Supercharge your health with this tasty mushroom

(NaturalHealth365)  The rich, meaty flavor and satisfying texture of shiitake mushrooms have earned them a place of honor in Chinese cuisine.  But their value isn’t confined to the culinary world.  Botanically known as Lentinus edodes, shiitake mushrooms – also called Hua Gu – are revered in traditional Chinese medicine as well.

Western medicine is finally recognizing the remarkable potential of these medicinal mushrooms.  A 2024 review published in the European Journal of Medical Research credits lentinan, a polysaccharide found in shiitake mushrooms, with enhancing immune defenses, helping inhibit tumor growth, and improving the quality of life for cancer patients.

Let’s look at this intriguing medicinal mushroom and see what other gifts it offers.

Scientific review reveals that lentinan in shiitake mushrooms inhibits inflammatory disease and cancer cell growth

After evaluating dozens of cellular, animal, and human studies, the review authors concluded that lentinan boosts immune system function by prompting the body to stimulate the action of infection-fighting macrophages and cytokines.  The upshot is that lentinan – also known as 1,3 beta-glucan – can help cancer drugs work more effectively while reducing adverse reactions from chemotherapy.

In addition, researchers credited the molecule with fighting inflammation that triggers tumor development.  And that’s not all.  Lentinan is also believed to help regulate blood sugar, decrease blood pressure, improve gut health, and reduce harmful cholesterol.

The authors declared that lentinan has “great potential” in preventing and treating inflammatory diseases and cancer.

A combination of lentinan and medical interventions was more effective than treatments alone in treating liver cancer

A separate study published in Advances in Therapeutics highlights the potential of lentinan against liver cancer, which is one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths in the world.  Scientists found that a combination of lentinan supplementation, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) helped to kill tumors and prolong survival rates of liver cancer patients by a very encouraging 88.6 percent (when compared with lentinan-free interventions).

In contrast, treatment with TACE alone yielded a 37.5 percent increase in survival rate.  RFA alone produced 47.8 percent, and a combination of the two resulted in 60 percent.  At a mere 17.8 percent, the recurrence rate of tumors was significantly lower in the lentinan-combination treatments group.  Most heartening of all was the researchers’ finding that survival duration was 28.2 months higher in the lentinan/combination group – meaning the intervention added over two years to patients’ lives.

This isn’t the only study showing benefits to cancer patients.  Multiple clinical studies have supported the potential of lentinan/chemo combinations to improve outcomes in other cancers, including those of the lung, prostate, bladder, colon, and stomach.

Lentinan delivers a “wakeup call” to the immune system

Lentinan doesn’t kill cancer cells directly.  Instead, it enhances the immune system in such a way that the growth of tumors can be slowed.

Lentinan does this by helping the body produce more infection-fighting macrophages and cytokines, enhancing T-helper cell function, and increasing the activity of interferon and natural killer cells.  At the same time, it decreases the expression of pro-inflammatory chemicals in the body.  In fact, studies have shown that lentinan helps repair DNA damage in bone marrow cells and induces apoptosis – programmed cell “suicide” – in cancer cells.

By the way, lentinan can benefit not only cancer patients but also healthy individuals.  In a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, young adults who consumed five to ten grams of shiitake mushrooms daily for four weeks displayed improved immune function and lower levels of inflammatory markers.

Shiitake mushrooms embody the prized quality of “umami”

Shiitake mushrooms are a nutritional powerhouse.  They contain all nine essential amino acids and healthy amounts of vitamins B12 and D, magnesium, and fiber.  Yet they “clock in” at a minuscule 24 calories per cup. 

Due to their content of the amino acid glutamate, shiitake mushrooms have a savory, sought-after flavor known as umami.  Also found in beef, miso, soy sauce, and cheese, umami wasn’t identified until 1980 and is considered the “fifth taste.”

Shiitake mushrooms can be purchased, dried or fresh.  The dried mushrooms have a stronger flavor and should be soaked in water for at least several minutes before cooking.

Rinse well, remove the fibrous stems before cooking, and then enjoy them braised, steamed, or grilled.  Add shiitakes to stir-fries, risottos, broths, salads, and soups, or try them sauteed with olive oil and garlic for a satisfying side dish.

Lentinan extracts are available as an oral supplement.  Holistic healthcare providers typically advise three to six grams daily but check with your doctor before supplementing.

So what do you think?  Is it time to start enjoying the health benefits – and the umami – of lentinan-rich shiitake mushrooms?

Editor’s note: Discover the many ways to effectively stop cancer cell growth, own the Stop Cancer Docu-Class created by NaturalHealth365 Programs.

Sources for this article include:

NIH.gov
Mskcc.org
NIH.gov
Tandfonline.com
Thespruceeats.com
Health.com

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