Maitake (Grifola frondosa)
Maitake is popularly known as the “dancing” mushroom or Grifola curly. This is a large mushroom, reaching 50 cm in diameter at the base, and its clusters can weigh about 4 kg. Maitakes are similar in appearance to morels or woody growths.
History and Application
The history of eating maitake mushrooms dates back to the 4th-5th centuries AD. In Japan and China they were used as a remedy for weakened immune systems. They grow wild in the forests of Japan and some areas of China.
According to legend, the mushroom was called “dancing” because before picking it, it was necessary to perform a ritual dance, otherwise it would lose its medicinal properties. According to other sources, in the era of feudalism, when poor people managed to find this mushroom, they danced with joy. In Japan, maitake was called “geisha mushroom” or “slimness mushroom” because it helped women maintain a slim figure.
In many countries, this mushroom has gained popularity as a medicinal mushroom, but thanks to its original taste, it has also been used in cooking. Nowadays, maitake are common in the northeastern part of Japan; they are also grown in China on special fruit tree plantations. Maitake is considered one of the most valuable and expensive mushrooms in the world. (In Russia, the curly griffola is on the verge of extinction and is listed in the Red Book of Russia.)
Interesting Facts
Scientists have found that maitake mushrooms destroy the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Application
Basically, maitake is included in the diet of people with cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity. It is also used for preventive purposes to strengthen the immune system.
Maitake has a distinct aroma and is very tasty. Traditionally it is consumed with other oriental mushrooms. Maitake is used to prepare soups, sauces, seasonings, fresh salads, drinks, extracts. In Japanese cuisine, maitake is an essential ingredient in miso soup. This soup can be prepared in no more than 20 minutes. It is important to add mushrooms at the very end of cooking so that they do not overcook; keeping them on the fire for more than 5-8 minutes is not recommended. If maitake are dried, they can be easily reconstituted in water over low heat. The water in which maitake is reconstituted can be used for soups, sauces, and broths.
In Korea, maitake is steamed or simply fried. These mushrooms are fried for no more than 20 minutes, all ingredients are added at once and simmered under the lid, after which fresh herbs are added. Boiled mushrooms are added to.
Maitake can be either a main dish or a side dish for fried or stewed potatoes or solyanka.
Composition and properties
Maitake mushrooms reduce disease incidence infectious diseases, prevent cardiovascular diseases, reduce the effects of chemotherapy (hair loss, pain and nausea).
Maitake extract regulates blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, blocks tumors, and protects against hepatitis. Maitake mushrooms are recommended for cancer, dysfunction thyroid gland and adrenal glands.
Maitake calories
Maitake calories - 34 kcal.
Maitake mushroom- This is an amazing unique mushroom, very similar in appearance to morels or oyster mushrooms known to many, as well as ordinary wood growth (see photo). He can be quite large sizes(up to half a meter), and its weight can reach 4 kilograms. The dancing mushroom, as it was called back in the 5th century by the Chinese and Japanese, was collected and used not only for food, but also for treatment.
Today this mushroom is cultivated for its beneficial properties, but in some areas of China and in the forests of Japan you can also find wild maitake. According to ancient belief, before picking a mushroom, it was necessary to perform special ritual dance movements, because otherwise all its medicinal qualities would be lost. That is why maitake was called the dancing mushroom. According to another version, the poor danced for joy after finding a tasty and nutritious mushroom.
Beneficial features
The beneficial properties of maitake are undeniable, because these mushrooms contain minerals and vitamins, which makes them very useful for consumption, especially for weakened people. The positive impact of the product on health is confirmed by many positive feedback about him.
Polysaccharides present in mushrooms have an immunomodulating effect. Scientists have even found that these mushrooms can have a destructive effect on the immunodeficiency virus.
Amino acids, also found in mushrooms, stabilize protein metabolism in the human body. An amazing feature of mushrooms is that they can significantly reduce the effects of chemotherapy such as pain and hair loss. In addition, the dancing mushroom perfectly regulates blood sugar levels - because of this, they can be recommended to those who are at risk for developing diabetes.
