Why MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS?

We all know the classic wild mushrooms that are collected in the woods by our uncle or neighbor every year, but there are also different species of mushrooms with beneficial properties that are defined as medicinal mushrooms and used in Mycotherapy, a holistic discipline which is a branch of phytotherapy. and has its roots in ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine.

How many people really know about medicinal mushrooms? In Italy, for example, it is a world that is still largely unknown, while in the East this type of mushroom has been used for millennia as an elixir of long life and, as mentioned, in Traditional Chinese Medicine for the treatment of numerous pathologies.

In these regions of the world, body care and personal well-being are fundamental to guarantee a healthy and long-lasting life and food is not only seen as a source of energy for our body, but takes on a functional role. It is in fact important to know that foods have nutritional properties that can positively influence one or more physiological functions, helping to improve health and reduce the risk of disease onset. Among these types of foods we find medicinal mushrooms which, thanks to their properties, bring numerous beneficial effects to our body.

Properties of medicinal mushrooms:

These mushrooms are foods rich in water with a low caloric content, they contain all the essential amino acids (fundamental for the correct functioning of the organism), polysaccharides (β-glucans, glycoproteins, chitin) with a prebiotic and immune-boosting action and which have been recognized antiviral and anti-tumor activities.

They also contain vitamins and minerals essential for the main functions of the body such as group B vitamins useful for cellular metabolism and essential for cell growth and turnover, ergosterol the precursor of vitamin D2. Among the main minerals we find Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Iron, Selenium, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc and Copper.

Why we chose medicinal mushrooms:

They are considered "molecular reassemblers", that is, they manage to convert dead matter into living substances, useful for the nourishment and health of humans and animals, and also keep the planet clean by decomposing pollutants.

Medicinal mushrooms, and therefore also shiitake mushrooms, are the perfect union between our corporate philosophy of BE GREEN, i.e. they take care of the environment around us, and BE HEALTHY as they are beneficial foods that perform an action preventive on health if included in a healthy and balanced diet (Come and learn about our philosophy and our products https://ioboscovivo.com/ ).

The synergy between these two elements allows us to achieve a lifestyle that is not only healthy but also sustainable and attentive to the environment.

CURIOSITY : each mushroom is different from the other because the quantity of nutrients and biologically active compounds differ from the type of strain and are influenced by the substrate on which they grow, the fruiting and the cultivation methods used.

Bibliography:

• Cazzavillan, S. (2011), Medicinal mushrooms from tradition to science. New IPSA publisher.