Shiitake mushroom medicinal properties. Shiitake mushrooms: recipes, treatment Shiitake mushrooms in medicine preparations

Shiitake is a tree mushroom native to East Asia. It grows in Korea, Japan and China. Since ancient times, Asians have noted its healing properties and actively used shiitake mushrooms in folk medicine. In Japan, shiitake is mentioned in writing in medical treatises as early as 200 AD, it even received the proud names “imperial mushroom”, “mushroom of the sleeping Buddha”. But in the West, these mushrooms became known only in the 20th century. In domestic folk medicine, it is compared with ginseng in terms of the degree of beneficial effects.

The main secret of the healing properties of shiitake mushrooms is the substance lentinan contained in them. It helps to regenerate and rejuvenate tissues. On its basis, many medicinal and cosmetic products are now made. For internal use, shiitake tincture has the greatest effect.

Phytonutrients, which, in addition to beneficial amino acids and trace elements, are found in shiitake, have a beneficial effect on the human immune system, stimulating the production of interferons - antiviral particles. The beneficial properties of mushrooms and methods of treating various diseases with their help are being studied today even by a separate area of ​​alternative medicine - fungotherapy.

Shiitake are very unpretentious, they are easy to grow in the middle lane, even at home it will not be difficult. Mushrooms can grow on logs, sawdust, straw; during the fruiting season, up to 3 crop waves can be harvested from a home plantation.

Shiitake powder is used to make the tincture.

How to prepare shiitake tincture?

In folk medicine, two recipes for the tincture of these amazing mushrooms are firmly entrenched - shiitake mushroom tincture can be alcohol and oil. When treating with tincture, you can take any medications in parallel, if necessary. The only exceptions are the medicinal infusion of aconite and aspirin. The fact is that the chemical elements in the composition of the fungus are a kind of catalyst for the immune system, helping the body to absorb medicinal substances better and more efficiently. A particularly high concentration of trace elements of a similar action is concentrated in the stem of the fungus. In Eastern folk medicine, this property of shiitake has long been known, therefore, from ancient times, a decoction of shiitake legs was added to various herbal medicinal preparations, which enhanced their benefits.

Contraindications for taking shiitake tincture:

• pregnancy;
• lactation;
• children's age up to 5 years;
• asthma;
• allergy to the components of the tincture.

When choosing mushrooms for making tinctures, it is better to give preference to those that were grown at home - in Japan or China. The fact is that, unlike shiitake, grown on US farms on an industrial scale, these mushrooms are not selected and are most consistent in composition with what was originally laid down in them by nature. The same situation is with the choice of mycelium, if you decide to grow medicinal mushrooms yourself. If you dry mushrooms yourself, then you should know that it is best to dry them in the sun, but if you do not have such an opportunity, then the temperature for drying should not exceed 40 ° C. Dried mushrooms are ground and can be stored at room temperature for 2 years.

Shiitake is able to normalize blood sugar levels, stabilize blood pressure. Here, for example, is a recipe for a tincture for the prevention of hypertension.

For 6-7 teaspoons (equivalent to 10 g) of ground shiitake powder, you will need half a liter of a 40-degree spirit drink (vodka or cognac will do). The liquid is mixed with mushroom powder and infused in a dark, cold place for about two weeks. After that, the infusion should be filtered, the precipitate should be squeezed out and removed.

Instructions for use: take the resulting tincture one teaspoonful 40 minutes before breakfast and at bedtime. After a month of taking, it is better to take a two-week break, then you can resume taking it.

Shiitake and oncology

Shiitake tincture can be used to prevent cancer. After the age of 40, the activity of an enzyme called perforin decreases in the human body, the function of which is to identify unhealthy cells that are prone to mutation (it is a cellular mutation that is the basis of any oncological disease). Perforin destroys them by penetrating into the cytoplasm of the diseased cell. The trace elements that make up shiitake work as powerful immunostimulants. Therefore, they can be used to restore the activity of perforin.

In Chinese medicine, the antitumor effect of shiitake mushrooms was discovered as early as the fourteenth century. But officially the fact that mushrooms can significantly slow down the growth of a cancerous tumor was recognized only in 1981 at the Congress of the Hungarian Society of Microbiologists. In 1969, the Japanese scientist Tetsuro Ikekawa identified the polysaccharide lentinan, which stops tumor growth. At the moment, shiitake is the most potent of the herbal remedies in service with modern medicine to combat oncology. Also, after a series of studies conducted by fungotherapists, it became known that shiitake infusion reduces the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy, if taken in parallel with the traditional treatment of oncological diseases. Successes are seen even in the second and third stages of cancer.

To prepare a medicinal infusion for the prevention of oncology, you will need the same alcohol with a strength of 40 °. For 0.75 liters of cognac or vodka, there are approximately 50 g of dried mushroom powder. Mix, pour into a sealed glass dish and refrigerate for 2 weeks. The tincture should be shaken daily during these 2 weeks. Take 1 tablespoon three times a day 40 minutes before meals.