Consumption of maitake mushrooms reduces general fatigue and the incidence of various infectious and seasonal diseases. viral diseases, stabilizes blood pressure, and is especially recommended for people with disorders of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands.
Use in cooking
Maitakes are widely used in cooking. They are famous for their wonderful taste and pleasant delicate aroma. These mushrooms are combined with shiitake and other oriental mushrooms. The famous miso soup is prepared from them, which is known to many lovers of Japanese cuisine - the mushroom is an essential ingredient in this traditional Japanese dish. Various salads and seasonings are also prepared from maitake. Mushrooms cook very quickly. They can not only be boiled and fried, but also steamed. Dried mushrooms are first boiled and then added to vegetable stew or salad. Maitake can also be used as a side dish for meat and fish; they perfectly complement potato dishes.
Benefits of maitake mushrooms and treatment
The benefits of maitake mushrooms include: inhibitory effect on malignant tumors, moreover, if such mushrooms are consumed healthy people, their immunity to cancer increases. Maitake mushrooms are especially effective in treating certain types cancer, for example genitourinary system and mammary gland. Eating maitake in postoperative period will facilitate rehabilitation and stop the spread of metastases. Benign tumors can also be treated with these fungi.
In Japan, ancient sages used the maitake mushroom to restore vital energy and strength, as well as improve weakened immunity. And in some records there are references to the fact that maitake was used in order to normalize the functioning of the spleen, get rid of severe pain in the abdomen and cure hemorrhoids.
Although this mushroom has undergone scientific research relatively recently (about thirty years ago), in mycology it has already been nicknamed a “rising star.” Thanks to these studies, it was found that Maitake is excellent at fighting diseases such as:
high blood pressure;
diabetes;
cholesterol.
If healthy people use the extract of this mushroom daily, they will be able to strengthen the immune system for a long time, as well as prevent the risk of the formation of cancer cells.
Due to the fact that this mushroom contains a special beta-glucan, which can affect the body's antitumor defense, the use of maitake extract helps destroy cancer cells.
In addition, during the period of radiation therapy and chemotherapy, maitake mushroom helps to cope with such side effects such as poor appetite, nausea accompanied by vomiting, severe pain, hair loss and a reduction in white blood cells.
Maitake mushroom extract is also used to treat women's diseases: mastopathy, fibroids, cysts. This extract is also used during the premenstrual and menopausal periods.
And what is most important - when using maitake the extract does not become addictive, therefore it is considered one of the most effective remedies in gynecology.
But the range of diseases that the maitake mushroom successfully copes with is not complete. Mushroom extract is also used to treat problems associated with the endocrine system, adrenal glands, menopause, and dysfunction of the ovaries and pituitary gland.
During treatment diabetes mellitus maitake extract normalizes the absorption of glucose and insulin in the blood, and also prevents the development of atherosclerosis, normalizes high blood pressure and high level blood cholesterol levels.
In the fight against high cholesterol, maitake extract helps prevent lipids. Thanks to this, cholesterol levels are reduced.
For overweight people, maitake will also be very useful, since the extract stabilizes carbohydrate metabolism and suppresses hunger without irritating the intestines.
Maitake mushroom helps relieve intoxication and inflammatory process in the liver, caused by the so-called D-galactosamine. The extract improves the functioning of the stomach and intestines, protecting the liver from damage caused by the influence of D-galactosamine.
In addition, maitake mushroom extract is prescribed for the treatment of:
bacterial diseases (tuberculosis, mycoplasmosis, coccal flora);
viral diseases (hepatitis, smallpox, influenza, chickenpox, herpes, rabies);
fungal infections (candidiasis).
As you can see, the maitake mushroom covers quite a lot wide range illnesses and copes with all of them successfully. But before using maitake extract, you should consult your doctor for advice. There may be contraindications for use, so you should not self-medicate so as not to aggravate the disease and general condition.
