Today, oriental shiitake is one of the most studied mushrooms; it grows on trees in the wild forests of Japan and China. Its healing properties are determined by the presence of polysaccharides in the composition. This mushroom has a pleasant taste, it can be cooked as an independent dish. He is also able to strengthen the body, increase endurance both to mental work and to physical. The Japanese and Chinese equate its therapeutic effect with the properties of ginseng. In addition to significant benefits, the product is capable of causing harm in some cases, therefore, independent use is not recommended.

Benefit and harm

Previously, only the rulers of Japan and China had the right to use healing properties. They noted that the use of the mushroom can be of great benefit to maintain male strength, as well as protect female beauty and youth.

Shiitake (tree mushroom, black forest mushroom, edible shiitake or lentil) came to us only in the 20th century. It was used as a delicious exotic. And only chefs from China knew how to cook skillfully. After some time, healing qualities were attributed to him, and in the beginning of the 90s he began to be added to medicines.

The benefits and harms of Shiitake mushrooms are huge, which will be discussed further.

Benefit

After scientists thoroughly studied the composition of mushrooms, no one had any doubts about their medicinal beneficial properties that can be used in the treatment of a number of diseases.

The chemical composition of siitake includes:

• vitamins (A, D, C, group B);
• many amino acids;
• fatty acid;
• trace elements (calcium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, zinc, iron);
• polysaccharides;
• coenzyme Q10.

The above components - this is not a complete set of healing substances in the product.

Shiitake mushroom healing properties:

1. The presence of polysaccharides has a beneficial effect on the synthesis of interferon in the human body, which allows it to be used to strengthen the immune system.
2. Scientists have proved that the systematic use of medicinal tree fungus is of great benefit: it lowers blood cholesterol levels by 10% or more, stops the formation of blood clots. This minimizes the risk of stroke, heart attack and other diseases.
  3. Also, shiitake can be used in the treatment of diabetes. It has the property of strengthening the nervous system and removing toxins and toxins from the human body.
  4. Quickly normalizes metabolism, improves the quality of the digestive tract, breaks down harmful fats. For this reason, in the East and Asia, it is included in the diet of everyone who wants to lose extra pounds, they have long known how to cook it.
  5. Preparations based on this healing product are successfully included in the complex treatment of diseases associated with neurosis. They are useful for hepatitis, respiratory problems, skin problems.
  6. Used in oncological practice, often with male prostatitis.

Harm

Shiitake Chinese mushrooms are grown in artificial or natural conditions (see photo). They do not harm the body, if properly taken and prepared, they are not toxic. But also, like the rest of the species, they contain a lot of chitin, which is not able to be digested in the stomach. It is because of this that they are needed in small portions, as indicated in the recipes. Some people may also have individual intolerance to the product. Based on the medicinal properties and recommendations, they can not be used in childhood and early adolescence (up to 15 years), as digestion problems can be triggered. There are some contraindications to the use of these mushrooms for pregnant and lactating women, as well as people suffering from bronchial asthma. This is due to the large number of allergens included in the chemical composition of the product.

Medical use

The use of shiitake mushrooms in medicine in the form of various medicines or medicinal dietary supplements (Solgar Extract of Reishi mushrooms, Shiitake and Meitake) for treatment and prevention is advisable only after consulting a doctor. In addition to the undeniable benefits, you can accidentally cause significant harm to the body.

One of the most high-profile world sensations was the detection of lentinan (polysaccharide) in the siitake, with its help the body begins to produce substances that actively fight cancer cells. And volatile, included in the composition, are able to counter viral hepatitis, influenza and HIV infection.

Extract

In our world, the problem of cancer is very relevant, scientists are constantly looking for ways to get rid of this terrible scourge. You can find many therapeutic folk recipes that contribute to a temporary suspension of cancer cell growth, but they do not guarantee a one hundred percent result. Today, Japanese medicine occupies a leading position in the treatment of oncology. She offers the treatment of this disease using the healing extract of shiitake.

The main goal is achieved due to saturation of the body with lentinan, which activates the immune defense and forces the body to collect all the forces for antitumor work. So, the pass-through blocking of various viruses, pathogens of infections is included, toxins are successfully removed from a weakened organism.

The properties of lentinan also lie in the fact that it activates lymphocytes, which act to destroy mutating cells. Attaching to their shell, they have a destructive effect on the tumor itself. This is the main benefit.

To prepare edible lentinila extract, you can use dry mushroom powder or an extract.

Recipe:

2 g of powder are poured into 100 ml. hot water (70-80 ° C), mix thoroughly and infuse for about 15-20 minutes. The recommended dose for an adult is 100 ml, taken once a day one hour before meals. The course is 30 days.

Tincture

The healing tincture of cancer is prepared as follows:

In 0.5 l of 40-degree vodka or alcohol, 60-70 g of edible lentinula powder is added, everything is mixed and infused for about 14 days. At the end of the term, the product is filtered.

Use this infusion twice a day, in the morning on an empty stomach (30 minutes before meals) and before bedtime. The course is 30 days. You can take a break in two weeks and take another course.

How to Cook Shiitake Mushrooms

Dried Shiitake mushrooms how to cook:

Dried shiitake from China before cooking, you must first soak, for this they are poured with warm water for 3-4 hours. If the process needs to be accelerated, mushrooms are sprinkled with sugar and left in water for 50 minutes. After that, they must be squeezed and then already cook the desired dish according to the recipe. If they are frozen, it is enough to immediately put them in a preheated pan and, for example, simmer.

Soup

Shiitake mushrooms can be prepared according to many recipes. Here we will lay out a description of the instant preparation of a very delicious soup, which uses:

• carrot;
• clove of garlic;
• 20 g butter;
• 2 liters of water;
• 0.5 kg of mushrooms;
• 2 potatoes;
• cloves, bay leaf, salt.

Stew finely grated carrots until tender, then add chopped garlic and lightly warm in a pan. Shiitake pour water, add salt and spices to taste. Bring the broth to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes and add potatoes. After another 10 minutes, add the stewed carrots and bring the soup to a boil again. It is important for the product to let it brew for 2-3 hours to give the dish a special aroma and richness of taste.

For lunch, you can also cook a Japanese vitamin-rich miso soup, which consists of miso pasta and tofu cheese, and diet mushroom salad (detailed recipes can be found on the Internet).

Dried shiitake mushrooms reviews

Shiitake mushroom has a number of medicinal properties, as evidenced by the reviews of many cancer patients who independently prepare healing drugs using some recipes.

For example, after a two-month course of taking edible lentinula in a patient, multiple lymph nodes resolved, the remaining two decreased in size. Blood counts returned to normal, health improved, side effects disappeared with the use of pills.

With cancer of both kidneys with metastasis, the patient in the hospital has not even been offered any treatment. The sentence was handed down at three months or any other day with kidney failure. Taking the maximum dose of siitake, the man believed that the product has properties that will bring him many benefits. Three months later, he went back to work. The pains were gone, the body temperature returned to normal. The patient lived for ten months, while he felt absolutely normal and led an active lifestyle. And how much he could lie at home in bed and experience incredible pain, like many others.