Shiitake mushroom powder is also used in the preparation of infusion from oncology.

Use of shiitake tincture in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the nervous system that affects the brain and spinal cord. The cause of this disease is immune disorders. Doctors attribute their behavior to genetic disorders, severe stress, or a lack of vitamin D in the body - the exact reasons may be different. But as a result, the cells of the immune system, instead of fighting foreign bodies in the blood, begin to destroy the sheath of nerve fibers, as a result of which their tissue is replaced by connective tissue. The impulse passing through the nerve fiber gets stuck in the area of ​​the connective tissue, the signal conduction is disturbed - as a result, the patient's reaction to external stimuli decreases, coordination and motor skills deteriorate, and many other unpleasant symptoms of a neurological disorder appear.

Multiple sclerosis does not correspond to senile sclerosis - these are 2 different diseases.

Multiple sclerosis tends to affect people between the ages of 15 and 40, and in some cases, manifestations of multiple sclerosis have been recorded in children as young as 2 years old.

But not everything is so hopeless! Multiple sclerosis is quite treatable - nerve fibers recover over time. In order to help them recover, return the activity of immune cells to normal and extinguish inflammation in the area of ​​​​nerve endings, a medicinal infusion of shiitake mushrooms is perfect. If you take it regularly, then the effectiveness of the regenerative processes of nerve endings increases up to 45%.

Instructions for making shiitake mushroom tincture. For this you will need:

• 0.5 l of linseed oil;
• 20 g of shiitake powder;
• thyme herb (may soften the taste, used as desired).

Flaxseed oil must be heated in a water bath to a temperature of 37 ° C. Then mushrooms and, if desired, thyme are added to the oil. The container with the future tincture should cool in the heat (for example, by the battery). Then move the cooled container to the refrigerator and leave for 2 weeks.

Take 2 teaspoons in the morning on an empty stomach 40 minutes before meals and in the evening before bed. After a month of taking it is worth taking a break of 2 weeks. You can take it this way for up to a year. When using a tincture to prevent or treat multiple sclerosis, add more calcium to your diet or take it alone as a vitamin to increase its benefits.

Shiitake is the most cultivated mushroom in the world. In addition to medicinal purposes, it is widely used in cooking. In oriental cuisine, there are many recipes for soups, sauces, seasonings and drinks from shiitake.

Shiitake has a dark brown lamellar cap 5-20 cm in diameter. On the hat you can see a pattern of cracks and thickenings. The stem is fibrous, with a membrane that protects the cap plates in young mushrooms. When the spores mature, the membrane breaks and remains as a fringe on the cap. Shiitake grow singly on stumps or tree trunks. They usually appear in spring and autumn after rain.

The first written mention of shiitake mushrooms dates back to 199 AD, and this remedy came into traditional Chinese medicine much earlier. Chinese emperors took shiitake decoction to preserve youth and protect themselves from disease. Like all the best foods, shiitake mushrooms have been called "emperor mushrooms". Other common names for shiitake are Sleeping Buddha Mushroom and Ginseng Mushroom. Shiitake is a Japanese word made up of the roots "chestnut" and "mushroom". In Europe, shiitake mushrooms are known as "Chinese black mushrooms".

Shiitake grows in the wild forests of China and Japan. It can be found not only on chestnuts, but also on maples, oaks, ebony. In ancient times, shiitake mushrooms were cultivated with great difficulty. Not knowing how they reproduced, they rubbed cuts on logs and trees with mushrooms. It wasn't until 1940 that an efficient method of growing shiitake on wood was invented while retaining its beneficial properties. Today, shiitake mushrooms are grafted onto hardwood logs for medicinal purposes, and grown on sawdust and rice husks for the food industry. Therefore, shiitake mushrooms bought in the supermarket, although tasty, have almost no useful properties, since only the existence in symbiosis with a tree endows the mushrooms with substances useful to humans.

Shiitake calories

Dietary, low-calorie product. 100 g of raw shiitake contains 34 kcal, 100 g of fried shiitake contains 48 kcal, boiled shiitake contains 54 kcal. However, overweight people should not get carried away with dried shiitake, as there are as many as 300 kcal in 100 g of the product.

Nutritional value per 100 grams of dried mushrooms:

Useful properties of shiitake

In terms of nutritional value, this is a truly unique mushroom. It is high in zinc, complex carbohydrates called polysaccharides, proteins from mushrooms contain all the essential amino acids needed in our diet, they are high in leucine and lysine.

Mushrooms are richer in amino acids than soybeans, beans, chestnuts, or corn. Ergosterol has been found in dried shiitake mushrooms. But surprisingly, shiitake turns out to produce vitamin D, ergosterol is converted to vitamin D, if the mushrooms receive enough sunlight or artificial ultraviolet radiation. The content of vitamin D in shiitake increases by 2.5 times already after 3 hours of exposure to sunlight on the mushroom.

