Grifola frondosa (G. frondosa) is an edible mushroom, also known as Maitake, a Japanese name where ‘mai’ means dance and ‘take’ means mushroom, i.e., ‘dancing mushroom’.
Maitake mushroom can be found in the temperate forests of Asia, Europe, and Eastern North America, and is actually difficult to find in nature, due to the industrial development and deforestation.
Traditionally, Grifola frondosa is widely used in human nutrition, as well as in food supplements, due to its nutritional and medicinal qualities.
Several studies have demonstrated that G. frondosa extract exhibits considerable biological activity, such as antitumoral, anti-mutagenic, anti-hypertensive, antidiabetic and hypolipidemic.
It is also proven that it can lower blood pressure and prevent it from increasing. Since it is high in fiber and low in calories and fat, it is also used as an adjuvant in weight loss.
In addition to all these effects, Maitake is also beneficial in chronic fatigue syndrome, recurrent vaginal infections from Candida albicans and uterine fibroids.
Learn more about the properties of Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) and Shitake (Lentinula edodes) medicinal mushrooms.
