ShroomBuddy is pleased to bring you our carefully curated collection of Maitake mushroom products. Looking for other options? Be sure to check out all of our great Functional and Medicinal Mushroom Products!
What are Maitake mushrooms?
Maitake mushrooms, also called hen-of-the-woods, are a popular delicacy in Japan, with their name even translating to “dancing mushroom” in English. However, they shouldn’t be confused with other similar-sounding mushrooms like Chicken of the Woods and shiitakes. While they may taste great when harvested at a juvenile age, these mushrooms quickly become too tough for consumption once their size increases, making them better suited for their medicinal purposes.
The medicinal properties of maitakes have been known and studied for centuries by different cultures around the world, where fresh or dried samples were used for various treatments for low immunity problems where more conventional medical treatments seemed ineffective enough. Besides that, it has been recently discovered that this type of mushroom is packed with lots of natural fibers and proteins that can help improve our digestion while providing very few calories.
What are the benefits of Maitake mushrooms?
Maitake mushrooms have long been used in traditional Eastern medicine because of their health benefits. They are a rich source of bioactive polysaccharides, especially D-fraction, MD-fraction, and SX-fraction, which have powerful immunoprotective properties. In addition to these benefits, maitake can provide several other health benefits thanks to its active compounds. For instance, beta-glucans found in maitake can help with cardiovascular health. Furthermore, maitake mushrooms may also help improve digestive health due to their prebiotic activity, which supports beneficial gut bacteria. These range of beneficial effects make maitake an abundant source of nutrition and an excellent ingredient to incorporate into any diet.
