 maitake: The King of Mushrooms
A very comprehensive article about MAITAKE Mushrooms including recipes.
Mushrooms have been treasured throughout the Orient for centuries for preserving health, curing disease, and maintaining vitality. Maitake (Grifola frondosa) are considered the king of mushrooms because they are not only a scientifically proven potent medicinal food, they are also a prized culinary delicacy.
In traditional Japan, where wild maitake often grew to be one hundred pounds, they were considered premier mushrooms. Maitake literally means "dancing mushroom" in Japanese, because people who found it deep in the mountains began dancing with joy.
MAITAKE LIFE CYCLE
By looking at the life cycle of mushrooms, such as maitake, scientists have not only learned the logic of their stimulating effect on cell-mediated immunity, they have also discovered how to enhance maitake's medicinal properties through cultivation. Mushrooms sit close to the lowest rung in the ecosystem, thriving on decaying materials in a very hostile environment. During the growing stage maitake send out thin hairs called mycelia that secrete powerful enzymes to digest food outside the cell. Since the mushroom needs to absorb the digested food, it must first deactivate any natural pathogens by utilizing its unique polysaccharide peptide properties. Mushrooms are also very proficient at expelling undesirable chemicals and contaminants that are absorbed during ingestion. Therefore, in order for maitake and other mushrooms to compete and thrive, their very existence depends on their biologically unique, aggressive, and adaptive immune system.
MAITAKE CULTIVATION
All maitake are not the same. Although wild maitake still exist deep in some forests, almost all the maitake used for food and medicine are cultivated. Like other medicinal and culinary plants, the quality of maitake depends on growing conditions and genetic constitution.
Through the years scientists have learned that maitake produce the most potent medicinal effects and have the best flavor when the highest quality of spores are used for cultivation under ideal growing conditions. Another concern is the issue of heavy metals in cultivated maitake.
Maitake have the ability to concentrate heavy metals from the environment, so mushrooms grown close to industry and densely populated areas can contain dangerous levels of lead, arsenic and mercury.
Mitoku's exclusive maitake supplier, Yukiguni Maitake Inc., in Nigata Prefecture, is Japan's largest producer of high quality maitake and maitake products. At their state-of-the-art facilities, Yukiguni produces over 200,000 pounds of high quality maitake a day!
The key to Yukiguni's success is their exclusive, high-tech cultivation process. Using only spores selected for their favorable genetic qualities, Yukiguni's technical staff inoculates sterile organic growing media consisting of sawdust, bran, water and micronutrients. Sprouting takes place in a controlled environment where each mushroom is grown separately to ensure the ideal conditions. No agricultural chemicals of any kind are used and independent laboratory analysis shows that Yukiguni maitake do not have any detectable amounts of lead, arsenic, or mercury.
At their peak of flavor and medicinal potency, Yukiguni maitake are harvested for culinary use or processed into several medicinal products. Yukiguni maitake are indeed the king of mushrooms, and they are used by Dr. Hiroki Namba, Japan's foremost maitake researcher.
NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF MUSHROOMS
Nutritionally, most edible mushrooms are valuable health foods - low in calories and carbohydrates; loaded with vegetable protein and essential amino acids; a source of some fiber; and rich in a number of important vitamins and minerals including B vitamins, iron, potassium. selenium and zinc. It is, however, some mushrooms' potent medicinal qualities that have attracted the attention of medical researchers around the world.
Cancer and AIDS
In an article published in The Townsend Letter for Doctors, Dr. Anthony Cichoke said that scientific studies show that maitake is the most potent immunostimulant of all the mushrooms. The most medicinally effective way to take maitake is to use the D-fraction, a standardized extract of the active consitituent 1.6 beta-glucan, developed by Hiroki Namba, Ph.D., of Kobe Pharmaceutical University, Kobe, Japan. Dr. Namba discovered that 90% of mice injected with cancer cells and then fed maitake D-fraction did not show any evidence of metastasis of cancer cells. In another study on humans, Dr. Namba reported that "tumor regression or significant symptom improvement was observed in 11 of 15 breast cancer patients, 12 out of 18 lung cancer patients, and 7 of 15 liver cancer patients." Even when tumor regression was not observed, most of the patients taking maitake claimed improvement of overall symptoms one way or another. When maitake D-fraction was administered in conjunction with chemotherapy, the responses improved by 12 percent to as much as 28 percent. Also, the various side effects of chemotherapy, such as hair loss and nausea, were greatly reduced among about 90% of the patients studied. Reduction of pain was also reported from 83% of cancer cases studied.