Shiitake mushroom contains amino acids and fiber, which can reduce blood cholesterol levels by 45%, speeding up its processing and removing its excess from the body. Shiitake is also able to lower blood sugar in diabetes, fight allergies. It favorably affects the work of almost all body systems. According to Chinese medicine, the consumption of this mushroom increases resistance to stress and increases life expectancy.

Thus, shiitake mushrooms are used for high cholesterol levels in the blood; diseases associated with a weakened immune system; viral infections; cardiovascular diseases; chronic fatigue syndrome and some forms of cancer, such as stomach, prostate (only after consulting a doctor). For medicinal purposes, 6-16 grams of dried shiitake mushrooms are usually consumed per day in the form of soups or decoctions.

Due to the presence of cellulose and chitin (nitrogen-containing polymer) in the cells of mushrooms, it is believed that eating them helps to eliminate toxic, chemical and radioactive substances from the body.

In Japan, these mushrooms are used to make potassium-rich yogurt, in European restaurants shiitake has become an indispensable product due to its caramel smell and versatility.

Even in ancient times, they knew that the mushroom significantly increases male potency, helps to lower body temperature, cleanses the blood and is a prophylactic against hardening of the arteries and tumors.

There is evidence that this mushroom helps with ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract, gout, constipation, myopia, poor eyesight, allergies, hemorrhoids and impotence.

Shiitake extract can be used to slow down and prevent the development of benign and malignant tumors. Lentinan (from the Latin name shiitake - Lentinus edodes) supports the immunity of cancer patients, increasing the rate of maturation of antitumor lymphocytes and enhancing their activity. Shiitake virus-like particles - lingans and lingins - help the body fight viruses (herpes, hepatitis, influenza, smallpox, polio and even HIV), bacterial diseases (tuberculosis, bronchitis, coccal flora) and fungal infections (candidiasis).

Since ancient times, shiitake has been used to treat diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (atherosclerosis, a tendency to thrombosis, coronary heart disease, hypertension) and liver disease. The active ingredients in shiitake prevent platelets from sticking together, reduce blood cholesterol levels and reduce high blood pressure. Penetrating into the deeper layers of the skin, shiitake extract has a rejuvenating effect. Based on it, potent anti-wrinkle products are produced.

Some world-famous cosmetic companies are already producing a whole series of creams, tonics, and lotions based on the extract from these mushrooms. Cosmetic technologists in the field of cosmetology have discovered that lentinan (the substance responsible for the healing properties of these mushrooms) regenerates young epithelial cells, that is, it really rejuvenates the skin.

It was the masks of these mushrooms that made up the cosmetics of Japanese geisha, known for their amazing complexion and velvety skin.

Oriental beauties infused shiitake mushroom in a dark place for 7-10 days in a proportion of water and alcohol (2: 1) and received a ready-made lotion for the care of oily, porous skin prone to acne, pustular diseases, and redness.

Apply the infusion as follows: pour a little infusion into a cup (as much as needed for one procedure), moisten a soft clean swab and wipe the face, excluding the area of ​​​​the eyelids and lips. It is necessary to repeat the procedure in the morning and evening. After a while, you will notice that the condition of the skin has improved significantly. The secretion of sebum decreases, the earthy tone of the skin disappears, the face is fresh.

Dangerous properties of shiitake

Eating shiitake mushrooms can provoke allergic reactions, so people prone to allergies should be careful with this product.

Also, the fungus is contraindicated during lactation and pregnancy due to the high content of biologically active substances.

The video will tell you about a step-by-step recipe for making shiitake mushrooms with noodles and sauce.

It has long been known that all mushrooms have not only nutritional, but also medicinal value. However, the leading position in terms of the abundance of useful characteristics belongs to the Chinese and Japanese shiitake mushrooms. China is considered to be the birthplace of shiitake, and the name comes from the Japanese "shia" (dwarf chestnut tree, a favorite place for growing mushrooms) and "take" (mushroom). If translated literally, it turns out that shiitake is a mushroom that grows on chestnut trees. Its description, composition and useful properties, as well as possible harm, will be considered later in the article.

Botanical description

Shiitake mushrooms have gained immense popularity due to the fact that they are one of the most studied medicinal mushrooms by scientists. This is well deserved, since these mushrooms have been used in practical oriental medicine for more than two thousand years, as evidenced by written evidence of those times and the results of archaeological excavations of contemporaries.

In ancient times, oriental healers at the court of Chinese emperors used the healing properties of mushrooms to treat, prolong the youth and longevity of emperors and their families. That is why shiitake is called the imperial mushroom.

You can also find other names for the mushroom, including: edible lentinula, monarch or king of mushrooms, Japanese or black forest mushroom, sleeping Buddha mushroom, elixir of life, ginseng mushroom. The last name of the Chinese mushroom was due to its comparison with ginseng in terms of the number of healing properties.

Did you know? Shiitake mushroom got into the Guinness Book of Records for a huge number of useful properties described in various publications. Over 40,000 papers have been published worldwide.

