The mushroom which was very in detail managed to be studied today is called to a shiitaka. Lentinula edible (the second name of a mushroom) strengthens an organism, helps to improve endurance physical and intellectual. It is not surprising that residents of China and Japan often compare such mushrooms to a ginseng on the level of medical impact on an organism. Despite a set of positive characteristics of such product, nevertheless there are some contraindications to its use about which it is necessary to know. In more detail a shiitaka, their properties, ways of preparation and useful characteristics we will tell about mushrooms further in article.
Description and appearance
Shiitake meets in the nature in China and Japan on wild-growing trees. A hat at the considered species of mushrooms convex. It is a hemisphere which can have diameter from 5 to 20 cm.
The hat is covered with a dry peel, a surface its velvety to the touch and has a small amount of scales of white color. The hemisphere can have different shades which vary from light coffee to dark brown.
In process of growth the hat becomes more and more rough and dense, the dry thin skin covering a surface can burst slightly. Young mushrooms have an equal hat and smooth, without any damages and waviness. The weight of an adult mushroom usually reaches about 100 g.
Under a hat it is possible to notice a large number of thin plates of white color which are covered by a protective membrane. If to press on these plates, then they change the color for more dark, brownish-brown.
The leg at the considered species of mushrooms a straight line, but is closer to the basis gradually narrowed. Height of a fibrous leg can be from 3 to 19 cm, but diameter all the same does not exceed one and a half centimeters. The leg has beige or light brown color, there is also perfectly looked through fringe which forms a protective cover.
Pulp at mushrooms to a shiitaka fleshy and very dense. The color of pulp can be white or cream. Such mushrooms contain polysaccharides in structure at the expense of what have properties, useful and even curative for the person.
Taste at them peculiar, pronounced, even a little ostrovaty, a smell pleasant that allows to use them in cookery including as a main course. The shiitaka can judge aging on existence of dark stains in the bottom of a mushroom.
It means that the mushroom loses both edible, and useful qualities. Such unusual and even exotic appearance to a shiitaka fully does not save from risk to mix them with other types of champignons. For example, on color and a form forest, dark red and August champignons are very similar.
But the last grow only on the rich soil, unlike a shiitaka, and in the spring they cannot almost be met.
Whether you know? Mushrooms to a shiitaka long since are considered as a longevity symbol in Japan. Residents of China, in turn, use such product in the medical purposes already more than 6 thousand years. For the current time the Japanese edible fungi ranks second among the most popular artificially grown up mushrooms around the world.
Where grow
The considered saprotrofny mushroom grows only on the fallen, obsolete trees. From wood to a shiitaka are capable to take away all those nutrients which they need for normal development and growth. In the nature the discussed mushrooms can be observed in the Southeast countries of Asia, namely in Japan, Korea, China and other. They cover not only trunks of the fallen deciduous trees, but also grow on stubs.
At us they can be observed on trunks of a chestnut, an oak, a maple, a birch, poplar, a mulberry and so forth. Such mushrooms begin to grow in the early spring and grow up to the late fall.
By the way, they grow very quickly: from the moment of formation of small hats to full-fledged ripeness of a mushroom usually there pass no more than 7-8 days.
Nutrition value
Nutrition value of the Japanese forest mushroom at the rate on 100 grams of a product following:
- proteins — 19.3 g;
- fats — 0 g;
- carbohydrates — 63.4 g.
Caloric content — 331 kcal.
Chemical composition
Modern experts very in detail studied the content of useful and curative qualities at a shiitaka as it is known that else in ancient Japanese legends the presence of those was described.
Scientists after all confirmed truthfulness of such information and proved that pulp of the Japanese forest mushroom contains the improbable volume of valuable elements in the structure. The chemical composition to a shiitaka, in comparison with other mushrooms, quite difficult.
But each of components is extraordinary useful to the person:
- proteins;
- carbohydrates;
- amino acids;
- polysaccharides;
- fats (poly- and monounsaturated);
- food fibers;
- vitamins (RR, groups B, C, D);
Carry to vitamins of group B: B1, B2, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8, B9, B10, B11, B12.
- mineral substances: K, Ca, Mg, Na, P, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se and so forth.
Whether you know? The oldest mention of mushrooms to a shiitaka in writing is carried to 200 BC. Till today's time more than 40 thousand scientific works and monographs where nearly all secrets of such extraordinary useful product reveal are written.
Medicinal properties
It is no secret that considered mushroom is a champion among the relatives in existence of curative characteristics as in it there are those vitamins and minerals which are simply necessary for a human body.
Lentinula edible is applied not only in cosmetology and cookery, but also in medicine as it helps with treatment and prevention of cancer, diseases of a liver, stomach ulcer, diabetes, diseases of heart and blood vessels.
For prevention of cancer use a honeysuckle, a mangold, fish a flounder, pecan, onion, a sea cabbage, almonds, kohlrabi cabbage.
Useful characteristics there is a set, further will allocate the main of them:
- Assistance in strengthening of immunity. Mushrooms contain polysaccharides which stimulate formation of interferon — the protein which is not allowing viruses and bacteria to breed.
