Shiitake mushrooms: contraindications and beneficial properties

Name:Shiitake
A type: Edible

The beneficial properties of shiitake mushrooms are widely known throughout the world. The product has a unique composition and numerous medicinal properties. To fully appreciate the benefits, you need to read the description in more detail.

Shiitake mushroom composition

In its natural form, the mushroom grows in China, Japan and other countries of Southeast Asia. For thousands of years, it has been highly regarded in cooking and folk medicine and is considered truly miraculous. In the rest of the world, the mushroom itself does not grow, but it is cultivated artificially.

The benefits of Japanese mushrooms are due to their rich chemical composition. The pulp contains the following valuable substances:

  • B vitamins in a wide composition - B1 and B2, B4, B5, B6, B9;
  • vitamins PP and D;
  • vitamin C;
  • monosaccharides and disaccharides;
  • magnesium and iron;
  • campesterol;
  • copper and manganese;
  • selenium and zinc;
  • stearic, palmitic and myristic acids;
  • sodium;
  • ergocalciferol;
  • fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6;
  • linolenic and linoleic acids;
  • amino acids - arginine, leucine, lysine, valine and others.

Thanks to this composition, Japanese mushrooms have many medicinal properties. But they are also appreciated for their pleasant taste, they go well with most culinary dishes.

Why shiitake mushrooms are good for you

The health benefits of shiitake mushrooms are very diverse, they have a beneficial effect on almost all body systems. Namely:

  • strengthen immune resistance and make the body more resistant to viruses;
  • reduce the level of bad cholesterol and improve the condition of blood vessels;
  • protect the heart system from the development of dangerous ailments and thereby prolong life;
  • increase resistance to cancer - medicine uses shiitake mushrooms for cancer;
  • prevent the formation of blood clots and are of great benefit in case of a tendency to varicose veins;
  • improve the state of the metabolic system and promote weight loss during diet;
  • have a beneficial effect on the skin and help to delay the aging process;
  • promote healthy blood supply to the brain, strengthen memory and improve concentration;
  • help to remove toxic substances and accumulated toxins from the body;
  • help to increase overall endurance and prevent the development of anemia;
  • have a positive effect on the condition of the stomach and intestines.

Japanese mushrooms are useful for people with a tendency to nervous disorders. They are beneficial for long-term stress and depression, help to cope with emotional stress and relieve insomnia.

Shiitake mushrooms during pregnancy

The benefits and harms of shiitake mushrooms are becoming controversial for women in position. Despite the fact that the product has a beneficial effect on the human body and has few contraindications, it is better to refuse it while the child is waiting.

The fact is that the composition of Japanese mushrooms contains quite a lot of chitin polysaccharide. When consumed, it easily enters the body of the developing fetus, penetrating the placental barrier, and can cause significant harm.According to doctors, the benefits and harms of shiitake mushrooms are also ambiguous during breastfeeding - the polysaccharide chitin in a woman's breast milk is present in minimal quantities, but it can also harm the health of the baby. At the time of bearing a child and during lactation, it is better to completely abandon an unusual product.

Attention! During pregnancy, doctors also do not recommend using medicines that contain an extract obtained from useful mushroom pulp.

Shiitake mushrooms in treatment

The chemical composition of mushrooms makes them a valuable component in both traditional and official medicine. The properties of mushrooms are especially popular in Southeast Asia - Japan and China, where shiitake is a part of many pharmaceuticals.

In the composition of drugs, there is usually a liquid or dry extract - an extract from mushrooms in water or alcohol, or a fine powder from dried pulp. Most often, the shiitake mushroom is used for oncology, it is believed that its properties very effectively activate the body to fight cancer cells.

In Europe and America, the question of the medicinal properties of Japanese mushrooms is currently the subject of research. However, experts already agree that the product has a very large medical potential. The polysaccharide lentinan in the product is responsible for increasing the resistance to tumors and infections. According to the results of experiments carried out on animals, shiitake mushrooms against cancer have a particularly good effect in combination with traditional remedies, enhancing their therapeutic effect.

The product is used to treat not only cancer, but also another dangerous disease. It has been found that shiitake in multiple sclerosis has a beneficial effect on the immune system and helps to restore destroyed myelin fibers. Under the influence of a useful product, the body intensively produces interferon, which plays an essential role in the fight against viral diseases. This is significant because it has been established that multiple sclerosis is precisely an autoimmune disease. It is necessary to take funds based on the product for quite a long time - at least six months, but the treatment results are very good.

In addition to cancer and multiple sclerosis, Shiitake vitamins treat other severe and unpleasant ailments. Namely:

  • lack of blood circulation and impotence, the product improves the blood supply to the body and has a positive effect on the reproductive system, thereby restoring a healthy libido;
  • inflammatory diseases of any nature - it lowers the temperature and helps to overcome the infection, due to which it contributes to a quick recovery;
  • atherosclerosis and hypertension - scientific research confirms that regular use of powder from medicinal mushrooms can reduce the level of harmful cholesterol in the blood by 15-25% in just 1 month;
  • arthritis - the anti-inflammatory properties of the product help fight joint swelling and pain, restore mobility to the limbs and prevent new exacerbations;
  • diabetes - the product stimulates the healthy work of the pancreas and allows, if not to give up insulin injections, then at least reduce their number.
Important! The benefits of shiitake are actively used by traditional medicine, valuable raw materials are included in many recipes for healing.