Shiitake mushrooms have been known to the world for over 2000 years. Considered the eastern symbol of longevity, they have many useful properties and are widely used for medicinal purposes.

Since ancient times, the healing properties of shiitake have been used to combat diseases such as:

• cardiovascular disease
• a cold
• stomach ulcer
• diabetes
• cancer.

The taste and aroma of shiitake (erroneously called shitake) resemble forest mushrooms, as they have the same fleshy texture. Under natural conditions, they grow on trees in Asia: China, Japan. However, they are also grown artificially, especially recently it has been popular due to the healing properties that they possess.

The beneficial properties of shiitake mushrooms can not be overestimated due to the rich chemical composition. These mushrooms are rich in minerals and vitamins necessary for the development and health of our body. In composition, they are very rich, they include:

• selenium,
• iron,
• squirrels
• vitamins B and C,
• potassium,
• calcium,
• magnesium,
• phosphorus,
• zinc.

And this is only a small list of substances so useful to humans.

Shiitake is called ginseng due to the beneficial properties it possesses.

Immunity strengthening

Shiitake mushrooms are an excellent tool in the fight against viral diseases.  The polysaccharides included in their composition have a positive effect on the production of interferon in the body, a protein that prevents the growth of viruses and bacteria. Gently acting on the body, these fungi introduce it into the immune system, which causes the virus to die. This significantly reduces the likelihood of catching the virus or bacteria again.

The healing properties of shiitake are also associated with a polysaccharide called lentinan, which is part of them. In world medicine, dry extract of this substance has been successfully used to treat benign and malignant tumors, such as fibroids, fibroma, melanoma. Lentinan slows the growth of cancer cells and allows for the treatment of cancer patients to achieve a significant remission of the disease, from several months to 10 years. Mushrooms also successfully fight the effects of chemotherapy and radiation. The polysaccharides included in them are used even in the treatment of diabetes and AIDS.

Cholesterol control

The benefit of shiitake mushrooms is to lower blood cholesterol, thanks to the erythadenine amino acid that is included in their composition.

Studies conducted by Japanese scientists showed that in people who consumed shiitake every day for a week, serum cholesterol levels decreased by 12%.

The usefulness of erythadenine is that it prevents the formation of blood clots in the body, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Regular consumption of this fungus in food allows you to achieve a good effect in reducing high blood pressure and atherosclerosis.

Preventive use

Currently, shiitake mushrooms are widely used in medicine for preventive purposes. The beneficial substances included in its composition normalize the metabolism, purify the blood, and increase the elasticity of blood vessels. Shiitake-based drugs heal ulcers and erosion in the stomach and intestines.

Shiitake contains zinc, which positively affects male potency, therefore, preparations from these mushrooms are often used to normalize the functioning of the prostate gland.

Scientists have proven that eating shiitake prolongs youth and health, it is not for nothing that the inhabitants of Japan and China, where this mushroom comes from, call it the "elixir of life."

Not so long ago, an oriental culinary novelty appeared on the domestic food market - shiitake mushrooms. This product very quickly won the hearts of culinary experts and firmly established itself in the refrigerators of the hostesses. The homeland of these mushrooms is China and Japan, where for more than a thousand years they have been cultivated and eaten.

Doctors of the era left many treatises for the descendants, where they talked about the miraculous healing properties of shiitake mushrooms. Someone calls them today the elixir of youth, someone calls them a storehouse of vitamins and compares them with ginseng.

Eastern miracle

What are shiitake mushrooms and how did they so amaze even the most capricious culinary skeptics? Firstly, of course, this is a wonderful woody fragrance. Since they grow on trees, it is not surprising that woody notes are present. Secondly, mushrooms are distinguished by rather dry hats, which have a lot of various cracks and inclusions.

Very often this product is called a “black mushroom”, since the color of shiitake can vary from light chestnut to dark brown, almost black.

As for taste, it is quite unusual, if not specific. Many reviews of shiitake mushrooms say that they combine the taste of a certain careless sweetness, bright heady bitterness and piquant pungency.

In addition, the great advantage of this product is calorie content. Many losing weight ladies, adherents of good nutrition, vegetarians, celebrities and world-class models very often eat shiitake dishes. Despite the fact that one hundred grams of the product contains about three hundred calories, these mushrooms are most often advised by nutritionists. Where else can you find at the same time a wholesome, incredibly tasty and satisfying dish that would still not spoil the figure?

Shiitake mushrooms. Benefit and harm

Why are shiitake “elixirs of eternal beauty and youth”? What useful composition can this oriental culinary novelty boast?

In a shiitake, you can find about eighteen useful amino acids, vitamins, trace elements, only 1 g of fat per hundred grams of the product and about ten grams of protein.

Specialists very often advise eating shiitake to those who suffer from problems with the gastrointestinal tract, have cancer, suffer from reduced immunity and frequent fatigue. It is said that eating shiitake allows ulcers and erosion in the stomach and intestines to heal faster. In addition, cholesterol is excreted, general immunity increases, metabolism normalizes.

Especially often, fresh and dried shiitake mushrooms are recommended for use by obese people. Improving metabolism, removing toxins from the body, improving the digestive tract - all this only contributes to weight loss.

Moreover, experts say that not necessarily the diet should be completely "tied" to the use of these mushrooms. Simply add to your diet dishes containing shiitake mushrooms as part of the ingredients. Japanese scientists who observed a group of losing weight and periodically eating shiitake dishes noted that many people lost ten kilograms or more in a couple of months.

Mushrooms are contraindicated for people suffering from bronchial asthma, individual intolerance (allergic reactions), as well as pregnant women and children under the age of 12 years.

Shiitake and Seafood

In the cookbooks you can find many dishes that will be prepared with the participation of shiitake mushrooms. How to cook them? What products to combine with?

Shiitake mushrooms make surprisingly delicious and fragrant soups, incredible snacks, salads and side dishes. They are in perfect harmony with seafood, chicken, vegetables, fresh herbs, cereals, etc.

To prepare the first recipe, you will need

• 120 g of green beans.
• 200 grams of shrimp.
• 400 g shiitake mushrooms.
• Chinese noodles.
• A few cloves of garlic.
• Butter.
• 5 table. tablespoons of soy sauce.

How to cook

We wash the mushrooms a little, dry on a towel and send to fry in a pan. Shrimps are cooked at the same time as mushrooms. They are boiled for five minutes in water with salt. In the mushrooms add green beans, peeled boiled shrimp. Pour in soy sauce mixed with chopped garlic. Cooking for two to three minutes. As a side dish, you can use Chinese noodles or rice.

Fish soup with mushrooms and salmon

Not only for the preparation of salads, you can use shiitake mushrooms. The recipe for the soup looks as simple as any of the snacks. The mistresses especially liked fish salmon soup.

For cooking you need

• 5-6 shiitake mushrooms.
• 250 g salmon fillet.
• Fish broth - 800 ml.
• A tablespoon of ginger (grated).
• 3 tablespoons of soy sauce.
• Lemon juice.
• Rice noodles - 150 g.
• Algae - 2 leaves.

