Maitake Mushroom Nutrition

In a world filled with ever increasing amounts of chemicals and toxins that can stress the body and lead to illness, maitake mushrooms offer potent nutrients to help your body fight back.

Significance

• Maitake is classified as an adaptogen, which means it helps you adapt to stress by regulating functions such as digestion and circulation and by flushing out toxins and maintaining normal cell functions.

Features

• The substance in maitake responsible for its health benefits is called grifolan. This polysaccharide, which essentially means a chain of different sugar molecules, boosts the immune system.

Benefits

• Grifolan (also known as beta-1, 6-glucan) may inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors, prevent carcinogenesis, kill HIV and stimulate important immune cells known as T-helper cells.

Considerations

• The body absorbs maitake better than other mushrooms. Some maitake supplements are blended with a small amount of vitamin C to further promote absorption.

Types

• Maitake comes as food, a capsule or extract, and in liquid form to be taken intravenously. Buy organically grown dried maitake when using them for cooking.