Shiitake

Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is a saprotrophic fungus native to East Asia that has been cultivated on hardwood logs for over 800 years. It is the second most commonly cultivated mushroom worldwide, prized both as a gourmet ingredient and a medicinal mushroom. Shiitake's primary bioactive compound, lentinan, is a high-molecular-weight beta-1,3-glucan with beta-1,6 branches that has been approved as an injectable anti-cancer drug in Japan since 1985. Lentinan stimulates the host immune system by activating macrophages, T-helper cells, and natural killer cells without direct cytotoxic effects on tumour cells. AHCC (Active Hexose Correlated Compound), a proprietary extract derived from shiitake mycelium, is one of the most researched mushroom-derived supplements for immune support. Additionally, shiitake contains eritadenine, a unique compound that inhibits S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase and has been shown to lower total cholesterol and LDL levels in animal and human studies. Shiitake is rich in B vitamins, vitamin D2 (when sun-dried), selenium, and essential amino acids, making it a nutritionally dense food.