Cooking method

The fish fillet must be cut into small pieces and pour over lemon juice. Leave the fish to "rest" for five minutes. Salmon can be fried in a pan, if you are not afraid of excess calories, or baked in the oven, pre-wrapped in foil.

In the finished broth, put the fish, add soy sauce. We cut the algae with scissors into small long plates. Mushrooms can be put in the soup as a whole. Reduce the heat and cook the soup for about ten minutes. The noodles are boiled separately. When serving, put it on the bottom of the plate, pour the soup on top and chop the greens. You can also add a few small pieces of chili pepper.

Healthy Mushroom Chips

Shiitake mushrooms can also be used for snacks. Losing weight especially appreciate such a quick, simple, but very healthy and tasty dish.

Would need:

• Fresh mushrooms.
• It grows. butter.
• A bit of salt.
• Two table. tablespoons of flour.
• Ground pepper.
• Three chicken eggs.

Cooking steps

Mushrooms must be washed and laid out to dry on a towel. When the mushrooms dry, cut them into thin plates. Flavor with spices. Batter is made from eggs and flour. We lower each plate into batter and send it into deep fat for half a minute. Remember to prepare paper napkins or towels. It is important that the excess oil is glass and not left on chips.

If you want the dish to be even less high-calorie, just send the mushrooms to bake on a dry baking sheet. Just ten minutes in the oven and the chips are ready.

Omelette

If you want to diversify your breakfast with a useful, delicious dish with Chinese notes, then we recommend preparing an omelet.

Required Products:

• One onion.
• Shiitake mushrooms.
• Three chicken eggs.
• Salt.
• Some oil.

How to cook

To begin with, the mushrooms are washed and dried on a towel. Then the hats are cut off (they will go to the dish). We cut each hat into strips or cubes. Fry the mushrooms in oil with the addition of pepper and a pinch of salt. Five minutes later add finely chopped onions to the hats.

Break the eggs into a plate, add a spoonful of milk or water, beat well until a lush egg mass is obtained. Pour mushrooms with onions with it and leave to simmer under the lid for seven minutes. When serving, sprinkle the omelet with fresh parsley.

Salads

The most popular dish is salads. What foods can shiitake mushrooms be combined with to get a tasty but quick to make salad? It:

• Boiled beef tongue, fresh herbs, mushrooms.
• Pickled mushrooms, tomatoes, boiled chicken, broccoli.
• Rice noodles, mushrooms, shrimp.
• Mushrooms, cheese, asparagus, legumes.

More and more often in our supermarkets you can find such a curiosity as shiitake mushrooms. Dishes from this product are in demand at the most expensive restaurants. And traditional 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 reveal the secrets of some folk medicines based on this plant.

Chinese mushroom: description

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

In Chinese medicine, it has been used for several centuries. Found letters dating back to 19999, which indicate the healing properties of this fungus. 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 (photo of a wild plant below, this confirms), looking not very attractive.

Growing

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

Of particular interest is the composition of shiitake. It is in him that the secret of its healing properties lies. The composition includes:

• macronutrients: 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, glutamine and aspartic;
• fatty acid;
• polysaccharides;
• ash;
• alimentary fiber;
• coenzymes.

Despite the large number of useful substances that contain shiitake mushrooms, the benefits and harms of the plant are not fully understood. Therefore, excessive consumption of the plant can lead to unforeseen reactions of the body.

Chinese mushroom for diseases

Since ancient times, the mushroom is widely used in the elimination of various ailments. It is not for nothing that in eastern medicine doctors often prescribe medications, which include shiitake mushrooms. The plant benefits from its composition. So, thanks to biologically active substances with regular and proper use, you can cure or significantly improve the condition of the patient with the following ailments and conditions:

• hypertension
• viral infections;
• hematopoiesis;
• problems with blood vessels and cardiac activity;
• neurological and autoimmune diseases;
• high cholesterol;
• prolonged stress and depression;
• overweight;
• problems in the sexual sphere;
• dermatological diseases and aesthetic imperfections of the skin;
• oncological diseases and benign tumors of various origin.

Despite all the useful properties of shiitake, excessive or improper use of it can provoke poisoning or an allergic reaction. In addition, you should not use this plant for pregnant and lactating women, children under 14 years old, as well as people prone to allergies, and patients with bronchial asthma.

Cooking Application

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

1. Prepare vegetables: chili peppers, garlic and ginger, peel and chop shiitake mushrooms.
2. In a vegetable oil over high heat, quickly fry the mushrooms. Add pepper, garlic, ginger, a little all darken.
3. Cook the noodles. For this dish, rice is the most suitable option, but in its absence, you can apply any other.
4. Now make 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 the mushrooms with noodles and pour the sauce over everything. The dish is ready to serve!
6. By adding or changing the main ingredients, you can cook a completely new dish: seafood, slices of fried chicken fillet or pickled veal will radically change the taste of shiitake noodles.

On the territory of our country, dried shiitake mushrooms are often used in cooking. To apply in a dish, you must first soak them with water for 8-10 hours. This storage method, such as drying, keeps the maximum amount of nutrients in the fungus. Using 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, therefore, heat treatment should be minimal and short.

Mushroom cosmetics

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

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 funds as lotions for the skin of the face and body, lotions for the eyes, hair rinse. Suitable for oily, porous, problematic skin. Using cosmetics from a mushroom extract, 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. Dry mushroom powder is used to increase immunity, eliminate nervous strain, reduce the manifestation of stress and problems in sexual life. It should be used on a teaspoon three times a day before meals for a month.
2. In folk medicine, it is believed that alcohol tincture from shiitake helps to prevent cancer. To make such a product, you need to mix 50 grams of dry mushroom powder with 0.75 l 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, the following recipe is recommended: in olive oil heated in a water bath to 37 degrees, dissolve 10 grams of mushroom powder. Insist a month in the refrigerator. Drink a teaspoon before breakfast and dinner.

Mushroom Based Medicines

In pharmacies or homeopathic medicine stores, you can buy various preparations from the Chinese mushroom. Most often, dry powder is used, and then various vitamins and minerals 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 remedies: Shiitake mushroom in capsules, Shiitake, Shiitake 30 tablets. They include crushed dried shiitake mushroom. Reviews about such medicines are controversial. They are quite expensive, but in fact they are only biologically active food additives, and the effectiveness of such drugs has not been fully studied.

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 counting on miraculous healing from all diseases thanks to this plant is still not worth it. If you are concerned about health problems, it’s much more effective to seek medical help.

Shiitake mushrooms, their benefits and harm

  According to the healing properties, shiitake mushroom is often compared with ginseng: it also contains a large number of useful trace elements and vitamins and is an effective remedy for a variety of diseases. Thanks to this, shiitake was one of the first mushrooms that people began to cultivate. Experts believe that in this way Ancient China  they tried to preserve this species, since in natural conditions such a mushroom was rare and was always whimsical to environmental conditions.