In Europe, America, Russia, China and Japan, shiitake is grown in special rooms - for this they use enriched sawdust, rice husks or chopped straw, create the necessary temperature and humidity. The harvest of such mushrooms is used for the food industry, the amount of useful elements in it is minimal. For medical needs, it is necessary that mushrooms grow in natural conditions, that is, on stumps or trunks of fallen trees - only such conditions can provide Chinese mushrooms with a full range of healing properties.

Recently, in order to increase the yield and meet the demand for medicinal mushrooms, grafting trees with shiitake spores has been practiced. This is quite acceptable, since the main conditions - the symbiosis of dead wood and live fungus, as well as the natural lighting regime - are observed.
The chestnut tree, which gave the name to shiitake, is not the only habitat for mushrooms. In the natural environment of Japan, China and Korea, shiitake grows successfully on logs of many hardwoods, including oaks, maples, walnuts and alder.

On the territory of Russia, in the Far East and in the Primorsky Territory, shiitake are found on oaks, birches, maples, chestnuts, poplars, hornbeams,.

The size of the fungus is from 3 to 20 cm, the color is from light to dark brown with white spots, like a young deer, with small cracks, thickenings and dents. The cap is lamellar, and the stem is fibrous with a protective membrane that ruptures when the spores mature. The flesh of the cap and legs of the mushroom are white, darken and turn brown when pressed. The dried mushroom acquires a dark brown, almost black color. The cap of the dried mushroom looks like old cracked skin.

Mushrooms are considered the most useful, the caps of which do not exceed 6 cm in diameter and are open by no more than 70%, having a dark brown color and a convex velvety cap.

Important!Brown spots on the inside of the mushroom indicate the aging of the shiitake and the loss of beneficial properties.

At present, practical Japanese agree to pay no more than 8 dollars per kilogram for industrially grown mushrooms, and up to 30 dollars for wild mushrooms.

Chemical composition

The reason for the fantastic healing properties of the Chinese mushroom is its rich in vitamins, amino acids, macro- and microelements chemical composition.

Consider what useful elements are contained in 100 g of edible lentinula.

Vitamins:

• - 35 mcg;
• - 0.015 mg;
• - 0.217 mg;
• - 3.877 mg;
• - 1.5 mg;
• - 0.293 mg;
• - 13 mcg;
• - 4.15 mcg;
• - 0.4 mcg.

Did you know? As a result of a three-hour exposure to sunlight on shiitake, the content of vitamin D in it increases by 2.5 times. Naturally grown mushrooms contain more vitamin D than cod liver.

• - 112 mg;
• - 304 mg;
• - 2 mg;
• - 20 mg;
• - 9 mg.

• Mangan - 230 mg;
• Cuprum - 142 mg;
• - 5.7 mcg;
• - 1.03 mcg;
• Iron - 0.41 mg.

• vegetable proteins, fats and carbohydrates;
• cellulose;
• fatty acid;
• amino acids;
• polysaccharides;

Important! Despite the richest chemical composition of shiitake, its constituent elements(as well as any other mushrooms)are poorly absorbed by the human body, especially if there are disturbances in the work of the gastrointestinal tract.

Lentinula edible is an ideal protein due to the fact that it contains ten amino acids that are indispensable for the human body. The main ones are lysine and leucine, amino acids that are practically not found in cereals. By the number of amino acids, mushrooms are superior to soy and corn. In terms of protein content, lentinula is not inferior to beans, therefore it can serve as a worthy substitute for animal proteins for vegetarians.

Energy value and calories

100 g of fresh mushrooms contains:

• water - 89.74 g;
• carbohydrates - 4.29 g;
• fiber - 2.5 g;
• proteins - 2.25 g;
• ash - 0.73 g;
• fat - 0.49 g.

Did you know? An interesting property of shiitake has been discovered - the use of mushrooms in food reduces the body's need for sweets.

Edible lentinula can be eaten in a variety of ways: raw, fried, stewed, boiled, dried, or pickled. The calorie content of mushroom dishes directly depends on the method of preparation. Below is their approximate calorie content and energy value:

• raw- 34 kcal (141 kJ);
• boiled and stewed- 48 kcal (199 kJ);
• fried- 54 kcal (224 kJ);
• dried- 300 kcal (1244 kJ).

Beneficial features

In terms of the number of healing properties, lentinula edible is not unreasonably compared with ginseng. You will be convinced of this by reading the list of useful properties of shiitake offered below:

Treatment and prevention

Treatment and prevention of edible lentinula in most cases is based on the main property of the medicinal mushroom - stimulating the body's immune system. Most diseases penetrate the human body, revealing weaknesses in the immune system. That is why the healing properties of shiitake are legendary as a panacea for all diseases. Let us consider in more detail the mechanism of the influence of imperial mushrooms on the human immune system.