For strengthening of immunity also use bee zabrus, radish daikon, mustard oil, a cornel, bear fat, beet juice, pine needles, badger fat.
- Help in decrease in an indicator of level of cholesterol. Shiitake contain cellulose and amino acids. At the expense of it there is an opportunity to significantly accelerate cholesterol processing and also that is not less important, removal of the last of an organism. Thanks to such structure there is an opportunity to reduce risk of formation of blood clots.
- Chemical formations and toxins are brought out of an organism in short terms.
- At men functional work of a prostate returns to normal.
- Thanks to mushrooms the shiitaka can slow down development good-quality and onkoobrazovaniye.
- The organism begins to struggle with fungal, viral and bacterial diseases more effectively.
- The sugar level indicator in blood considerably falls that allows to promote in treatment of diabetes.
- Lentinula edible has the rejuvenating property, than especially it is pleasant to the women watching the appearance.
- Makes favorable impact on work of digestive tract.
- Normalizes a metabolism.
Adjusts a metabolism also blackberry, vegetable marrows, haricot siliculose, dogrose berries, fish a pike perch.
- Helps to get rid of excess weight.
As it becomes clear, such mushroom can be applied nearly at any diseases. It will be excellent help in therapeutic process, and it will be especially good to work for prevention.
Contraindications and harm
Biological activity of forest Japanese mushrooms very high therefore in certain cases you should not use them.
In particular, the recommended ban belongs to:
- to the people having predisposition to an allergy;
- that who suffers from bronchial asthma;
- to women during incubation of the child and at a lactation;
- to children under 5 years.
Essential amount of valuable substances which contain in the chemical composition to a shiitaka, apparently, are useful to each person. Nevertheless they can do harm to health too.
- It is impossible to get poisoned with such mushrooms, but nevertheless the use in excessive quantity in many cases can lead them to provoking of an allergy. Indigestion and another following from this consequence from intestines can become result of overeating.
- Mushrooms which will be used without preliminary heat treatment, for example, in dried or in general a crude look also are harmful.
- As for pregnant women, harm to a shiitaka was not proved definitively. Such researches simply were not conducted. Nevertheless many experts nevertheless advise women in situation and also that who feeds the child with breast milk, temporarily to refrain from the use of these mushrooms.
Separately It is necessary to tell about dietary supplements in which description the existence in structure of mushrooms to a shiitaka is often specified. Such medicines are intended to those people who seek to get rid of extra kilos quicker. Let's note what is very frequent after the corresponding inspections were carried out, as a part of the majority of similar dietary supplements it did not appear to a shiitaka.
Important! Making the decision to include such exotic mushrooms in the food allowance, it is necessary to begin them to enter gradually, raising a dosage from time to time. It is the best of all to get previously advice at the therapist not to do much harm to the health.
As it is correct to prepare
Food joins usually only hats to a shiitaka because they are gentle and soft. As for legs of the Japanese forest mushrooms, they are used much less often because of the fibrous rigid structure.
Residents of the countries of Asia subject to processing those mushrooms which were only picked, and here the population of Europe prefers to dry up first a product, and already just before cooking to soak it. Such way is not pleasant to Asians. They say that those dishes which are cooked from previously dried up mushrooms have no unusual unique taste with an ostrovaty shade any more.
Shiitake is used for preparation of sauces and soups, also they are a remarkable garnish for fish and meat. Many like to cook a lentinula edible as a separate dish delicacy or to add it to marinades.
We offer several recommendations to acquaintance as it is correct to prepare the Japanese forest mushrooms.
- It is very important before starting cooking, most carefully to wash out to a shiitaka, and then properly to dry up them. Thus it will turn out to keep strong and dense structure of mushrooms.
- If mushrooms dried, then before preparation them it is necessary to wet clear water and to leave approximately for 2-3 hours.
- It is recommended to use various spices which will allow to disclose aroma and rich taste to a shiitaka in the course of preparation.
Carry a grass to spices which can be used with mushrooms a chaber, black caraway seeds, rosemary.
Where do apply?
As the set was told earlier, scopes of the considered mushrooms. Thanks to rich structure they are used both in cookery, and in medicine, and in cosmetology.
In medicine
When polysaccharides were found in these mushrooms (lentinan), it became a certain world sensation, exactly thanks to them the human body is capable to produce elements which work against cancer cells.
Also in structure phytoncides which struggle with viral hepatitis, flu and even HIV infection were revealed.
Today the problem of cancer diseases is extraordinary relevant therefore experts and scientists are found in permanent search of ways of a solution of such terrible problem. Unfortunately, despite a large number of the national methods which are allegedly helping to suspend for some time development of cancer cells, 100% of a guarantee, almost any of them, do not give.
Today Japanese medicine is the leader in an izlechivaniye of oncological diseases. Japanese suggest process of therapy of such disease to accompany with use of curative extract of the discussed mushroom.
Such important objective can be achieved thanks to the fact that the organism napityvatsya lentinany. The last is capable to strengthen work of the immune system and to force a human body to work in the direction of antineoplastic fight.