Harm of maitake mushrooms and contraindications
Maitake mushrooms do not cause any harm during treatment. Their use is undesirable (contraindicated) only for allergy sufferers, if the effect of mushrooms on the body is not known.
As a rule, countries remote from large continents carefully preserve their identity, culture and traditions. Japan is no exception, which is still perceived by many as an amazing and mysterious corner of the world. For a long time In the Land of the Rising Sun, Buddhism flourished, prohibiting the consumption of meat, so mushrooms became widespread among the local population. But they have become not only a basic ingredient in Japanese cooking. It turned out that many .
Among the huge variety of exotic “forest inhabitants”, the meitake mushroom occupies a special place. Medicinal properties this a bright representative Japanese flora became known modern science relatively recently - in the last three decades. Meitake is a tree mushroom native to northeastern Japan and some remote areas of China. Finding places where meitake grows is a great success, so at all times these mushrooms were very expensive. The Japanese say that meitake looks like a dancing nymph. For such a bizarre shape they began to call it the “Dancing Mushroom”.
Medicinal properties
In the past, the meitake mushroom was the most valuable attribute of Japanese traditional medicine. But when carried out Scientific research discovered its amazing healing capabilities, the “Dancing Mushroom” began to be used in various medicines. First of all, it was discovered that meitake helps to significantly reduce fat cells in human blood. Excess fat ceases to be deposited in the tissues of the body, so a person with a large body weight quickly loses weight. It is not for nothing that preparations based on the meitake mushroom are an integral part of “Yamakiro” - a popular Japanese weight loss program.
In addition to weight loss, other medicinal properties of this miracle of nature have been scientifically confirmed. "Dancing Mushroom" - a powerful antivirus and antibacterial agent. Active components meytake activate the immune system and have a detrimental effect on staphylococci, streptococci, tuberculosis bacillus, ARVI, influenza, .
Meitake is successfully used in the fight against. Its active ingredients effectively reduce cholesterol levels in the blood and restore the elasticity of the walls blood vessels, prevent blood clots, normalize blood pressure. Of course, drugs that contain this exotic mushroom are expensive, but meitake for hypertensive patients is truly an irreplaceable remedy.
In addition, “Dancing Mushroom” has a beneficial effect on the functioning endocrine system. Powder based on this mushroom normalizes the activity of the pituitary gland, adrenal glands, and thyroid gland, and is used to treat diabetes mellitus.
Meitake against cancer
And the most valuable quality of the meitake mushroom is its ability to fight the most terrible disease humanity - cancer. “Dancing Mushroom” is a miraculous stimulator of so-called macrophages. These are special cells of the body that are designed to protect a person from any pathogenic effects, but they are usually in a sleepy (latent) state. The polysaccharide beta-glucan contained in the mushroom “awakens” macrophages and they begin to actively destroy all foreign cells, including malignant ones. Preparations containing meitake are especially effective on early stages cancer Bladder, prostate, ovaries, uterus, breast.
Meitake - female mushroom
In Japan, meitake has another name - “Japanese Geisha Mushroom”. Women of the Land of the Rising Sun have long highly valued the medicinal properties of this mushroom. In addition to the already noted ability to lose weight, meitake eliminates weakness, irritability, fatigue, nagging pain in the lower abdomen, that is, all the unpleasant manifestations of premenstrual syndrome. In addition, “Japanese Geisha Mushroom” helps get rid of rapid heartbeat and hot flashes during menopausal changes in the female body.
Japanese doctors claim that, due to the strength of its effect, there is no longer any effective means than the meitake mushroom. The healing properties of this amazing mushroom have been scientifically proven and confirmed by numerous experiments. But nature still conceals many unsolved secrets.
