May 08, 2021
Shiitake mushrooms have been cultivated in China and Japan for over a thousand years. They were originally grown on the wood of Japanese oak trees, but the evolution of cultivation has meant that they are also grown on the wood of other trees. Nowadays they are famous all over the world, both for their delicious and intense flavour and for their medicinal properties. On the market you can find them fresh, dried and canned.
Shiitake mushrooms are the main source of protein in several Asian countries. You should include them in your diet if you are thinking of becoming a vegetarian because of their high protein content. In addition, they have been traditionally used in Chinese and Japanese medicine to strengthen the immune system and extend life; when you have high defences your body is less prone to infectious diseases.
According to Ayurveda or traditional Indian medicine (the Sanskrit root ayur means "life" or "longevity" and veda means …