Stimulation of the immune system

Pharmaceutical scientists discovered decades ago that the protective functions of the immune system directly depend on the amount of protein produced in human blood - interferon, which prevents the reproduction of bacteria and viruses.

Interferon is isolated from the blood of donors or synthesized chemically, after which it is introduced into the composition of immunostimulating drugs. This protein, produced in chemical laboratories, is poorly absorbed by the body, while natural (from donor blood) is absorbed better, but can cause allergic and other adverse reactions.
To stimulate the immune system, shiitake does not introduce interferon from the outside, since it does not contain it in its composition. But the medicinal mushroom is rich in complex carbohydrates - polysaccharides, which, entering the biological organism, activate macrophages and T-lymphocytes, stimulating the production of interferon by the body itself. Thus, the human immunity is always in a state of "alert", and the likelihood of catching a viral or bacterial infection is significantly reduced.

Cholesterol Reduction

The amino acid erytadenine is responsible for cholesterol levels in the human body. This amino acid stimulates the process of converting low-density lipoproteins into high-density lipoproteins, thereby accelerating the process of removing cholesterol from the blood. Eating edible lentinula, which contains the amino acid erytadenine in its composition, helps to regulate cholesterol levels.

Japanese scientists conducted studies in which 460 people took part. During the week, people took 9 g of dried mushrooms. As a result of the study, cholesterol levels decreased in different subjects by 6-15%. Thus, it can be argued that eating shiitake has a preventive effect in the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Fight against cancer

Initially, the effectiveness of shiitake in the fight against cancer was revealed in the late 60s of the twentieth century by experience. Research was conducted by Japanese scientists on laboratory mice infected with malignant sarcoma. Sick mice were fed with a decoction of edible lentinula. The results shocked the entire scientific world. So, from 100% mice:

• 59% - fully recovered, the tumor resolved;
• 22% - did not recover, but the tumor decreased slightly and stopped producing new metastases;
• 19% - remained unchanged, the drug had no effect.

Did you know? The unique polysaccharide lentinan, which takes its name from the mushroom's Latin name "Lentinus", can make up 1/3 of the mushroom.

• By strengthening the functions of the immune system. The polysaccharide lentinan, contained in the mushroom and shiitake mycelium, activates T-lymphocytes, which stimulate the body to produce interferon protein. Interferon destroys viruses and pathogenic microbes that enter the body, thereby forcing the body to fight all aggressive influences, including cancerous tumors.
• By stimulating the body to produce perforin. The substance perforin daily destroys diseased cells in the body, including cancer cells. Cancer cells are present in any organism, but the perforin enzyme detects them, invades the cytoplasm of the diseased cell and “explodes” the nucleus. The production of perforin by the body is significantly reduced after 35-40 years. The body's defense weakens, mutated and cancer cells begin to accumulate in it, and malignant tumors form.

Strong antioxidant

Antioxidants are substances that neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are "sick" molecules that have lost one or more electrons. Once in the human body, free radicals take electrons from healthy and full-fledged molecules.

At the same time, free radicals are not able to renew their structure, and a once healthy cell that has lost an electron due to the fault of a free radical tries to replenish it at the expense of another full-fledged cell. This is how a chain reaction occurs, as a result of which a person’s health weakens, as his cells become unable to work normally and perform their functions.

Through the efforts of American scientists in the composition of edible lentinula in 2005, the antioxidant L-ergothioneine was identified.
Previously, it was believed that the leaders in the content of the antioxidant L-ergothioneine are chicken liver and wheat germ. Now the palm belongs to the medicinal shiitake mushroom.

Antioxidant L-ergothioneine prevents premature aging and disease, and also promotes cleansing and healing of the body.

For skin beauty

It is known that Japanese geisha used shiitake face masks, which allowed them to surprise everyone with their beauty and youth for many years.

Useful properties of shiitake are widely used in modern cosmetology. Products for the treatment of skin defects, creams, masks, lotions, face serums of well-known brands are produced. Cosmetic products containing edible lentinula extract perform the following functions:

• Provides nutrients to dry skin.
• Normalize the oil balance of oily skin.
• Narrows the enlarged pores of problem skin.
• They give a healthy look and natural matte to any skin type.
• Stimulate the regeneration of the epithelium, fight wrinkles and other signs of aging.
• Prevent the growth of moles, the appearance of freckles and age spots.
• Treat dermatological diseases, skin rashes, pimples and acne.

Harm and contraindications

Shiitake grown for the food industry can, like any other mushroom, cause stomach heaviness, digestive upset, bloating or flatulence. Therefore, mushrooms should be consumed in moderation. It is impossible to get poisoned by Chinese mushrooms if they are grown in the right conditions. Since mushrooms, like a sponge, absorb all substances from the surrounding nature, the place in which they grew up plays a large role in the benefits or harms of shiitake.

The intake of edible lentinula, which has grown in natural conditions and has all the medical characteristics, is not recommended:

• pregnant and lactating women;
• persons suffering from individual intolerance (allergies, persistent diarrhea);
• children under 12;
• patients with bronchial asthma.

