Mushrooms are used on a daily basis for a variety of reasons. Most commonly they are an important part of a complex meal, but some people choose to use magic mushrooms as a way to get a hallucinogen high. Of course, there are also other people that use shiitake mushrooms as a medical practice, and this has already been a common practice in China for thousands of years now.
Shiitake mushrooms have a lot to offer. From the unique flavor that can add a lot to any meal, to the health benefits they offer as well. There are many reasons why adding shiitake mushrooms to your diet would be very beneficial. They are as easily digested and enjoyed as a normal mushroom, and while usually considered to be a vegetable it is really a fungus just like any other type of mushroom.
Natural Health Benefits
There are many different health benefits that shiitake mushrooms can offer you. As already mentioned, shiitake mushrooms have been used as a medicine for thousands of years already. One example of a major natural health benefit that shiitake mushrooms offers you would be that it strengthens your immune system dramatically. Lentinan, an active compound found in shiitake mushrooms, is the reason for this. Lentinan has the natural power to improve your immune system and help protect it from disease. In some cases, shiitake mushrooms can be even more effective at fighting off sickness than over the counter medication.
Overall Health Improvements
Shiitake mushrooms in your diet can also improve your health overall as well. The active compound, lentinan, is not only capable of assisting your immune system, but it benefits your overall health too. Shiitake mushrooms can offer you anti-cancer benefits, such as destroying cancer(ous) cells in your body.
Consuming shiitake mushrooms will also offer you an improved health of your heart due to eritadenine, which is an active compound found in shiitake mushrooms. Additionally, shiitake mushrooms can even lower your cholesterol. There are also enough potent antioxidants to give you major health benefits from consuming shiitake mushrooms. In particular, the amount of L-ergothioneine found in mushrooms is astonishingly high,
Buying Shiitake Mushrooms
You can find shiitake mushrooms at most grocery stores but if you have no luck in your area then you should look for an Asian food store nearby. Usually an Asian food store in your area will be fully stocked with specialty mushrooms.
There are also some tips to remember when looking for the best shiitake mushrooms available. You do not want to purchase unhealthy mushrooms so make sure you remember. This. The best shiitake mushrooms will be firm, large, and clean. Stay away from any shiitake mushrooms that are wrinkled, wet, or slimy.
Storing Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms can be stored in your refrigerator but put them in a paper bag so they stay fresh for as long as possible. This method will allow the shiitake mushrooms to stay fresh for roughly seven days. If you purchase dried mushrooms then you will want to use a sealed container to store them in the refrigerator. Dried mushrooms can also be stored in your freezer, and they will sty fresh for up to a year.
The only other important information that you may want is possible recipes to use with shiitake mushrooms. Well, just like any other type of mushroom, there are a lot of meals that shiitake mushrooms can be used with. You can just replace normal mushrooms with shiitake mushrooms in various meals if you wish. Whether it be pasta, pizza, salad, or whatever, there are many different recipes available that make it easier and more enjoyable to have shiitake mushrooms in your diet. So, why not add them, they taste just as good as any other type of mushrooms, and there are added health benefits as well.
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