A more plausible version seems to be that such a mushroom became so in demand that its wild species would simply be completely exterminated if it were collected by everyone. Be that as it may, today such mushrooms are mainly grown under artificial conditions, and depending on the method of breeding (on tree trunks or sawdust), such a product can have different characteristics.

Useful and healing properties of shiitake mushrooms

Among the useful properties of shiitake, experts distinguish the following:

• stimulation of the development and growth of normal microflora and the fight against pathogenic microorganisms;
• cancer prevention and treatment;
• normalization of metabolism;
• increase immunity;
• removal of cholesterol from the body;
• healing of ulcers and erosion in the intestines and stomach.

  Shiitake mushroom promotes intensive production insulin, therefore, is one of the foods recommended for diabetics to eat.

The extract of such mushrooms is also used as an additional tool in the complex treatment of diseases of the respiratory system, hepatitis, dermatological diseases and prostatitis. For men, the fungus is useful as a means of increasing potency.

The chemical composition of shiitake

The composition of the fungus includes 18 amino acids, vitamins of group B and vitamin D, as well as other trace elements. One hundred grams of this product contains 300 kcal, which is a high indicator, but despite this, the fungus is successfully used in weight loss diets.

Nutritional Information of Shiitake

Mineral elements

How to use for weight loss

  In modern medicine, there is a direction fungotherapy, which studies the healing properties of fungi and treatment with their help. In addition to treating diseases of a different nature, fungotherapy also examines the use of shiitake mushrooms for weight loss, and in this area, doctors managed to achieve positive results.

Such a product excluded  as part of any diets and as a means for losing weight is used separately. But with this shiitake, you can combine with all known diets: depending on their type and nature, the effect may be different, but in any case weight loss is guaranteed.

The maximum effect has been recorded. japanese nutritionists. In the process of monitoring a group of patients who added shiitake mushrooms to their diet, many of them were able to lose 10-11 kilograms in two months, while these people did not adhere to any dietary restrictions.

Use in healthy and healthy nutrition

Shiitake mushroom when cooked has a pleasant rich taste, so you can add any dishes that are cooked with mushrooms, as well as fry or stew it separately (traditionally stewed in sour cream). Powdered mushrooms are used to make sauces and can also be pickled. Shiitake mushrooms are combined with a variety of products:

• cereals (buckwheat, rice);
• meat (beef, pork, chicken, turkey);
• fish (with any white and red varieties);
• vegetables (potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke, turnips, cabbage);
• with dishes that contain nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts and others);
• with pasta.

How to cook shiitake

Shiitake recipes primarily require the proper preparation of mushrooms. Hard dried mushrooms must first soak: If necessary, they can even be left in the water overnight. If the mushrooms are fresh, rinse them thoroughly enough, and then remove the spoiled areas and hard formations from their surface.

Traditionally, only mushroom caps are prepared, but if the legs of the product are soft, you can leave them, and even hard legs can be used as food: they do not contain harmful substances, as in other types of mushrooms. But in the process of cooking, this part of the mushroom can become stiff and it will not be very easy to chew.

After washing and cleaning  their mushrooms must be thoroughly dried with a soft cloth or napkins. After that, the product is cut in any form, but not very finely. If shiitake is used in soups or other dishes, the slicing can be small, and when preparing this product in the pure form of a hat, you can simply cut it in half or even use it in its entirety.

Mushrooms are fried in olive oil: depending on the amount of product, enough 5-10 minutesso that the product is ready. You can also fry mushrooms coated in olive oil in the oven, but this process will take about 15 minutes.

How to choose a good product

When choosing a shiitake, it is necessary to take into account that there are several cultures of such mushrooms, and not all are useful: many are just a gastronomic delicacy. Artificial species are useful for health, the external characteristics of which are as close as possible to the properties of wild-growing mushrooms. They can be identified by thin and long legs and a translucent hat.

  Shiitake comes on sale in five states, in each of which they can be used for certain purposes:

1. Pickled.
2. Fresh.
3. Dried.
4. Frozen.
5. In the form of a powder, extract or tablets.

For medicinal use, it is better to purchase mushrooms in pharmacy or dried, since in these cases the maximum amount of useful substances is stored in the product. The remaining three types are more suitable for cooking various dishes.

Depending on the growing methods  mushrooms differ in properties and cost. So, shiitake grown on sawdust (today there are the majority of such mushrooms) are inexpensive products, but these mushrooms have less beneficial properties. In addition, it is a mass-produced product, and their manufacturers are more oriented not on medicinal, but on taste, volume and speed of production. In this regard, some manufacturers use pesticides and growth stimulants, and this sometimes contributes to the formation of harmful substances in mushrooms.

How to consume Shiitake Mushrooms

  The use of shiitake mushrooms in their pure form is indicated for both adults and children. The dosage in both cases does not change. For preventive purposes, tincture on these mushrooms is used. One teaspoon of the product is infused 150 grams  vodka for 14 days  in a refrigerator. Use tincture once a day before bedtime. You can take the product in its pure form, or by adding it to a glass of sweet juice or tea.

For cancer, such tincture is taken in quantity three tablespoons once a day. If the problems are related to the heart, two tablespoons a day is enough to treat cardiovascular diseases. With high cholesterol, it is recommended to consume 9 grams of dry or 90 grams of fresh mushroom once a day. The effect will be noticeable in a week.

In other cases (for the treatment of hepatitis, diabetes and gastric diseases), it is necessary to consult a doctor about dosages: in different cases, the amount of mushrooms consumed can be individual.

Product Storage Features

Depending on the conditions of the mushrooms, they are stored differently. So, a fresh product can be stored in the refrigerator, but at the same time you need to keep them in an unpressurized container so that the mushrooms “breathe”: otherwise the shiitake will deteriorate. Shelf life of fresh produce is not more than five days, but storage of dried mushrooms in the same conditions is possible for six months.

Mushrooms must be dried carefully: An under-dried product begins to mold after a while. At the same time, mushrooms should not be overdried too much (to a brittle condition): they lose their properties and are poorly digested during the preparation of soups. If you dry the mushrooms yourself and accidentally dry them out - you do not need to throw them away: just chop them to a powdery state and use them in tinctures or in a dry form. Dried product can be stored in sealed containers.

Harm and contraindications

  There are a number of contraindications in which you can not eat shiitake mushrooms:

• Bronchial asthma;
• Allergy to fungi and individual intolerance;
• In combination with any medicine (except aspirin).

Also, these mushrooms should not be consumed by pregnant and lactating women. Experts advise to refrain from the use of mushrooms for children under 5 years old, but according to some reports, it is not worth giving such a product to a child under 12 years old. At the moment, the possible side effects of shiitake are still not well understood, and if they do not appear in adults, it is not a fact that these effects will not appear in children.

Shiitake mushrooms have a long history. For the first time for medicinal purposes they began to be used 2000 years ago. Shiitake are known as imperial mushrooms. It is believed that they began their journey from China, although the plant was also widely used in Japan and other countries of East Asia.

