Shiitake are edible mushrooms native to East Asia food. They’re tan to dark brown, with caps that grow between 2 and 4 inches (5 and 10 cm).
While typically eaten like vegetables, shiitake are fungi that grow naturally on decaying hardwood trees สมัคร UFABET
Around 83% are grown in Japan, although the United States, Canada, Singapore, and China also produce them.
You can find them fresh, dried, or in various dietary supplements.
Nutrition profile of shiitake mushrooms.
Shiitake are low in calories. They also offer good amounts of fiber, as well as B vitamins and some minerals.
The nutrients in 4 dried (15 grams) are :
- Calories: 44
- Carbs: 11 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 1 gram
- Riboflavin: 11% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Niacin: 11% of the DV
- Copper: 39% of the DV
- Vitamin B5: 33% of the DV
- Selenium: 10% of the DV
- Manganese: 9% of the DV
- Zinc: 8% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 7% of the DV
- Folate: 6% of the DV
- Vitamin D: 6% of the DV
In addition, shiitake contain many of the same amino acids as meat.
They also boast polysaccharides, terpenoids, sterols, and lipids, some of which have immune-boosting, cholesterol-lowering, and anticancer effects.
The amount of bioactive compounds in shiitake depends on how and where the mushrooms are grown, stored, and prepared.
Shiitake mushrooms may boost heart health. For example, they have three compounds that help lower cholesterol:
- Eritadenine. This compound inhibits an enzyme involved in producing cholesterol.
- Sterols. These molecules help block cholesterol absorption in your gut.
- Beta glucans. This type of fiber can lower cholesterol.
One study in rats with high blood pressure found that shiitake powder prevented an increase in blood pressure.
A study in lab rats fed a high-fat diet demonstrated that those given shiitake developed less fat in their livers, less plaque on their artery walls. And lower cholesterol levels than those that didn’t eat any mushrooms.
Still, these effects need to be confirmed in human studies before any solid conclusions can be made.