Research shows that the cancer-fighting chemicals in maitake mushrooms arrest the growth of tumors, cause them to shrink, and prevent them from spreading to other areas of the body. In Japanese, “maitake mushrooms” means “dancing mushrooms.” As legend has it, the name comes from how the ancients danced for joy when they found these extremely valuable mushrooms.
Maitake mushrooms (Grifola frondosa) grow in clusters on hardwood trees and are indigenous to the Northern Hemisphere. Hidden within this enchanting fungus is a powerful army of therapeutic chemical weapons against cancer. Let’s take a closer look at just a few that are particular potent.įor more than 2,000 years, maitake mushrooms have been part of the pharmacopeia in Japan. Today, research confirms that dozens of species hold various compounds that mount an impressive defense against many deadly diseases, including cancer. Thousands of years ago, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctors discovered many with magical medicinal properties.
With over 10,000 species within the kingdom of fungi, some are a culinary delight and contain the power to heal, while others possess deadly poisons and the power to kill. Perhaps no other plant has such a spectrum of diversity as mushrooms.
