Description

NP Nutra produces a sun dried Organic Shiitake 4:1 extract with a rich, smoky flavor profile, perfect for soup and broth mixes,especially miso soup, as well as sauces and flavor sachets. The fine, free flowing powder works perfectly in capsules or powdered formulas. 

We also carry an Organic Reishi 4:1 extract and will be introducing an Organic Maitake 4:1 extract this summer. These mushrooms are known as the 'medicinal mushrooms' of the traditional Chinese medicine pharmacopeia.
Contact us today for samples and further information on any of our pure and potent natural ingredients. We look forward to helping you.

Shiitake Mushroom is native to Japan, China and Korea and is used fresh and dried in cuisines throughout East Asia. Sun dried Shiitakes are more commonly used for their savory and spicy taste. Its therapeutic value was first recorded in the Ming Dynasty (AD ********4) by the physician, Wu Juei, who believed that they supported longevity, maintained good health, boosted the systems of the body and helped to invigorate qi or life energy. The popularity of shiitake mushrooms has grown considerably in modern times and they are now being successfully cultivated in the United States.

Like all mushrooms, Shiitakes are a good source of protein, while also containing amino acids, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, zinc, niacin, B vitamins and phosphorous.

 The presence of these nutrients support a healthy immune system, the integrity of bone strength, an efficient circulatory system, good heart health and the vitality of cell metabolism. Many studies to support the therapeutic use of Shiitake mushrooms have been undertaken in recent times. They have shown that the presence of polysaccharides in Shiitakes may support a healthy immune function; that Vitamin D2 and/or calcium derived from oak mushrooms (Shiitakes) sustains bone health; and that cholesterol levels in the healthy range are enhanced with the intake of Shiitakes.

Shiitakes (Lentinula edodes) grow on fallen oak trees, giving them a robust woody flavor. Shii is a Japanese word which refers to the type of oak tree they grow on, and take means the fruit of the mushroom. In the forest Shiitake spores are released from fruiting mushrooms during spring or autumn and settle on logs where they use their powerful enzymes to nourish and grow. Mycelium, a white filamentous growth, is formed inside the log and an environmental change will cause a colony of mushrooms to emerge. The mushrooms are harvested when they have thick, fleshy and slightly rounded caps.
 
Shiitake mushrooms are now farmed throughout the world, where the natural conditions are simulated to produce this nutritious food source that is growing considerably in popularity.