The product is used not only to treat ailments, but also to rejuvenate. Mushroom powder is found in many revitalizing lotions, creams and masks. The extract of medicinal mushrooms improves the condition of the skin, increases its elasticity and stimulates the rapid renewal of epidermal cells. Thanks to this, the skin can remain beautiful, smooth and radiant longer.

Is it possible to poison shiitake

The product contains no toxic substances. Shiitake is grown and delivered to shops, usually under artificial conditions under close supervision.Therefore, they cannot be poisoned - fresh mushrooms are completely harmless to the body and bring great benefits.

However, the benefits and potential harms of shiitake mushrooms have a fine line. Chitin is present in the mushroom pulp. It is not digested in the stomach and intestines, and in excess amounts of shiitake can lead to indigestion and accompanying discomfort.

Uses of shiitake mushroom

The product is widely used in traditional Asian recipes. Shiitake can be found in broths and garnishes, sauces and marinades. Mushroom pulp is combined with vegetables or meat, noodles or cereals, seafood, and is also served as a main course. Shiitake is completely versatile and suitable for any processing; they are boiled and marinated, fried and salted, dried and frozen for long storage. Shiitake is often found in rolls and sushi.

Both fresh and dried shiitake are used in cooking. If we are talking about dried pulp, then before cooking it is pre-soaked in water for 8-10 hours.

Attention! With intensive heat treatment, many useful substances in the composition of the mushroom pulp are destroyed. It is recommended that the shiitake be exposed to minimal and short-term heat to maintain maximum benefits.

Contraindications to shiitake mushrooms

The healing properties and contraindications of shiitake mushrooms are inseparable from each other. Basically, the product is of great benefit, but in some conditions it is better to refuse it.

In particular, contraindications for shiitake are:

  • the presence of individual intolerance, allergy to mushrooms or the components present in them is not so common, but if it is, then it is necessary to completely abandon the product;
  • bronchial asthma - shiitake can provoke an exacerbation of the disease, especially with a predisposition to allergies, since asthma is often one of the manifestations of an allergic reaction;
  • tendency to constipation - any mushrooms are very rich in vegetable protein, and protein foods in large quantities make it difficult for digestion;
  • pregnancy and breastfeeding, it is better not to use shiitake during the period of bearing and feeding a child, since the substance chitin, when ingested by an infant, even in small quantities, can cause significant harm;
  • children's age, it is recommended to offer a healthy product to a child for the first time only after 14 years old, since previously a sensitive children's stomach may not be able to cope with the digestion of shiitake.

When using the product, it is recommended to adhere to small daily dosages. Even with a healthy stomach, it costs no more than 150 grams of shiitake per day. It is best to eat the product in the morning or afternoon, if you eat mushrooms shortly before a night's rest, this will interfere with healthy sleep, since the body will be busy digesting food.

Calorie content of shiitake mushrooms

With a high nutritional value and rich chemical composition, shiitake mushrooms have a fairly low calorie content. 100 g of fresh shiitake contains about 50 kcal. Dried mushrooms are much more high in calories, since there is no moisture in them, the indicator is 300 kcal per 100 g of product.

Conclusion

The beneficial properties of shiitake mushrooms are in demand not only in cooking, but also in medicine, both folk and official. Traditional Asian mushrooms have a strong positive effect on the body and can alleviate the condition even with serious chronic diseases.

Reviews of the benefits and dangers of shiitake mushrooms

Vasilyeva Tatyana Nikolaevna, 32 years old, Moscow
For the first time I saw shiitake in my favorite rolls and became interested in these unusual mushrooms. In their pure form, they turned out to be very tasty and nutritious. Now I use them quite often with a variety of dishes, they go well not only with seafood, but also with vegetables and cereals.
Anisova Elena Sergeevna, 45 years old, Samara
I learned about the healing properties of shiitake mushrooms about 5 years ago.I tried adding mushrooms to regular dishes, I have diabetes, and Shiitake is considered very useful for this disease. The improvement was noted very quickly, the sugar level became more stable, the state of health returned to normal, so I try to use Shiitake in a constant diet.
Krivtsova Svetlana Grigorievna, 37 years old, Yekaterinburg
Previously, I considered shiitake mushrooms to be common, albeit rare mushrooms in Russian stores. A couple of years ago I learned that the product improves blood circulation and equalizes pressure, and I decided to check the information. The mushrooms really helped to get rid of chronically high blood pressure, although I remain hypertensive, the frequency of attacks has decreased.

Give feedback

Garden

Flowers

Construction