In the past twenty years medical researchers in several countries have been studying the anti-tumor activity of many types of mushrooms. Most medicinal mushrooms, such as reishi, Shiitake, and maitake, show a common property of enhancing immune function by stimulating cell-mediated immunity. Simply put, they can, for example, turn on the immune system's T-cells, which travel the bloodstream seeking and destroying cancer cells.
The chemical structure of maitake's medicinally active polysaccharide compound, beta 1,6 glucan, is different from the beta-glucans found in other medicinal mushrooms. It is recognized by researchers as a very effective agent for stimulating cellular immune responses. Activity of natural killer cells and cytotoxic T-cells is increased up to 3.0 times by oral consumption of maitake. An increase in the production of interleukin-l, which activates T-cell and superoxide anions, which damage tumor cells, has also been demonstrated by the consumption of maitake.
Although most of the human and animal maitake cancer studies have been done in Japan and China, in 1998 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved an Investigation of New Drug (IND) application to conduct phase II clinical trials using maitake extract on advanced breast and prostrate cancer patients. The study will examine the immune activity effects of maitake extract on tumor size, clinical symptoms, and quality of life.
Although maitake's anti-cancer properties are impressive, it is its anti-HIV effect that has given the mushroom its greatest notoriety. Studies have shown that maitake improves the helper T-cell count of those with HIV. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) said that maitake extract is as powerful as the AIDS drug AZT, but without its toxic side effects. In tissue culture studies, D-fraction was found to enhance the activity of other immune cells as well as T-lymphocytes. One study reported that maitake extract prevented HIV infected helper T cells from being destroyed by as much as 96% in tissue culture!
Cholesterol Reduction and Weight Loss
Like shiitake, maitake may be effective in lowering cholesterol and helping the body eliminate excess fat. Data suggests that maitake mushrooms have the ability to alter lipid metabolism by inhibiting the formation of fat deposits, the accumulation of liver lipids, and the elevation of lipids in the blood.
Recent animal research in Japan has shown that high doses of maitake fed to rats on a high cholesterol diet significantly altered their fat metabolism, resulting in a much higher rate of cholesterol excretion than that of control rats on the same diet, but without maitake. In just four weeks the maitake-fed rats excreted 300% more cholesterol in their feces than the control group. The maitake-fed rats also had much lower body weight, body fat, and serum cholesterol than the control animals.
Taking the clue from animal studies, a Tokyo clinic tested the effects of maitake on 30 overweight patients. Without making other changes in their diet, Masamori Yokota, MD., gave patients both dried and powdered maitake (equivalent to 200 grams of fresh maitake) daily for two months. Yokota reported that maitake is more effective than any other regimen he has ever tested. During the relatively short time of the experiment, all of his patients lost weight and got nearly halfway to their optimal weight. Weight loss ranged between 11 pounds and 26 pounds; the average person lost 11-13 pounds.
Aging
Dr. Preuss is a strong believer and advocate of so-called "syndrome X", which claims that the chronic disorders that are common in the aging population, such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and arteriosclerosis, are all associated, at least in part, with disturbances in glucose/insulin metabolism. He believes that the findings in his initial study indicate that maitake D-fraction would favorably influence the glucose/insulin system and help prevent the onset of age related chronic disorders.
