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Shiitake Mushroom Benefits (According to Ayurveda)
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Table of Contents

About Shiitake Mushroom

Sometimes misspelled shitaki.

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Is Shiitake Mushroom Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Shiitake Mushroom' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

Take the Quiz

AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

Metabolic Nature of Shiitake Mushroom

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.

Find Out More

HEAVY

ABOUT HEAVY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HEAVY

DIFFICULT

ABOUT DIFFICULT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Difficult refers to anything that is difficult to digest, or takes a long time to digest.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DIFFICULT

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.

Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.

Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.

The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).

Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.

Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.

Find Out More

PACIFIES
Pitta pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Kapha aggravating Vata aggravating

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.

Find Out More

PACIFIES
CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERIC

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot & moist. Full-blooded, vigorous. Vivacious, social, and epicurean. Bullish.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

AGGRAVATES
MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANCHOLIC

PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

Other

Subtaste:
Musky

MUSKY

Have an earthy smell to them, such as mushrooms.

SEE ALL 'MUSKY' FOODS / HERBS

Moves Energy:
Downward

DOWNWARD

Downward-moving (Adho Gati Marga) substances move food downward in the GI tract, settle the nervous system, and relax muscles.

SEE ALL 'DOWNWARD' FOODS / HERBS

,
Inward

INWARD

Inward moving substances promote introspection, self reflection, stillness, or slow the system down.

SEE ALL 'INWARD' FOODS / HERBS

Tissue (dhatu):
Bone

BONE

Bone tissue (Asthi Dhatu) includes the bones, hair, and nails.

SEE ALL 'BONE' FOODS / HERBS

Affinity:
Cleanse And Detox, Immune System
Family:
Omphalotaceae

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Shiitake Mushroom
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

(see all)
Cleanse & Detox:
Internal Detoxicant

INTERNAL-DETOXICANT

Liquefies, dissolves, decongests or dislodges internal stagnant toxins. Decongests the lymphatic system.

SEE ALL 'INTERNAL-DETOXICANT' FOODS / HERBS

Mind, Stress & Sleep:
Nerve Relaxant Grounding

NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING

Encourages feelings of stability and heaviness. Makes you feel settled, mentally relaxed. Mildly sedates the nervous system to ease stress. Can bring a spacey or anxious person back to earth. Reduces agitation, irritation, stress and racing thoughts.

SEE ALL 'NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING' FOODS / HERBS

,
Anxiolytic

ANXIOLYTIC

Herbs that help people suffering from anxiety or panic. They promote a state of calm and often improve sleep. Most anxiolytic herbs are also nervines.

SEE ALL 'ANXIOLYTIC' FOODS / HERBS

Energy Vitality:
Satisfies Stomach

SATISFIES-STOMACH

Provides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach.

SEE ALL 'SATISFIES-STOMACH' FOODS / HERBS

Immune System:
Anticarcinogenic

ANTICARCINOGENIC

Herbs that inhibit or prevent the activity of a carcinogen or the development of cancer.

SEE ALL 'ANTICARCINOGENIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Immune Stimulant

IMMUNE-STIMULANT

Stimulates and strengthens the immune system. Helpful when fighting off a cold or flu.

SEE ALL 'IMMUNE-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS

Bone & Joint:
Bone Tonic

BONE-TONIC

An herb that strengthens the bones and joints.

SEE ALL 'BONE-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Constituents:
Aromatase Inhibitor

AROMATASE-INHIBITOR

Blocks estrogen synthesis by inhibiting conversion of progesterone and testosterone into estrogen.

SEE ALL 'AROMATASE-INHIBITOR' FOODS / HERBS

, Melatonin, Protein,
Salicylates

SALICYLATES

Salicylates relieve inflammation, are anti-cancer, and antidiabetic, but some are allergic to it.