As a result natural blocking of various viruses and infectious activators gets into gear, at the same time toxins gradually begin to leave an organism. The feature of a lentinan is that this element is capable to make active lymphocytes. The last just also suppress the mutating cages. They fasten to their cover and destroy a tumor.
Important! To use a lentinula edible for therapy it is admissible only after consultation at the doctor. Remember that, except indisputable favorable influence, under certain circumstances a shiitaka can do also harm to health.
For extract preparation the shiitaka needs an extract or powder from dry mushrooms of this look.
Recipe extremely simple:
- It is necessary to take 2 g of such powder and to fill in it with hot water. At the same time water should not be only begun to boil. About 100 ml are necessary.
- Then it is necessary to mix and draw weight properly about 20 minutes.
- Ready means is recommended to application before food, once a day. On 100 ml of extract it is necessary to use within 1 month.
- That the product was better acquired, it is desirable to take 2-3 minutes it in an oral cavity and only after that to swallow.
Tincture with curative properties against cancer cells can be made so:
- To take 0.5 l of vodka or alcohol and to add 60-70 g of powder to a shiitaka.
- Further components mix carefully up and left in the dark place for two weeks.
- In 14 days it is necessary to filter means, and it is possible to use 2 times a day for half an hour to food.
- The course of treatment lasts 1 month. In need of it it is possible to repeat, but it is necessary to take a break for 14 days without fail.
In cosmetology
As it was told earlier, to a shiitaka contain a set of vitamins and minerals. Also there are lipids and proteins capable to improve the general condition of an integument.
Thanks to special properties of the discussed product, skin becomes more elastic, tightened, small wrinkles gradually begin to be smoothed. Therefore it is not surprising at all that such mushrooms were popular among the Japanese geishas, and their velvety skin and remarkable complexion admired representatives of both sexes at all times.
Modern producers of cosmetics state that lotions, the creams and masks containing extract of the Japanese forest mushrooms in the structure rejuvenate skin, do it better.
As a part of a lentinula edible is available lentinan which accelerates growth of new cages, so, and regeneration of an epithelium. Also at the discussed species of mushrooms there is a coenzyme.
Coenzyme contains also in walnut oil.
It is a component which oxygenates a skin cell, nutritious elements and moisture.
It besides helps with removal from cells of slags and also does not allow to be formed to free radicals. The cosmetics made on the basis of mushrooms to a shiitaka normalize fat balance that is irreplaceable in care for fat type of skin. Thanks to properties of such product, pores are considerably narrowed.
In cookery
Preparation variations to a shiitaka there is a set. If creation of a dish of gentle consistence is planned, then it is recommended to use only hats of mushrooms as they even after heatprocessing will remain gentle.
As for legs, they because of the rigidity and density can spoil such soft dish.
To fry mushrooms to a shiitaka, first of all it is necessary to wash out properly a product and then to dry up it on a paper towel. Further it is necessary to cut hats and legs on small pieces. To warm a frying pan, to pour in it in oil and to add there the crushed mushrooms. You should not cover a frying pan. Such product is fried about 10 minutes on average fire, but it in the course of preparation it is necessary to stir slowly all the time to avoid burning.
It is necessary to wait for that all juice in a frying pan completely evaporated. Upon termination of frying onions and favourite seasonings are added to a frying pan. It is necessary to be ready to what to a shiitaka after preparation will be changed by the tastes.
Mushrooms become oily and meat. It is not result of the wrong preparation, and has to be.
Important! More saturated to taste are large mushrooms, small, on the contrary, much more gentle. Such features should be considered when choosing a product for preparation.
The lentinul can cook edible too. For a start the shiitaka should place in a colander and to drench with boiled water. Thus dirt from mushrooms is washed away.
Meanwhile it is necessary to boil water in a pan, it is a little to add some salt to it and to pour there mushrooms.
Process of cooking takes about 7-10 minutes, it is necessary to prepare on average forces fire. The recommended proportion of water and mushrooms — 1 l to 300 g respectively.
Upon termination of cooking process the mushrooms need to be cast away on a colander and to wait that all water flew down.
It is necessary to watch to overdoing mushrooms to a shiitaka on fire as it is very easy to digest them. If preparation of dried Japanese forest mushrooms is planned, then it is necessary to wet to start them in water. Optimum time of soaking — about 2-3 hours, but in some cases will be enough and 45 minutes are (not less).
That water in which the product was presoaked can be used further in the course of cooking of soup or sauce. But in that case it needs to be filtered originally through a small gauze.
Any hostess will be able to pickle the considered mushrooms too.
But for this purpose additional components will already be necessary:
- mushrooms — 0.5 kg;
- salt — 2 tablespoons;
- carnation — 7 pieces;
- bay leaf — 1 piece;
- mustard seeds — 2 tablespoons;
- fennel — 5 umbrellas;
- white wine vinegar — 4 tablespoons.
First of all it is necessary to separate hats of mushrooms from legs and carefully to wash out everything. Further mushrooms need to be filled in with water (cold) and to boil thoroughly about 15 minutes.
In the same time in separate