Sempera Organics Maitake

Scientific name: Grifola frondosa Common names: Hen of the woods, sheep’s head, hui shu hua (Chinese), Klapperschwamm (German) Active Ingredients: polysaccharides especially beta-glucan, heteropolysaccharide and proteoglycan. GF-1, Grifolan-N and Grifolan NMF-5N (5) Taste: Strong earthy, peppery flavor and is best served cooked Key Applications: Maitake is a popular addition to ingredient mixes included in supplements, functional foods and beverages. 1. Dietary supplements for health and immunity 2. Addition to tea and coffee as a functional enhancement 3. Addition to ready to eat and grab-n-go foods (soups, shakes and prepared meals) as a functional ingredient and enhancing taste due to its rich flavor Top Benefits Include: Balancing the blood (blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure) Boosting immune function Cancer / tumor fighting properties Maitake has been one of the major culinary mushrooms in China and Japan for centuries. Its name translates as “the dancing mushroom” because, when it was first discovered over 2,000 years ago by a group of Buddhist nuns and woodcutters in Japan, they apparently danced because of the mushrooms' taste and medicinal properties. In Europe and North America it is also known as the “hen-of-the-woods” because of its array of overlapping caps that resemble a bird's feathers. Maitake’s health benefits include: balancing blood sugar and reducing blood pressure, lowering cholesterol levels, boosting immune function, and promoting fertility. It is also used in Chinese medicine to improve spleen and stomach health as well as to calm nerves.