Shiitake
Lentinula edodes
Mushrooms. Folk & home remedies and Modern nutrition.
Also called Black forest mushroom, Xiang gu, Golden oak mushroom
Pinyin: Xiāng Gū
Spanish: Hongo shiitake
Raw shiitake can cause rashA widely eaten mushroom from East Asia, grown on logs and sawdust, and studied for cholesterol and immune effects.
Did you know? A purified compound from shiitake, called lentinan, is approved as an add-on drug for some stomach cancer patients in Japan.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Cholesterol. Small trials with dried shiitake have shown lower cholesterol in some people. Results are mixed and the trials are short.Early proof
- Colds, flu & immunity. Lab studies show immune effects, and there are few human trials.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Shiitake has been grown on logs in China and Japan for centuries. It is valued as food and as a general tonic in East Asian diets.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Nutritive, Immune balancer, Antioxidant. Energy: neutral.
How people take it
Eat it cooked as food. Dried powder and extracts are sold as supplements, and their strength varies.
Food, powder and capsule.
Where to get it
Grown on oak logs and sawdust blocks in China, Japan, Korea and around the world. Sold fresh, dried, as powder and as extract.
Be careful
Safe as food for most people. Some people get an itchy, streaked rash, called shiitake dermatitis, after eating raw or undercooked shiitake. Allergic reactions are possible.
Avoid if: mushroom allergy.
Mixing with other things
No specific mixing notes on file. That doesn't prove it's safe with everything; ask a pharmacist about your full list.
The honest take
Shiitake is a healthy food with useful nutrients, and its cholesterol effect has been tested in small trials. Strong claims about fighting cancer or infections come mostly from lab work. Supplements are not standardized, so food is the simplest way to eat it.