Important! Medicinal shiitake mushroom is combined with any medication, except for aspirin and aconite tincture.

There are no data on the practical use of shiitake by pregnant women, but it is better not to experiment. The active components of edible lentinula can affect the hormonal background of a pregnant woman, which can negatively affect her well-being.
It is strictly forbidden for lactating women to take this medication, since part of the active substances through breast milk can enter the digestive tract of the baby, which is still being formed.

The digestive system of children under 12 is not yet strong enough, and the pancreas does not produce enough enzymes to digest mushrooms. In the future, a new exotic product can be introduced into the diet in small portions and no more than once a week.

At the slightest sign of an allergy, you should stop using a previously unknown product.

Important! Before using medicines based on shiitake for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, it is necessary to consult a qualified specialist.

How much to use per day and method of administration

There are many recipes for preparing shiitake dishes - these are seasonings, soups, main courses, as well as drinks, sweets and yogurts. Mushrooms can be boiled, fried, stewed, baked, marinated, grilled. The cooking process is not long, no more than 5-10 minutes. If you cook shiitake for a long time, they can become “rubber” or, conversely, boil soft and lose their shape.
Chinese mushrooms, when cooked, are successfully combined with many products - meat, fish, poultry, vegetables.

In the countries of the European Union, the interesting taste qualities of Chinese mushrooms were appreciated. In the EU, up to 4,000 tons of shiitake are grown and consumed annually.

A person who does not have abnormalities in the work of the gastrointestinal tract can eat up to 200 g of fresh or up to 20 g of dried mushrooms daily. In the presence of diseases of the stomach or intestines, it is recommended to use mushrooms no more than 1 time per week.

In the homeland of shiitake, recipes for mushroom broths with ginseng and ginger root are common. Such a broth is considered a good general tonic, effective for colds and during a flu epidemic.

In pharmacies, shiitake extract can be found in the form of powders, capsules, tablets, and infusions. These drugs should be taken in accordance with the instructions and prescription of the doctor.

Important! Among the medicines created on the basis of shiitake mushrooms, there are fakes that you need to be wary of: they do not bring a healing effect.

In folk medicine, water and alcohol infusions, teas, oil extracts, etc. are used. Below are some recipes for medicinal preparations based on edible lentinula.

Healing infusion for recuperation

Ingredients:

• 0.5 g dried shiitake powder;
• 1 glass of warm water.

Stir, leave for 8 hours. Drink within one day for 3 doses, mix before use.

Restorative tea

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon dried shiitake powder
• 200 ml of boiling water.

Pour the healing powder with boiling water, leave for 40 minutes. Drink tea 20-30 minutes before meals 1-3 times a day. Course duration - no more than 90 days.
Tincture for cancer

Ingredients:

• 5 g dried shiitake powder;
• 150 g of vodka.

Water infusion for the prevention of a decrease in the body's defenses

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon (without top) dried shiitake powder;
• 100 ml warm water.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons dried shiitake powder;
• 750 ml of quality Cahors.

Stir and infuse in a cool place for 2 weeks. During the spread of respiratory diseases, take tincture 1 teaspoon 20-30 minutes before meals 3 times a day.

Universal prophylactic infusion

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon dried shiitake powder
• 150 ml of vodka.

Oil extract for the treatment of hypertension, ulcers, kidneys, joints, etc.
Ingredients:

• 20 g dried shiitake powder;
• 500 ml olive or linseed oil.

Important! A detailed indication of dosages should be given by a specialist fungotherapist, taking into account the disease and the individual characteristics of each organism.

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons dried shiitake powder;
• 500 ml of vodka or cognac.

Ingredients:

• 1 part fresh shiitake mushrooms;
• 2 parts water;
• 1 part alcohol.

Storage conditions

Features of storage of shiitake mushrooms depend on the form in which they are. Mushrooms can be:

• Fresh. Store them in paper bags in a cool place for no more than three weeks.
• Dried. They are stored in a dry place in their original packaging. The shelf life should not exceed a year (until a new harvest of mushrooms).
• Marinated. Be sure to store in the refrigerator, after opening the jar no more than 2-3 days.
• Frozen. The shelf life of frozen mushrooms is indicated on the packaging, usually it should not exceed 6 months, subject to the correct temperature regime.
• In the form of a medical product(tablets, capsules, powder extract). Expiration dates and storage conditions are indicated in the instructions for the drug. The extract is usually stored for up to 2 years at a temperature of +5 to +25 °C.

Shiitake is a mushroom that grows in the Far East, China and Japan. It has long been famous for its medicinal properties. Tibetan monks prepared tinctures and decoctions from it.

Benefits of Shiitake

The mushroom contains many useful components for humans:

• vitamins and minerals;
• proteins, carbohydrates and fats;
• amino acids and polysaccharides.

The polysaccharide lentinan, contained in shiitake, increases cell regeneration. Phytonutrients protect the body from viruses and bacteria, increase immunity.

