Shiitake

China is considered the homeland of shiitake, where these mushrooms have been cultivated for more than a thousand years. Ancient documents confirm that wild mushrooms were eaten around 199 AD. Today they are grown and sold in many countries of the world, including Russia.

Useful properties of shiitake are widely used in Japanese and Chinese cuisines. Basically, they can be bought dried, but they are soaked before consumption. Many people prefer just such mushrooms fresh due to the fact that during the drying process the taste of shiitake changes a little. Usually only mushroom caps are used, as the legs are much stiffer. Fresh shiitake has a sour taste and a pronounced woody aroma, with the mushroom's structure soft and slippery, which undoubtedly adds to its sophistication.

In cooking, shiitakes are mainly appreciated for being able to take in the taste of other products without drowning it out at all. These mushrooms are one of the indispensable ingredients of stews, which include meat and vegetables, for example, such as sukiyaki and syabu syabu. Shiitake can be made in another form by grilling them or making a dish like tempura with them. The calorie content of shiitake, no less, is 34 kcal per 100 grams.

Shiitake benefits

Shiitake is quite rarely used in our cuisine. And in vain. They are very tasty and healthy, and are also considered a healthy food, as they are able to reduce blood sugar levels.

The benefit of shiitake has long been appreciated in the East, where it is valued on a par with ginseng. It is known that in the disputes of this fungus there are particles that are similar in structure to the influenza virus, but absolutely harmless to humans. When used, they can be said to make our body produce interferon. In other words, the benefit of shiitake as an immunostimulant is clear. Keep in mind that to maintain the tone of the immune system, you need to eat at least 200 grams of fresh mushrooms or 30 grams of dried in the form of a powder per week.

By the way, shiitak contains both water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins, especially a lot of thiamine and vitamin D, which you cannot find in vegetables.

Harm to Shiitake

Of course, harm to shiitake can affect pregnancy and lactation, since at this time almost all types of mushrooms are not recommended. The use of this fungus can provoke allergic reactions, so it is necessary to introduce it into your diet in small portions.