due to their antibacterial activities and immune system-boosting qualities. Due to the high quantities of dietary fibre in these mushrooms, eating modest to moderate amounts of them may help digestion, maintain a healthy bacterial balance in the gut, and even enhance the absorption of nutrients like calcium and iron.