• "Maitake" is "dancing mushroom," because you dance with joy if you find it.
• "Hen of the woods" is chicken-tail-like. (Chicken of the woods is orange.)
• Often found at the base of oak trees; can reach a weight of 100 pounds.
• Native to North America, Europe, China and Japan.

Properties
Adaptogen, anticancer, anti-metatastic, immune-modulating/protective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardio protective, anti-diabetic, lipid modulator, antihyoertensive.
 
Part used: Fruiting body (mushroom) or mycelium
Preparation/dose: * Fresh and dried maitake are available at stores and online. Eat often, always cooked. Add to omelets, pastas, salads, stir-fries, pizza. Recipes follow. See me cook them on YouTube. (Link?). * Tincture:1-2 droppers as desired. * Vinegar: Tablespoonful in food. * Tea: 3-5 cups daily * Powder: 1+ teaspoons pd
* Maitake D-fraction extract

Constituents
1 oz of fresh maitake mushroom ( 10 calories) contains:
• 1g protein
• 1g fiber
• Vitamins C, D (solarize), B (esp. niacin)
• Iron, zinc, potassium, selenium
• ergothioneine (a very powerful antioxidant)

Benefits and Uses of Maitake:
• Enhances immunity
• The most powerful mushroom for nourishing immunity
• Human trial at MSKCC (2009): maitaki stimulates the immune systems of breast cancer patients
• Improves both innate and adaptive immunity
• Inhibits endothelial growth factor
• Inhibits angiogenesis
• Journal of Medicinal Food (2004) reports maitaki D-fraction activates several types of immune cells and molecules, including T-helper cells, natural killer cells, macrophages and interleukins.
• Annals of the New York Academy of Science (1995) found maitake D-fraction boosted the immune systems of mice with liver cancer.
• Maitake D-fraction enhances immune function in mice with breast cancer.
• Maitake binds to the cell membranes of macrophages and activates or inhibits release of cytokines, as needed.
• Oral maitake enhances neutrophil and monocyte function in patients withm syndrome
• Oral maitake extract had immunomodulatory effects in postmenopausal breast cancer patients.
• Very strong antiviral
• Kills HIV virus in vitro
• X hepatitis
• X chronic fatigue
• Counters cancer
• Maitake D-fraction attacks cancer cells.
• Maitake D-fraction may inhibit cancer development and spread.
• Annals of the New York Academy of Science (1997): Maitake D-fraction prevents the spread of breast cancer tumors in mice.
• Journal of Medicinal Food (2011): Maitake D-fraction caused apoptosis in breast cancer cells.
• Cancer, Immunology, Immunotherapy (2010): Maitake inhibites colon cancer.
• Maitake mushroom effective against leukemia, stomach and bone cancers.
• Maitake extract interferes with energy production in cancer cells.
• Extract inhibits tumor growth
• In a small study, tumor regression or significant improvements in symptoms were observed in half of the subjects using Maitake extract.
• Maitake demonstrates anti-tumor effects, enhances bone marrow colony formation, and inhibits tumor metastasis.
• A novel polysaccharide, MZF, was shown to induce dendritic cell maturation and enhance antitumor response.
• Enhances interferon activity against bladder cancer cells

• Mitigates negative side effects of chemotherapy
• Relieves chemotherapy-induced pain, nausea, hair loss
• Makes chemotherapy drugs more effective.
• Reduces doxorubicin toxicity
• Oral maitake extract promoted maturation of hematopoietic cells to functionally active myeloid cells and enhanced peripheral blood leukocyte recovery following chemotoxic bone marrow injury.
• More: Dr. Shari Lieberman,"Maitaki Mushroom and D-Fraction"

• Reduces cholesterol
• Changes lipid metabolism
• "Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry" (2011): Four weeks of maitake mushroom extract lowered liver cholesterol.
• Maitake increases activity of genes that promote lipid transport.
• Powdered maitake lowered total cholesterol and LDL
• Even in rats on a high-cholesterol diet
• In hyperlipidemic rats, maitake inhibited aggregation of liver lipids and kept serum lipids low.

• Counters high blood pressure
• Curbs blood vessel inflammation
• Hypertensive rats given a 5% maitake mushroom powder had lower BP than controls.
• Maitake lowered blood pressure from 200 to 115mm Hg in 4 hours in rats.
• Humans with hypertension who took 500 mg of maitake mushroom twice a day, had a decrease in diastolic blood pressure of 8mm and a decrease in systolic blood pressure of 14mm.
• Int J Med Sci. (2010): Maitake mushroom extracts ameliorate progressive hypertension, other chronic metabolic perturbations in aging female rats."
• Mol Cell Biochem. (2002): "Antihypertensive and metabolic effects of whole Maitake mushroom powder and its fractions in two rat strains."

• Anti-diabetes
• "Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology" (2007): MT-alpha-glucan in Maitake decreases fasting blood sugar and insulin levels and increases levels of glycogen in the liver.
• Increases the ability of insulin to bind to liver cells
• Improves pancreatic function.
• Inhibits alpha glucoside
• Reduces insulin resistance
• MSKCC: extracts exhibited hypoglycemic effects

• Other
• Overweight rats on maitake powder for 18 weeks weigh less than controls.
• Can induce ovulation in women with PCOS
• Counters hay fever symptoms
• Alleviates inflammation associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

Michael Natkin: Roasted Maitaki in Smoky Tea Broth
Altered slightly by Susun
Serves 4
* 1/2 cup finely diced bok choy stems, cooked
* 1 lb fresh maitaki mushrooms
* 3 tbsp olive oil
* 1/2 tsp kosher salt
* 2 tsp Lapsang Souchong tea steeped in
* 2 cups of boiling water for 5 minutes
* 1 tbsp tamari
* Toasted sesame oil
* 2 tsp finely sliced scallions
Divide the mushrooms into portions (leave chunks as big as possible). Toss with oil and sprinkle with salt on baking sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes at 375* until fragrant (the word is totally apt here) and beginning to crisp up along the edges.

Place a portion of roasted maitaki in a pretty bowl. Add cooked bok choy, scallions and tea. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil. Yum, yum, yummy.
 
Marlene Baird's Maitaki Roasted in Honey and Butter
Serves 2
* 1 maitake mushroom cluster, about 4 ounces
* 1 teaspoon butter
* 1/2 tablespoon honey
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Melt butter and honey together (in a cast iron pan if possible)
Stir in maitaki.
On baking sheet roast for 15 min, until shrunken,
with edges browned and frizzled.
Remove from oven, top with salt. Eat.
Alternately, leave mushrooms in cast iron pan. Add a splash of tamari, cover tightly, lower heat, and cook 20 minutes, checking often to prevent burning.