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Page 74
| inally for some 6,000 years. But until Americans started developing a taste for more exotic cuisines, the most nutritious types of mushrooms, such as Asian shiitakes and maitakes, were nowhere to be found on supermarket shelves or dinner tables. Fortunately, all that has changed, as shiitakes and their brethren have become immensely popular for their meaty, smoky, hearty goodness. They deserve to be equally popular for their healing goodness. |
| F.Y.I. |
| So far, the common white button mushroom has not been shown to have the healing properties of Asian mushrooms, such as maitake, oyster, enoki, tree ears, and, especially, shiitake. But it is full of B vitamins. |
| All mushrooms, even the humble white button mushroom, are a greatand rarevegetable source of B vitamins. Niacin helps your body convert food into energy and keep tissues healthy. |
| Riboflavin is essential to convert other nutrients, such as niacin, and folate, into usable forms. And the vitamin B 12 in just three button mushrooms is enough to meet the RDA for this nutrient, which is essential for keeping the brain and nerves healthy. |
| Immune Power |
| Asian mushrooms have potent immunity-building powers. Shiitakes contain a compound called lentinan that revs up the immune system, strengthening the body against infection and disease. Studies have shown that lentinan is even more effective than powerful prescription drugs in fighting influenza and other viruses. It has also been shown to slow the AIDS virus in the body. |
| Lentinan may offer protection against cancer as well. When fed to lab animals with tumors, lentinan, in the form of dried mushroom powder, inhibited tumor growth by up to 67 percent. |
| Another Asian mushroom, maitake, contains beta-glucan, a compound that has been shown to reduce tumors; researchers believe it may be even more effective at fighting disease than lentinan. |
| Heart Protection |
| Eating shiitakes is good for your heart. Shiitakes contain a compound called eritadenine that has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels. One study showed that a group of women eating three ounces of shiitakes a day for a week reduced their cholesterol levels by an average of 12 percent. Shi- |
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