In the world of medicinal mushrooms, the Maitake (Grifola frondosa) is one of the most fascinating representatives. Its name translates from Japanese as "dancing mushroom"—legend has it that people would dance for joy when they found it in the forest, as it was once considered extremely valuable. Today, it is enjoying growing popularity—not only in Asian cuisine, but especially in naturopathy.
Origin and occurrence
Maitake prefers temperate deciduous forests – especially at the base of old oak, maple, or chestnut trees. It originates from Japan, China, and North America, where it has been traditionally used for centuries. It can now also be found in Europe, albeit less frequently in the wild.
Visually, the Maitake resembles a lush rosette or a bird's nest made of small, fan-shaped hats - a real eye-catcher in the forest.
Grifola frondosa is also known as hen-of-the-woods, maitake (舞茸, "dancing mushroom") in Japanese, ram's head or sheep's head.
Health benefits
Maitake is rich in bioactive compounds such as beta-glucans, polysaccharides, antioxidants, and sterols, which give it its health-promoting properties. The mushroom is particularly known for its immunomodulatory effects.
Strengthen the immune system
Maitake extracts, particularly the D-fraction, have been studied in several studies for their effects on the immune system. They showed that they can promote the activity of macrophages, T cells, and natural killer cells.
Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15298759/
Support with cancer treatment
Some preclinical studies suggest that maitake extracts can support the effects of conventional cancer therapies (such as chemotherapy) and mitigate side effects. In Japan, maitake is therefore sometimes used as a complementary treatment in oncology..
Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19253021/
Lowering blood sugar and cholesterol
In animal models and smaller human studies, a lowering effect on blood sugar and cholesterol levels has been observed – a promising approach for the prevention of metabolic diseases.
Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7820117/
further studies: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38707308/
Did you know?
Not only does the name "dancing mushroom" originate from the joy of finding it—in Japan, maitake mushrooms were once worth their weight in silver because of their rarity and value. Anyone who found one could expect to make a small fortune!
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Disclaimer
For legal reasons, we would like to point out that some of the above statements require further research and studies to scientifically prove them. Therefore, not all statements can currently be accepted by conventional medicine.