The King of Mushrooms

This mushroom has a rippling form with no caps and grows in clusters at the foot of Japanese oak trees. Pungently delicious and exotic, peppery with meaty texture and many times the flavor of white button mushrooms. Profound nutritional benefits.

Maitake, "Grifola frondosa", is indigenous to the north-eastern part of Japan. For hundreds of years, this rare and tasty mushroom has been prized in traditional Japanese herbology. This mushroom has a rippling form with no caps and grows in clusters at the foot of Japanese oak trees. In the feudal era of Japan it was exchanged with the same weight of silver by local lords. It can grow over 50 pounds, earning it the title "King of Mushrooms". In asia, these mushrooms are highly regarded as longevity herbs that preserve youth and maintain health. Traditional healers in China, Japan and other parts of Asia have prized and recognized the health enhancing potential of the mushrooms -- even considered as the foods of immortality.

The scientific study of mushrooms has only begun during the last twenty years. Researchers have found that some mushrooms are rich in minerals (such as potassium, calcium and magnesium), various vitamins (D2, B2, Niacin and C), fibers and amino acids. Another important ingredient especially found in the family of polyporaceae is a polysaccharide compound which exhibits strong immune support activity. In the late 1980's, scientists found the Maitake ("my-tah-key") mushroom to be the most potent in health benefits of all the mushrooms previously studied.

The health benefits demonstrated by Maitake include immune system support, normal blood pressure support, normal blood sugar metabolism and normal cholesterol support.