Other Medicinal Benefits of Maitake
In an effort to increase public awareness of the benefits of maitake, maitake interests in the United States have founded a study at Georgetown University. Principle investigator, Harry G. Preuss, MD., announced his preliminary findings at the October 1998 meeting of the American College of Nutrition, held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Using rats that showed symptoms of high blood pressure and diabetes, Preuss demonstrated that oral doses of maitake extract had an anti-hypertensive effect and a positive effect on insulin metabolism. What's more, blood glucose levels in diabetic mice have been shown to decrease by 50% in less than two weeks after consumption of maitake-enriched feed. It has also been reported that maitake acts as a laxative and promotes hair growth. No wonder maitake is called "the dancing mushroom."
HOW TO USE WHOLE DRIED MAITAKE
Whole maitake offer the medicinal benefits along with the succulent, distinctive flavor that makes them a prized gourmet mushroom. Slow drying concentrates their rich taste and medicinal qualities for year-round use. Yukiguni dried Maitake are now available in retail packs at natural food stores and supermarkets. Reconstitute dried maitake and use them with their soaking water to make superb soups or sauces, or add them to stir-fries, fried rice or noodles, or casseroles.
somen with Maitake and Spinach
Serves 3
This has become one of our favorite entrees. It is quick and easy, but delicious, satisfying, and healthful.
¾ cup dried maitake
8 ounces somen or angelhair pasta
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons shoyu
2 bunches scallions, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch pieces
2 cups (tightly packed) fresh spinach leaves; rinse, remove large stems and coarsely chop
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
herb seasoning salt or sea salt to taste (optional)
Soak the maitake in 1½ cups tepid water for 30-40 minutes, then gently squeeze out excess water and coarsely chop. Save the soaking water for stock for soups or sauces.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan, add the garlic, and sauté over medium heat for about 30 seconds. Add the maitake and sauté 2 minutes, then add 1 teaspoon of the shoyu, toss, and cook 1-2 minutes more. Toss in the scallions, sauté briefly, then cover and cook 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach, sauté 1 minute, then toss in the remaining teaspoon of shoyu, cover and cook 1 minute. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the vegetables, toss and cook another minute. Add herb seasoning salt or sea salt to taste, if desired.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil (add salt to the water if using angelhair pasta). Add the pasta, stirring to be sure the pasta does not stick together. Boil until just tender but cooked through, then drain. If using somen, briefly rinse the noodles in a colander under running water. Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl containing the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, toss, then add the mushroom mixture, toss and serve immediately.
miso Soup With Maitake
Serves 4
This soup is a delicious way to give your immune system a boost. Substitute other spring vegetables, if desired, and cook until tender.
5 cups water
1/3 cup dried maitake mushrooms
about 2/3 pound fresh tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups watercress, chopped into 1 1/2-inch lengths
3 tablespoons brown rice or barley miso
slivered green onions to garnish
Orange Roughy with Maitake and Onions
Soak the maitake in the water for 20 minutes. Bring the water and mushrooms to a simmer, and gently cook the maitake for 15 minutes. Add tofu and simmer one minute, then add watercress and simmer 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Dissolve the miso in some of the stock and add it to the soup. Serve with a garnish of slivered green onion.
Serves 4
Mushrooms have a natural earthy flavor. To lighten this character, a little lemon juice is added when cooking them with seafood. This mushroom topping can be served with any kind of fish.
½ cup dried maitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ medium onion, diced
pinch of sea salt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons shoyu
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 teaspoons fresh ginger juice (grate root and squeeze to extract juice)
4 orange roughy fillets, 4-6 ounces each
Soak the maitake in 1 cup tepid water for 30-40 minutes, then gently squeeze out excess water and finely chop. Save the soaking water for stock for soups or sauces.
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté over medium heat for a minute. Add the maitake, lemon juice and shoyu, and sauté for 2-3 minutes, then cover and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes more. Add the parsley and ginger juice and toss well.
Season the fish fillets with salt and place them over the mushroom mixture. Cover and cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, or until the fillets are just cooked. Serve the fish covered with the maitake-onion mixture and garnish with parsley, if desired.
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