Medicinal Mushrooms

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Mushroom Sidebars:

• Maitake Mushrooms
• Reishi Mushrooms
• Shiitake Mushrooms 

Recipe: Stuffed Shiitake

Mushrooms have been valued as both food and medicine for thousands of years. Throughout the world, many people enjoy hunting for wild mushrooms, delighting in the variety of shapes, sizes, and colors exhibited by these “flowers of the fall”. Europeans have ­always appreciated the gastronomic values of wild mushrooms, exulting in their delicious and varied tastes, and in Japan, pushcart vendors still sell medicinal mushrooms to the average citizen, who uses them to maintain health and promote longevity. Some Japanese people have even been said to travel hundreds of miles in order to collect wild mushrooms that grow only on very old plum trees and are renowned cures for cancer and degenerative diseases. Likewise, for more than 3,000 years the Chinese have used and revered many fungi for their health-giving properties, especially as tonics for the immune system. To the Yoruba of southwestern Nigeria, many fungi are an important part of their mythology and medical practice.

Reishi, maitake and shiitake are medicinal mushrooms that recently have become popular in the United States. Should you have an inclination to incorporate these or other mushrooms into your diet, preparation suggestions are included. If you choose to gather your mushrooms from the wild, maintaining a healthy respect for the possibility of eating a poisonous one. Be an informed gatherer. It is best for beginners to learn how to identify edible mushrooms from local experts; community colleges often offer good mushroom-hunting classes.

Preparation

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