Shiitake mushrooms are used both in cooking and in folk medicine. They are distinguished by refined taste and special aroma. Real shiitake plants grow on trees. The product is cultivated, and not only at home, but also beyond. In agricultural conditions, mushrooms are grown on sawdust. It is believed that they are largely inferior to their relatives, grown in natural conditions. Nevertheless, it is possible to taste artificially grown shiitake mushrooms to taste: the benefits and harms of the imperial mushroom will be definitely considered in this article.

Shiitake, used as food, should not be allowed to prepare medicinal formulations. To this end, mushroom extract is used, which is produced by many pharmaceutical companies.  The extract is used alone or as one of the components of medications. To date, many medicines and dietary supplements based on shiitake extract are produced. The benefits of the product and minimal harm make Shiitake mushrooms an indispensable tool in the fight against serious diseases.

The chemical composition of shiitake mushrooms

The composition of mushrooms is so diverse that it is easier to say what elements are absent in them. It is amazing that an ordinary mushroom managed to absorb so much benefit from nature itself, like no other plant. It is not for nothing that the imperial mushroom is compared for its use with ginseng root, but, according to some oriental healers, shiitake surpasses the healing root in properties.

Among the basic elements of the product:

• vitamins of group B, A, D, C,
• essential amino acids
• polysaccharides
• trace elements
• fatty acid.

Shiitake are a unique immunomodulator of natural origin. They stimulate the production of interferon in the human body, increasing natural immunity.  The benefits and harms of shiitake are confirmed by laboratory tests. Of course, shiitake is not as harmless as it might seem, and, like any other remedy with a therapeutic effect, they should be used sparingly.

Shiitake effectively cope with atherosclerosis at any stage of development. Taking drugs based on medicinal mushrooms or eating them, you can normalize cholesterol levels at an early stage of the disease. Mushrooms help cleanse blood vessels, improve blood composition, boost fat processing. With proper use, the harm of shiitake is minimized, and the benefits of mushrooms are so high that it is difficult to find an even more valuable element of nutrition for human health.

Benefits and harm to the body from shiitake mushrooms

The benefits of Shiitake mushrooms are so high that Chinese healers call them almost a panacea for all ills. Shiitake improve immunity, lower cholesterol, prevent the development of atherosclerosis. The high usefulness of the product makes it indispensable in the treatment of urological diseases, pathologies of the female genital area, diseases of the nervous system. Mushrooms improve metabolism, break down fats, promote weight loss. Lentinan found in fungi counteracts cancer and fights against hepatitis viruses and HIV. The properties of shiitake are not fully understood. It is possible that in the future highly effective shiitake-based products will be developed to combat diseases that are now recognized as incurable.

For therapeutic purposes, pharmaceutical extracts are used, the concentration of useful substances in which is much higher. Mushroom extract is used to make cosmetic formulations. Shiitake have anti-aging properties. Medicinal products and cosmetics based on medicinal mushrooms improve cell metabolism, prevent premature aging, and increase skin elasticity. If you use the recipe for pickled boletus, it will also turn out to make a dish with amazing qualities.

The benefits of shiitake mushrooms are obvious, but what is the harm? The imperial mushroom contains chitin, which interferes with normal digestion. There are known cases of allergic reactions after eating mushrooms. Shiitake, despite the high benefits, are heavy foods, like all mushrooms. Mushrooms consumed immensely can cause significant harm to health. Shiitake should not be eaten by children under 12 years of age, with pregnancy and bronchial asthma.

Mushrooms are low-calorie foods and can be recommended for use by those who are overweight. However, this nutrient should not become the basis of the diet. It is enough to eat mushrooms 1-2 times a week. Shiitake-based drugs are taken in accordance with the recommended regularity and dosage.

Shiitake mushrooms - benefits and contraindications

One of the most popular mushrooms in Asia and the Far East, shiitake, appeared on the shelves of our food stores not so long ago, but quickly won the attention of interested buyers.

The delicacy, which has a fleshy structure and tastes like something between white mushrooms and champignons, is actively used in cooking as the basis for the preparation of various broths and sauces and other dishes. Chefs love Shiitaki because they combine with many products and, in the process of preparation, absorb their taste without completely drowning it. Although the value of black mushrooms (also called shiitaki) is not only this.

Known in their homeland for more than two thousand years, they amaze with their unique properties and are considered the eastern symbol of longevity, because they activate “Chi” - the inner life force that circulates in our body. Mushrooms listed in the Guinness Book of Records, by their healing properties, can only be compared with ginseng.

Mushrooms from the supermarket are not suitable for treatment

The benefits of Shiitaki mushrooms, of course, are beyond doubt. But only if it is special “medicinal” Shiitaki, which in Japan is also called “Donko Shiitaki”, and not varieties bred by breeders that are everywhere present on supermarket shelves. It turns out that these mushrooms have several types and only one of them has the maximum benefit, which is used in cosmetology and medicine.

Other varieties, although not completely devoid of their positive properties, however, do not “treat everything”, as claimed by numerous unscrupulous sellers who want to cash in on gullible customers. Therefore, even if you regularly visit sushi bars and restaurants or experiment with traditional Chinese and Japanese dishes at home, you will not find that shiitaki, added to noodles, rolls or pizza, will relieve you of all diseases. Such mushrooms are not a cure, but only a delicious ingredient.

  We’ll talk about shiitaki, which can really help in the treatment and prevention of a number of diseases and become an effective addition to the medications approved by official medicine. They are grown in a special way - on a solid tree (chestnut, oak or maple) in the same way as they are found in nature in the wild. Only in this way is it possible to preserve all the healing properties of the product and obtain raw materials suitable for medical use.

Application in cosmetology

The nutrients contained in shiitaki (proteins, lipids, trace elements, vitamins) improve the condition of the skin, make it more toned and supple and help smooth wrinkles. No wonder these mushrooms were considered a favorite beauty tool of Japanese geishas, \u200b\u200bwhose amazing complexion and delicate velvety skin at all times caused genuine admiration.

Shiitake mushrooms - benefit and harm

The globalization of the problem of excess weight makes nutritionists, scientists and other figures look for new ways to lose weight. New in this area include shiitake mushrooms, the benefits of which have long been felt by the people of China and Japan. There they are considered the "elixir" of life.

The benefits and harms of shiitake mushrooms

The rich composition of minerals, vitamins and amino acids provides a number of properties:

1. Mushrooms are low-calorie foods, so they can safely be included in the menu of different diets.
2. The worker of the nervous system improves, which in turn helps to better tolerate the stressful state during weight loss.
3. Blood cholesterol is reduced.
4. The rate of metabolic processes increases.
5. Liver production of enzymes that break down proteins and fats is enhanced.
6. It has a choleretic effect, which helps to remove toxins and decay products from the body.

The benefits of shiitake for weight loss can only be obtained by observing proper nutrition and in sports. In this case, the loss of extra pounds will occur due to the normalization of metabolism, the improvement of the digestive system, as well as a decrease in calorie intake. Weight loss using shiitake is designed for a long period, which reduces the risk of returning lost kilograms. Mushrooms can be used both fresh and dry and in powder form. Still based on this product prepare drinks for weight loss.

