Shii-take mushroom

Shiitake Mushroom: The Fragrant Mushroom Primary Shiitake Mushroom Benefit: Improves cardiovascular health.

Shiitake mushroom is great for immunity, liver function, and supports the cardiovascular system.

Shiitake mushrooms are one of the most popular mushrooms in the world and have a meaty and versatile flavor, hence why they’ve been used as a food source in Asia for hundreds of years. In China, shiitake is called Xiang gu (香菇), which translates to fragrant mushroom. During the Ming Dynasty in China, shiitake was deemed “the elixir of life”. They’re great to cook with, and are also loaded with B-vitamins, helping to control blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation in the body. Shiitake has been cultivated in Japan for centuries, and has received its name from shii trees (related to beech and oak) they’re found growing on. Shiitake has a long been used as both a food and a supplement in Traditional China medicine, as it is thought to boost longevity and improve circulation. Lentinan, a polysaccharide in shiitake mushrooms, has shown great promise as an immunotherapy agent. Research has also discovered a compound in shiitake, eritadenine, that has lowered cholesterol in some studies.