Shiitake tinctures on vodka, alcohol or moonshine are used:

• for the prevention of colds and flu,
• for the treatment of gastritis, ulcers and colitis,
• with problems with the heart and blood vessels,
• to fight obesity and diabetes,
• as an aid in the treatment of cancer,
• for the preparation of cosmetics,
• for recovery after a stroke, heart attack or chemotherapy,
• depression and chronic fatigue syndrome.

For cosmetic purposes, any of the infusions is diluted with milk, kefir or sour cream. The resulting mixture is applied to the skin or hair. You can also add lemon, honey or cinnamon.

Recipe for shiitake tincture on vodka or moonshine

You will need:

• 2 tablespoons shiitake (chopped)
• 0.5 liters of good quality vodka or moonshine, 40%.

They will come in handy for preparing an alcohol base at home.

Mushrooms pour vodka or moonshine, mix. Infuse for 2-3 weeks in a dark place at room temperature. Then strain through cheesecloth, squeeze out the sediment. Shiitake tincture on vodka or moonshine is ready.

Use twice a day, morning and evening, half an hour before meals, one teaspoon.

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Shiitake tincture recipe for alcohol

You will need:

• 50 g chopped shiitake mushrooms;
• 0.5 liters of alcohol diluted to 10-15%;
• lemon.

Mushrooms pour alcohol, mix, add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Put in a warm place out of direct sunlight. Insist 21 days. Then strain, squeeze out the sediment. The tincture is ready to use.

Take Shiitake tincture with alcohol 2 teaspoons 3 times a day before meals.

Shiitake wine tincture recipe

For cooking you need:

• chopped and dried shiitake mushrooms (3 tablespoons);
• table wine, preferably Cahors (one bottle of 0.5 liters).

Pour mushrooms with wine and leave for 14 days in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container. Then the shiitake tincture on wine must be filtered. Store the prepared infusion tightly sealed in the refrigerator.

Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day 20 minutes before meals.

Contraindications to the use of shiitake tincture

• Children under 16;
• Pregnancy;
• Lactation;
• Asthma;
• Alcohol intolerance.

The tincture should be used with caution:

• with exacerbation of gastritis and ulcers;
• with liver diseases and renal failure;
• allergies.

Do not exceed the indicated doses! At the first sign of poisoning, call a doctor!

Increasingly, in our supermarkets you can find such a curiosity as shiitake mushrooms. Dishes from this product are in demand in the most expensive restaurants. And folk healers, nutritionists and cosmetologists vied with each other about the beneficial properties of the plant. In the article, we will find out what such a mushroom is, where it comes from, learn about the beneficial properties and contraindications for use, share culinary recipes. And also we will reveal the secrets of some folk medicines based on this plant.

Chinese mushroom: description

The name shiitake literally means "a mushroom growing on a shii (chestnut) tree." It is in this way that it grows in its natural environment - on a tree trunk or stumps. You can meet the plant not only in China, but also in Japan.

It has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. Letters dating back to 199 have been found, in which the healing properties of this mushroom are indicated. Eastern emperors believed that shiitake gives them strength, youth, and protects them from diseases. Therefore, the plant is also called the "imperial mushroom" or "elixir of youth."

Shiitake - mushrooms (the photo of the wild plant below confirms this), which do not look very attractive.

cultivation

Shiitake is one of the few mushrooms that people began to grow artificially. They invented an effective method of cultivating the mushroom on logs in 1940. Thus, shiitake does not lose its healing properties, retains all the beneficial substances. Therefore, this method of growing under artificial conditions is still used today. But there is another method - mushrooms are cultivated on sawdust. This method reduces the healing properties of the plant. In addition, selection processes that have enriched the taste of mushrooms and increased yields have led to a significant decrease in the composition of the Chinese mushroom of nutrients.

In almost all countries of the world, including Russia, shiitake (mushrooms) are cultivated. Photos of artificial growing conditions can be seen below.

Mushroom Composition

Particular attention is drawn to the composition of shiitake. It is in it that the secret of its healing properties lies. The composition includes:

• macroelements: sodium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium;
• trace elements: zinc, copper, iron, selenium, manganese;
• vitamins: groups B, D, PP, C, A;
• amino acids: lysine, arginine, leucine, phenylalanine, methionine, tyrosine, alanine, glycine, glutamic and aspartic;
• fatty acid;
• polysaccharides;
• ash;
• alimentary fiber;
• coenzymes.

Despite the large number of beneficial substances that shiitake mushrooms contain, the benefits and harms of the plant have not been fully studied. Therefore, excessive use of the plant can lead to unforeseen reactions of the body.