SEE ALL 'SALICYLATES' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Shiitake Mushroom

  • Crimini & Button Mushrooms

    Crimini & Button Mushrooms has these Actions in Common

    Anticarcinogenic, Immune-stimulant, Satisfies-stomach, Anxiolytic, Internal-detoxicant, Bone-tonic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Portobello Mushroom

    Portobello Mushroom has these Actions in Common

    Satisfies-stomach, Anxiolytic, Internal-detoxicant, Bone-tonic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anticarcinogenic, Immune-stimulant

    LEARN MORE

  • Beets

    Beets has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Satisfies-stomach, Internal-detoxicant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Milk

    Milk has these Actions in Common

    Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Satisfies-stomach, Bone-tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Hemp Seed

    Hemp Seed has these Actions in Common

    Satisfies-stomach, Anxiolytic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Sesame Seeds

    Sesame Seeds has these Actions in Common

    Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Satisfies-stomach, Bone-tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Tahini

    Tahini has these Actions in Common

    Satisfies-stomach, Bone-tonic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Almonds

    Almonds has these Actions in Common

    Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Satisfies-stomach, Bone-tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Nigella (black cumin)

    Nigella (black cumin) has these Actions in Common

    Internal-detoxicant, Anticarcinogenic, Immune-stimulant

    LEARN MORE

  • Cassava Root / Yuca

    Cassava Root / Yuca has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Satisfies-stomach

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Shiitake Mushroom

  • Eleuthero Ginseng

    Eleuthero Ginseng has these Actions in Common

    Anticarcinogenic, Anxiolytic, Immune-stimulant, Internal-detoxicant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Sit in the Sauna

    Sit in the Sauna has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Immune-stimulant, Internal-detoxicant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Encourage a Sweat / Sweat Therapy

    Encourage a Sweat / Sweat Therapy has these Actions in Common

    Internal-detoxicant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anxiolytic, Immune-stimulant

    LEARN MORE

  • Kava Kava

    Kava Kava has these Actions in Common

    Anticarcinogenic, Anxiolytic, Internal-detoxicant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Ashwagandha

    Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common

    Anticarcinogenic, Anxiolytic, Bone-tonic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Frequent stretch / movement breaks

    Frequent stretch / movement breaks has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Internal-detoxicant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Self Massage

    Self Massage has these Actions in Common

    Internal-detoxicant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anxiolytic

    LEARN MORE

  • Blue Cohosh

    Blue Cohosh has these Actions in Common

    Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anxiolytic, Internal-detoxicant

    LEARN MORE

  • Yogaraj Guggulu

    Yogaraj Guggulu has these Actions in Common

    Bone-tonic, Internal-detoxicant, Anxiolytic

    LEARN MORE

  • Red Clover

    Red Clover has these Actions in Common

    Bone-tonic, Internal-detoxicant, Anticarcinogenic

    LEARN MORE

  • St. John's Wort

    St. John's Wort has these Actions in Common

    Internal-detoxicant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anxiolytic

    LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Shiitake Mushroom may be beneficial for these symptoms. The suitability of any food for a condition is highly dependent on the individual. Please see your doctor before using this food to treat a medical condition.

View other ingredients
for Autumn-Winter

Shiitake Mushroom is recommended for Autumn-Winter. Check out these other Autumn-Winter foods here.
VIEW ALL AUTUMN-WINTER FOODS MORE FOODS FOR PITTA MAIN INGREDIENT PAGE

HOW DOES EATING AYURVEDICALLY MAKE YOU FEEL?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. Food digests with ease when right for your body type (dosha). Healthy digestion is seen as the cornerstone of well-being in Ayurveda. Healthy digestion generally prevents illness. If you do get sick, a strong digestive fire reduces the severity of illness and increases your resilience. It also improves your mood. Once you begin eating Ayurvedically, you will feel refreshed, vital and strong.
CONTINUE READING

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About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs the Joyful Belly College of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.

John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, medieval Catholic philosophy, & botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. His wife and family of 7 kids live in Asheville, NC.

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