Maitake (Grifola frondosa)

 

The name Maitake is from the Japanese where it means dancing-mushrooms, ostensibly because the locator would dance with joy at finding this rare and valuable mushroom. In English it is often called Hen of the woods as its flavor, which we love, is distinctly chicken –like. This mushroom is cultivated, but in keeping with our policies we use only local wild-gathered mushroom to prepare our extracts.  Also we dry the harvest in sunlight, which has been shown to enormously increase the vitamin D2 content of the product. Both of these practices add to the nutritive value of our products.

 

Traditionally the mushroom is used alone and in combination in TCM and in Kampo tradition (The Japanese equivalent) for such conditions as: spleen disorders, hemorrhoids, ‘mental calming’, and arthritis. Recent investigations have focused on such areas as: hepatitis, lowering of blood cholesterol, anti-cancer, diabetes and even HIV treatment.

 Tinctures of Maitake are also reported to have an antibiotic effect against both E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus!

 

There is also evidence that the stimulating immune response associated with these mushrooms is helpful to those who have completed chemotherapy for cancer.

 Chlamydia apparently infects an estimated fifty million woman every year. This STD frequently does not respond well to conventional pharmaceuticals. There is evidence that Maitake fractions have an inhibitory effect on theses bacteria.

 

Other reported benifits of Maitake include:

•       Possible reduction in blood pressure. This is according to recent animal-based              studies.

•       Possible defence against diabetes.  These animal-based studies  found that maitake reduces insulin resistance in rats. This health condition is know to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes ( as well as heart disease). Insulin resistance relates to the inabality of the body to respond properly to insulin.  This hormone plays an important role in using blood sugar for energy.

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