It should be borne in mind that shiitake can not only be beneficial, but also harm the body. It is also necessary to control the amount consumed: for example, dry shiitake per day can be eaten no more than 18 g, and fresh about 200 g. These mushrooms can cause allergic reactions, so you need to start using them with a minimum amount.

Shiitake mushrooms: properties, benefits

   Japanese (Chinese) shiitake mushroom has recently become known in our country. He comes from China and has been used there for two thousand years. Its popularity is simply huge, and not only in Asian countries, but throughout the world. The healing properties of shiitake mushrooms have been described in many brochures and articles, which is why it was even listed in the Guinness Book of Records. By their useful properties, they can only be compared with ginseng.

What are the benefits of shiitake mushrooms?

Shiitake mushroom is absolutely harmless, it can be eaten as a gourmet product. In addition, it is used as a medicine for the treatment of a variety of diseases. Due to the wide range of healing properties, shiitake mushroom can be used as a prophylactic to prolong youth and health.

With its shape and color it resembles meadow champignons, with only one difference - a brown hat. Shiitake mushrooms are classified as delicious mushrooms, due to the pleasant and delicate taste, as well as absolute edibility.

The composition of these mushrooms includes 18 amino acids, many B vitamins, especially niacin, riboflavin and thiamine. In addition, they have a rare and unique polysaccharide - lentinan, it has no analogues in herbal preparations. This substance increases the production of the special enzyme perforin, and it, in turn, destroys atypical cells and increases the number of cells that relieve us of tumors and necrosis.

Due to its unique properties, shiitake is used as a prophylactic for people with a high risk of developing cancer. They effectively cope with side effects after radiation exposure and the use of chemotherapy, and they are also used to reduce the effects of anti-cancer treatment in patients from this group.

Consider the beneficial properties of shiitake mushrooms in more detail

:

Intensive antitumor effect, they help the human body cope with both benign and malignant tumors;

They are a significant immunomodulator, they activate the immune system and defenses of the body;

These fungi build an antiviral barrier in the body, and also effectively protect it from inflammatory processes;

Shiitake mushrooms inhibit the growth of pathogenic microflora, stimulating normal;

They help restore the blood formula;

Both mushrooms and preparations based on them heal erosion and ulcers in the intestines and stomach;

Shiitake effectively cleanse the body of "bad" cholesterol, normalize its level and prevent plaques from forming on the walls of blood vessels;

They stabilize metabolic processes, and improve the processes of cell respiration and interstitial nutrition;

These mushrooms reduce the level of glucose in human blood, which undoubtedly improves the condition of patients with diabetes;

Shiitake normalize carbohydrate metabolism, treat obesity, stimulating weight loss.

In countries such as Japan and China, these mushrooms are very common, they are used in medicine and cooking. In addition to the above qualities, they are able to restore erectile function, help in the treatment of vascular and heart diseases. They also fight inflammation and lower body temperature.

For many years, mankind has been looking for an effective way to treat cancer, and such a remedy as shiitake has proved that such a drug exists and it may well be that a drug analogue will soon be invented. Until such a medication is yet open, doctors use the healing properties of these mushrooms, both for prevention and for the treatment of cancer.

Shiitake mushrooms are a universal remedy: they are used to treat a variety of diseases, as an independent healing agent, and also as an addition to the main therapy of official medicine.

Scientific studies have proven that these fungi can prevent vascular and heart diseases after they begin to develop. They are used to treat hypertension and atherosclerosis. Eating nine grams of shiitake mushroom powder every day will lower cholesterol by 15% in the elderly and 25% in the young.

Shiitake will help with diabetes, they stimulate the production of insulin by the pancreas itself. They are also used for arthritis, and for multiple sclerosis they relieve chronic stress, normalize immunity, and restore damaged myelin fibers.

In Japan, massive scientific research has been conducted on the effect of fungi on the Australian antigen virus (hepatitis). At the same time, positive dynamics was found in all the studied, and in 15% of cases after treatment, the virus was simply not detected.

Due to the high zinc content, shiitake mushrooms normalize the functioning of the prostate gland and prevent the formation of adenoma and malignant tumors in the prostate.

They can be boiled, fried, marinated and dried. Dried mushrooms are ground to a powder and added to dishes as a seasoning, and also used as a prophylactic and medicinal product.

Recipes

So to prepare the infusion, pour 0.5 g of powder with a glass of warm water and insist for eight hours. Then mix and drink in a day in three doses half an hour before meals.

To prepare the tincture, pour 5 g of powder of 150 g of vodka and insist in the refrigerator for two weeks. For oncology, take a tablespoon three times a day, and for other ailments, the dose should be reduced to a teaspoon.

Chaga mushroom - benefits and harms in folk and modern medicine

Once upon a time, people did not know about the existence of drugs, antibiotics, and other advances in modern therapy. Surgery was in its infancy. That is why a significant number of people died from diseases.

Many diseases were a sentence for people, since there was no medicine for them at all. Doctors of the monarchs tried to find all kinds of cures under pain of death. The solution to many problems was the chaga mushroom, the benefits of which are enormous.

This plant was already known at the time of Vladimir Monomakh. Tradition says that it saved the monarch from lip cancer. Chaga gained particular relevance in the Middle Ages. Chaga mushroom grows in birch groves, which is why many people went on whole expeditions to search for it in Russia and Korea, where birch trees were abundant. We have reached the treatises of the Persian doctor Avicenna, where he described a wide area of \u200b\u200buse of the fungus chaga.

Mushroom benefits

  Our ancestors used mushrooms for the treatment of oncological diseases and diseases of the cardiovascular system, among which, besides fun, agarica and shiitake, was chaga. This mushroom also helped in the fight against liver pathologies, in the treatment of protracted depression. Despite its obvious benefits, the Chaga gained wide acceptance many centuries later - in the 20th century. The decisive role in this was played by Japanese researchers, for the first time the use of the mushroom was scientifically confirmed by them. The main effect of fungi is their cytostatic ability, which has a similar nature with chemotherapy, which is an integral part of cancer treatment.

The discovery of Japanese scientists helped create a new direction in medicine - fungotherapy. This type of treatment is now very popular. He is in particular demand in the USA and Japan.

Russian scientists decided to keep up with their colleagues and conducted a number of serious studies regarding the fungus chaga. This contributed to the discovery in its composition of such useful substances as:

To date, official medicine has already recognized chaga mushroom as a homeopathic remedy. This means that we, unlike our ancestors, do not need to climb birches in the hope of finding him. Just go to the nearest pharmacy.

Mushroom tea

  Surely, every person strives to be successful and happy. Apathy, fatigue, stress and malaise often get in the way of this. That is why the fight against these ailments is very important. Nutritionists around the world claim that food is deformed, leaving only fats, proteins and carbohydrates in its composition. These substances are not enough for the proper functioning of the body. Cabbage benefit and harm. Birch sap benefit and harm.

