Maitake (Grifola frondosa)
Main advantages: Helps immunity, fights most cancers, and regulates blood sugar.
In Japanese, “maitake” means “dancing mushroom.” Some say it’s because individuals danced with pleasure once they discovered it. In North America, maitake is also referred to as hen of the woods.
Like lion’s mane, maitake is each medicinal and culinary. Whereas it’s not unusual to search out maitake rising within the wild, it is without doubt one of the most ceaselessly farmed fungi, very like button, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms.
Maitake’s medicinal heft comes from the quantity and variety of its beta-glucans. These embody a subset with promising antitumor results, in addition to one other subset proven to boost insulin resistance.
Most analysis has been finished in check tubes or on animals, so the medicinal results of maitake are nonetheless not as properly understood as these of different medicinal mushrooms. However preliminary findings level to maitake as a strong immune and insulin regulator.
Bresett makes use of maitake for immune help in addition to complementary help for metabolic well being.
The best way to use maitake:
As a complement, specialists typically recommend 1 to six grams of dried powder every day, or two to a few dropperfuls of tincture a few times a day. (Preserve these 5 issues in thoughts if you’re purchasing.)
Contemporary maitake performs properly in soups and stir-fries. Mason Bresett, ND, whose analysis focuses on practical mushrooms, likes it in pasta dishes in addition to by itself, sautéed with butter and completed with a splash of vinegar.
(Attempt maitake within the Lemon-Garlic Farro With Roasted Greens recipe that seems at “3 Immune-Supportive Recipes.”).