The healing gift of nature - maitake - is known in the scientific world as Grifola frondoza (curly grifola). This is the Latin name under which this natural object is listed in international catalogs and reference books. Maitake remains popular among naturopathic doctors. This name has eastern roots and is translated from Japanese as “dancing mushroom.” The properties of maitake are unique! This is what this article will discuss.
Pantry of the East
The East has long been a supplier of plants with unique properties. Probably, the botanist who discovered maitake in dense forests realized that it was the mushroom that would become the key to the gold reserves of the nature of the East.
After all, the mythological griffins, who gave their name to the mushroom, were the keepers of golden treasures in ancient history. And herbs and spices (black and red pepper, turmeric), root, stimulating vitality human - ginseng has always been valued by Western civilization as worth its weight in gold.
Dance of health and longevity
The mushroom most likely reminded our ancestors of the fluffy skirts of skillful oriental dancers. That's why they called him "dancing." There is another version. Remember, in the movie "Avatar" the hunter of the Navi tribe had to thank his prey for her life, which she gives to people, i.e. perform a certain ritual?
Surely the gatherers also had such a ritual of gratitude to the forest and the mushroom. And dance is the most natural and beautiful action, containing a mysterious and mystical meaning, from the point of view of an Eastern person.
Nutritional value of maitake
Like all representatives of the mushroom kingdom, maitake is a source of protein that can become good substitute meat for those who are concerned excess weight. The low fat content (5% per 100 g of product) allows the mushroom to be included in any diet. Fiber will regulate normal functioning digestive system, and carbohydrates will replenish your supply of vital energy.
The beneficial properties of maitake are based on its unique composition - the pulp contains the following elements:
- Vitamin PP (a nicotinic acid, or vitamin B3): regulates metabolic processes and is an indispensable element of redox reactions.
- Vitamin B9 (folic acid): It has great value in the prenatal period for the normal development of the circulatory and immune systems, necessary during periods of formation and restructuring of the body (early childhood and puberty); its quantity in the body determines the functional health of the male reproductive system; deficiency of this vitamin leads to the appearance malignant tumors.
- Vitamin B6: improves neuroplasticity, participates in metabolic processes.
- Vitamin D: responsible for formation, stability and strength skeletal system person; has a prophylactic effect, preventing diseases bone tissue(rickets, osteoporosis).
- Microelements(phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium, selenium).
Medicinal properties of maitake
The basis of the healing power of the maitake mushroom is grifolan, one of the members of the beta-glucan family.
Back in the last century, scientists discovered that maitake cell walls contain a carbohydrate that European and Japanese immunologists classified as chitin-glucan, an insoluble and not digestible by the human body. However further research showed that under the influence high temperature and digestive juices, chitin-glucan can be converted into beta-glucan.
Therapeutic mechanisms
The resulting compound, by stimulating and activating lymphocytes and macrophages, actually partially “reboots” and enhances the entire production mechanism immune cells in the bone marrow. Activated macrophages and natural killer T cells trigger several cleansing mechanisms in the body:
- Mechanism of balancing the immune system.
- The mechanism of production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), the task of which is to block and destroy the blood vessels that feed the tumor.
- The mechanism of self-destruction (apaptosis) of pathological cells.
- The mechanism of deactivation of aggressive enzymes secreted by the tumor in order to block the body's immune defense.
Beta-glucan, as an active antioxidant, controls the amount of free radicals, which can become one of the causes of illness or psycho-emotional disorders (apathy, depression).
Uses of maitake mushroom
The main therapeutic effect of maitake is a powerful antitumor effect, which is confirmed by oncologists and their patients. The use of maitake preparations enhances the positive effect of chemotherapy, while simultaneously preventing devastating consequences taking large doses medicines(attacks of nausea, hair loss, refusal to eat).
Recent studies have confirmed that mushroom preparations can even destroy HIV cells! Most likely, beta-glucan will become one of the components of the future AIDS vaccine.
The properties of maitake are truly unique and including it in the daily menu will improve the health of the body and cure old ailments.