Today we’ll talk about perhaps one of the most famous mushrooms in the world. He has excellent qualities in literally every way. This mushroom benefits health, delivers incredible pleasure from eating and so on. So we are talking about shiitake.

Appearance

The mushroom cap may have a diameter of 3 to 15 centimeters. It is hemispherical, convex in shape. When the shiitake matures, the hat takes on a flat shape. Color - dark brown at first, and after ripening - lighter.

The Latin name for shiitake is Lentinula edodes, and it is relevant today. The fact is that earlier it was called Lentinus.

If we talk about the word shiitake, then it has a completely logical origin. There is a Shia tree in Japan - one of those on which this mushroom grows with great pleasure. Well, the word "take" is already translated as "mushroom".

Where grows

If we talk exclusively about distribution in the wild, then this is Japan, the Far East and China. Also found in some other states in southeast Asia.

Archaeologists who excavated in China (this is the birthplace of the fungus) determined that it was used here from the very beginning of the new era. Emperors used various recipes for making shiitake decoctions. They defended themselves against diseases and prolonged their youth.

According to studies, shiitake cultivated about 3 thousand years ago. Today it is actively grown in Asia, and from there the mushroom is already exported to other countries.

As for Russia, this mushroom does not grow here, although some gardeners are trying to grow them. Many successfully succeed.

How to choose

If you decide to try this mushroom, going for it to the store or to the market, be sure to remember some of the most important rules for their choice.

• Get mushrooms slightly plump in shape, on which there are no any mechanical damage.
• Learn shiitake. They should not have any traces of mold, they should not be wet to the touch.
• If the edges bend down, it's a good mushroom.
• Look at the hat. If it is velvety and its color is dark brown, then you have found a good specimen. Keep in mind that a good mushroom has a cap diameter of not more than 6 centimeters.
• The most delicious mushrooms have patterns of small cracks in the hat.
• They need to be stored in the refrigerator, but not more than 3 weeks.

Nutritional value and calorie content

In terms of nutritional value, shiitake can offer the following - per 100 grams of product, you have to:

Chemical composition

Unlike many other mushrooms, shiitake is characterized by a rather complex chemical composition. Nevertheless, all components are of great benefit to the human body:

• Squirrels;
• Carbohydrates;
• Amino acids;
• Polysaccharides;
• Fats (poly and monounsaturated);
• Alimentary fiber;
• Vitamins (PP, groups B, C, D);
• Minerals: K, Ca, Mg, Na, P, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, etc.

Beneficial features

As we have already noted, this is an incredibly healthy mushroom.

Therefore, we will try to highlight the most important positive properties of this product:

• Fights viruses, inflammations, bacteria.
• Helps in the treatment of ulcers, with bleeding.
• Heals wounds;
• Strengthens the immune system, rejuvenates the body.
• Resists tumors.
• Reduces pressure, normalizes the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.
• Heals the stomach, intestines.
• Strengthens the nervous system.
• Removes harmful cholesterol from the body.
• Restores strength after prolonged illness and injury.
• Normalizes the condition of a person after strong physical exertion.
• Extends life.

The healing properties of shiitake can be used as follows:

• It treats diseases associated with blood vessels and the heart.
• Relieves chronic fatigue.
• Resists various forms of cancer.
• Helps with hepatitis, gastritis, stomach ulcer.
• Useful for diabetes.
• Brings a person out of depression.
• Acts as a prophylactic for colds, flu.
• Prevents a heart attack.
• Helps restore health after a stroke.
• It is beneficial for diseases of the joints, back.
• External use treats skin problems.
• Restores health after chemotherapy.
• Promotes weight loss, etc.

In fact, you can endlessly list the beneficial qualities of this fungus. But still, he is most appreciated for the anti-cancer effect.

Not so long ago, scientists from all over the world began a detailed study of this property. Unfortunately, a full Shiitake has not yet been studied, but experts are taking successful steps. Who knows, maybe shiitake will become the key to solving the problem of effective cancer treatment in the near future.

You can learn even more about the beneficial properties of shiitake mushrooms from the program "On the most important thing."

Harm and contraindications

Despite the widest list of useful properties, the mushroom can still do some harm. Therefore, let's find out about contraindications.

• It can not be consumed during pregnancy.
• Do not eat it for children under 12 years old.
• With individual intolerance to the fungus or component that is part of it.
• With a disease of bronchial asthma. All four of these cases have not been fully studied, but still not worth the risk.
• If you eat too much shiitake, you may begin to have diarrhea.
• Do not eat mushrooms with poisonous herbs used in the treatment of cancer.
• It can not be eaten with aspirin.
• Do not combine the use of shiitake with drugs, especially the effects of which include a decrease in the rate of blood coagulation.

Application

In cooking

Given the main region of distribution, it is not surprising that shiitake has firmly entered the cuisine of Asian countries. Although many people love him, especially on land.

Hats are mainly used for food. As for the legs, they are tough. Because basically the legs go to the preparation of sauce, soup, yoghurts and so on. The extract obtained from mushrooms is excellent for sweets, drinks and confectionery.

How to cook

Fried

If you decide to fry a shiitake, cut off the hat and tear off the leg. But only along. This will keep a pleasant smell, which during frying becomes similar to the smell of fried meat.

Heat a skillet over high heat, add oil (olive or ordinary odorless sunflower). Sprinkle mushrooms and begin stirring vigorously until all the water has evaporated. If desired, add onions, almonds, walnuts and various seasonings to the mushrooms. They will enhance and enrich the taste.

These mushrooms are still good for those who, when cooking them with other components, they absorb their tastes, but do not jam the rest of the ingredients.

Serve fried shiitake with pasta, baked vegetables, rice, fish or chicken. Here already choose at your discretion. By the way, try adding them to goulash. You will be very pleasantly surprised at the result. But remember, when cooking goulash, mushrooms are added no earlier than 30 minutes before the meat is ready. Otherwise, the shiitake will be very tough.

Now we bring to your attention two recipes in which shiitake are the main ingredient or simply significantly enrich the taste of the dish.

Shrimp soup

Of the ingredients you will need the following:

• Shrimps (tiger or king) - 16 pieces;
• Olive oil - 30 milliliters;
• Half a chili pepper;
• A pair of garlic cloves;
• 1.2 liters of purified water;
• 150 grams of fat cream;
• 150 grams of shiitake;
• Fresh herbs (basil and parsley) - 1 sprig;
• Salt.

Cooking

• Take the shrimp, peel them off the shells and cut lengthwise into two parts.
• Pour a little olive oil into the pan, chop the chili and garlic, fry for just a minute, then add the shrimp and fry them.
• Now add water, cream. The mixture should boil.
• Throws chopped hats fungus, herbs and salt to your own taste.
• Soup is cooked for about 5 minutes and served at the table.

Enjoy your meal!

Fried with vegetables

Now we offer to get acquainted with a very tasty way to fry mushrooms. You will get the maximum benefit and pleasure.