Chinese mushroom from diseases

Since ancient times, the mushroom has been widely used to eliminate various ailments. It is not for nothing that in oriental medicine doctors very often prescribe remedies that include shiitake mushrooms. The benefit of the plant lies in its composition. So, thanks to biologically active substances with regular and proper use, it is possible to recover or significantly improve the patient's condition with the following ailments and conditions:

• hypertension;
• viral infections;
• hematopoietic disorders;
• problems with blood vessels and cardiac activity;
• neurological and autoimmune diseases;
• prolonged stress and depression;
• overweight;
• problems in the sexual sphere;
• dermatological diseases and aesthetic defects of the skin;
• oncological diseases and benign tumors of various origins.

Despite all the beneficial properties of shiitake, its excessive or improper use can provoke poisoning or an allergic reaction. In addition, this plant should not be used by pregnant and lactating women, children under 14 years of age, as well as people prone to allergies and patients with bronchial asthma.

Application in cooking

It is difficult to imagine Asian cuisine without the traditional shiitake. The mushroom is added to sauces, broths, marinades, served as a side dish and as a main dish. Dishes with Chinese mushroom are also loved in Russia. A pronounced taste with a small spiciness will add originality and sophistication to any, even the simplest dish. We offer you a recipe for shiitake noodles. It is very simple and quick to prepare:

1. Prepare vegetables: chili peppers, garlic and ginger, peel and chop shiitake mushrooms.
2. Sauté mushrooms in vegetable oil over high heat. Add pepper, garlic, ginger, sweat everything a little.
3. Boil the noodles. Rice will be the most suitable option for this dish, but in its absence, you can use any other.
4. Now prepare the sauce. To do this, mix ingredients such as soy sauce, a little vinegar (preferably apple or rice), chili sauce and vegetable oil.
5. The point is small - mix mushrooms with noodles and pour sauce over everything. The dish is ready to serve!
6. By adding or changing the main ingredients, you can prepare a completely new dish: seafood, pieces of fried chicken fillet or marinated veal will radically change the taste of shiitake noodles.

On the territory of our country, dried Chinese shiitake mushrooms are more often used in cooking. To use in a dish, you must first soak them in water for 8-10 hours. This storage method, such as drying, retains the maximum amount of nutrients in the mushroom. Using a Chinese mushroom in cooking, it should be borne in mind that when exposed to high temperatures, the nutritional and healing properties of the plant are sharply reduced, so heat treatment should be minimal and short-lived.

mushroom cosmetics

Shiitake mushroom is also used in cosmetology. The properties of the plant lie in the ability to moisturize, nourish, tone, improve skin elasticity, as well as whiten and eliminate excessive pigmentation. It is noted that the substance lentinan, which is part of the fungus, has a rejuvenating effect, and coenzyme Q10 nourishes cells with oxygen and removes impurities. In addition, the polysaccharides, vitamins and microelements that make up the fungus also contribute to improving the condition of the skin: accelerating the metabolism in cells, saturating them with water, regeneration, and also have an antimicrobial effect.

Many popular manufacturers of cosmetics began to produce preparations based on mushroom extracts. So, for example, in 2002, Yves Rocher launched a whole line of skin care products for women over 40.

At home, you can prepare a decoction or alcohol tincture using shiitake mushrooms. You can use such products as lotions for the skin of the face and body, lotions for the eyes, hair rinse. Suitable for oily, porous, problematic skin. With the help of mushroom extract cosmetics, you can eliminate skin pigmentation, reduce wrinkles, and tighten the oval of the face.

Chinese mushroom in folk medicine

In folk medicine, shiitake mushrooms are used for many diseases. We offer several such recipes:

1. To increase immunity, eliminate nervous strain, reduce the manifestation of stress and problems in sexual life, dry mushroom powder is used. You need to apply it in a teaspoon three times a day before meals for a month.
2. In folk medicine, shiitake alcohol tincture is believed to help prevent cancer. To make such a product, you need to mix 50 grams of dry mushroom powder with 0.75 liters of forty-degree high-quality vodka. You need to insist in a glass dish in the refrigerator for a month. The method of use is the same as in the first case.
3. From hypertension and infectious diseases, this recipe is recommended: dissolve 10 grams of mushroom powder in olive oil heated in a water bath to 37 degrees. Infuse for a month in the refrigerator. Take a teaspoon before breakfast and dinner.

Mushroom medicines

In pharmacies or homeopathic stores, you can buy various preparations from the Chinese mushroom. Most often, dry powder is used, and then various vitamins and trace elements are added. Apply such funds both externally and orally. The spectrum of action of drugs is wide: from acne to a malignant tumor. You can name the following means: shiitake mushroom in capsules, tablets "Shiitake", "Shiitake 30". They contain crushed dried shiitake mushroom. Reviews of such drugs are contradictory. They are quite expensive, but in fact they are only biologically active food additives, and the effectiveness of such drugs has not been fully investigated.

Shiitake mushrooms are a tasty and healthy product. Use it in cooking to the delight of households and guests, you can treat yourself to a nourishing mask or a refreshing tonic. But it’s still not worth counting on miraculous healing from all diseases thanks to this plant. If you are concerned about health problems, it is much more effective to seek help from a doctor.