The ingredients required are:

• 300 grams of eggplant;
• Starch - for breading;
• 100 milliliters of vegetable oil;
• 300 grams of fresh zucchini;
• 200 grams of the white part of the leek;
• 200 grams of asparagus;
• 200 grams of pea;
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice;
• 0.6 kg shiitake;
• A pair of garlic cloves;
• 100 grams of oyster sauce;
• 80 milliliters of soy sauce;
• 50 milliliters of sesame oil;
• A bunch of green onions;
• Sesame - for dusting on a dish.
• Salt.

Cooking:

• Cut eggplant into small sticks. Salt and set aside. This will allow you to release fluid after some time. Dry the eggplant, brew with starch and fry using a large amount of oil.
• Zucchini are cut into half rings, and leeks are cut into rings.
• Flush peas, asparagus using salt and lemon juice. Literally 2 minutes. Then chill with ice.
• Asparagus is cut into 4 parts, and pods into 3.
• Take the mushroom caps, cut them with a sharp knife and fry quickly over high heat.
• Now add the zucchini, leek, peas, garlic and asparagus. All together it is fried for 2-3 minutes, then the eggplants are thrown and the fire is turned off.
• You can fill the dish with soy sauce, sesame oil.
• Spread on plates, decorate with greens or green onions, sprinkle with sesame seeds on top.

Enjoy your meal!

In medicine

Based on the beneficial properties, we have already managed to find out what, from the point of view of medicine, this mushroom carries. Therefore, now we will tell you about very useful and popular recipes. With their help, you can cure various diseases, as well as have a preventive effect, preventing certain diseases.

• If you are overtaken by these diseases, take 1/2 tsp. powder from dried mushrooms every morning. Wash the product with warm, purified water. The course lasts 14-28 days.
• Otherwise, diseases require taking from 1 to 3 tsp. in a day. Reception three times a day half an hour before a meal. The course lasts 30 days, then there is a break of 10 days and the course is repeated again as necessary.
• To increase immunity, prevent stomach ulcers and normalize sexual activity, it is recommended to use 1 tsp. powder three times a day 40 minutes before meals. The course lasts 30-90 days.

Mushroom tincture

To prepare it, you need 20 grams of shiitake powder. Pour it with 500 ml of high quality vodka. Insist 14 days in a dark and cool place. Shake every day. It is not necessary to filter, use along with the resulting precipitate.

• From epilepsy, stomach ulcers, gastritis, hypertension, cystitis, after a stroke and heart attack, use 2 times a day for 1-2 tsp. tinctures about 30 minutes before a meal. The course lasts 30-120 days. After every 30 days, a break of 10 days.
• With a malignant tumor - 1 tbsp. mixtures three times a day half an hour before a meal. The course is 90 days. Break - 10 days, after which the course can be repeated. Treatment can last up to a year.
• For the prevention of cancer - a monthly course of treatment once a year. Take 1 tbsp. tinctures 30 minutes before meals twice a day - in the morning and evening.

This tincture can be prepared not only with vodka, but also from cognac. The quality of the alcoholic beverage in both cases should be high.

Shiitake Wine

You will need 3 tbsp. crushed dried mushrooms. They are poured with 500 ml of quality cahors. Close the container tightly and refrigerate for approximately 14 days. After 2 weeks, strain the wine, close it tightly and place in the cold for storage.

• For ulcers, gastritis, hypertension, hypotension, tumors, viral diseases, 1 tsp is taken. or 1 tbsp. three times a day half an hour before a meal. The course lasts from 30 to 120 days.
• From flu, colds take 1 tsp. twice a day half an hour before a meal. The course lasts 7-14 days.
• For prevention - 1 tsp. before bedtime. The course is 7-14 days.

Oil extractor

They do not make oil from shiitake, but they make an oil extract. It allows you to cope with a wide range of diseases, such as diabetes, problems with the kidneys, ulcers, joints, hypertension, high acidity, malignant tumors and so on.

To prepare the hood, you need 20 grams of dried shiitake. They are poured with 500 ml of olive or linseed oil. Pre-heat the oil to 37 degrees using a water bath. The container is tightly closed and infused in a warm place for 5 days. Best put on battery. Then put the oil in the refrigerator for 5 days. You do not need to filter, drink along with the resulting precipitate.

Extract

Extracts are made from shiitake, which have a general strengthening effect in various diseases. Many appreciate it for its anticancer properties, although in fact the remedy is capable of more.

Apply the drug 5-7 drops three times a day. It is diluted with water and drunk before meals.

You can store it for 2 years, but subject to a temperature regime of 25 to 5 degrees Celsius.

There is only one contraindication - this is individual intolerance.

The main areas of influence of the drug:

• Problems and diseases associated with the heart and blood vessels;
• With multiple sclerosis;
• For the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases;
• To solve liver problems and diabetes.

In cosmetology

How do shiitake manifest themselves in cosmetology?

• Mushroom extract makes the skin supple, eliminates wrinkles, smoothing them.
• The mushroom normalizes fat balance, eliminates the problem of oily skin.
• It has a regenerative effect, fights the expansion of pores.
• Many cosmetology companies use shiitake extracts in the manufacture of creams, masks and serums. Their main action is rejuvenation.

Growing

Most of the mushrooms that we often can eat, began to grow artificially only at the end of the last century. But with shiitake, things are different, because they were cultivated in the 12th century.

For this, a log was taken in China, a raw mushroom was rubbed into it. With luck, a year later a crop was formed.

Today, two main growing methods are used.

• They take husk from rice or buckwheat, or they use sawdust, mix them with mycelium. The result is briquettes of dense structure. On them, a month later, fungi begin to appear.
• The second method involves the use of logs in which holes of small depth are made. Mycelium is poured into them, covered with a cork and coated with wax. Harvest appears in about a year.

That is why they are initially divided into medicinal and culinary.




Growing at home

If you are familiar with the technology of growing oyster mushrooms, you should have no problems with the home production of shiitake. They are bred in an extensive and intensive way.

Intensive

• Prepare the substrate using sawdust of oak, beech, maple or willow. Do not take conifers.
• Sawdust should be approximately 3 mm; mixing with wood chips is permitted.
• Sterilize the substrate. Put in a bag and pour boiling water, after which leave to infuse for 12 hours. Repeat the procedure again.
• The capacity where mushrooms will be grown should be up to 6 liters - bags, bags made of polyethylene. Mix the substrate with the obtained mycelium, taking into account 500 g of mycelium per 10 kg of substrate. Put the mixture in bags, cover with a cotton-gauze stopper and a ring.
• Growth will take about 45-60 days. Keep the desired temperature in the range of 18-24 degrees.
• Fruiting begins when the blocks are carried out in a moist and cool place. Before that, remove the polyethylene.
• The crop is formed after 3-6 months.
• Provide indoor lighting for 8 hours a day.

Extensive

Prepare logs with a diameter of 7-8 cm and a length of 1 m.

Make holes in the wood, observing a distance of 15 centimeters between them. Add mycelium to them.




Move the logs to a room where there is shade and a high level of humidity.

If the mycelium takes on a tree, you will see white spots. But they appear only after one and a half or two years. Therefore, it is recommended to make several logs and test various mycelium.