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Japan | Spiritfoods

Three Mushrooms with Proven Cancer-Fighting Abilities

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The healing properties of mushrooms have been known for centuries. Traditional Chinese medicine, for instance, has long recommended the consumption of certain edible mushrooms to treat serious conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Likewise, European civilizations have treasured the continent’s native mushrooms for their impressive rejuvenating capacities. Despite their time-honored reputations as medicinal polymaths, however, edible mushrooms remain best-loved for their anti-cancer benefits. Indeed, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that doesn’t contain…

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Four Sea Vegetables with Amazing Health-Boosting Properties

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As the nutritional value of land vegetables continues to decline due to ongoing soil erosion and pollution, sea vegetables – whose nutritional compositions have remained intact for centuries – are coming to the fore as a much-needed source of minerals. Indeed, the average seaweed still contains over 70 essential minerals and phytonutrients, as well as numerous compounds that can pull unpleasant toxins from our bodies. Though all sea vegetables are nutritious and mineral-rich, some stand…

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Shiitake: The Mushroom That Boosts Immunity

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The shiitake, also called the black forest mushroom and the oakwood mushroom in English-speaking countries, is an edible brown mushroom that is native to Japan, China, and Korea. It has been cultivated for over a thousand years, and fresh and dried shiitake remain popular in East Asia today. Like maitake, which bear a similar nutritional profile, shiitake is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine due to its alleged healing properties. Though less popular in the…

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Maitake: The Great Cancer-Fighting Mushroom

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The maitake, also known in English-speaking countries as the hen-of-the-woods, is a large, earthy-brown mushroom that grows at the base of trees, especially oaks. It is native to northeastern Japan and certain parts of North America, and – along with shiitake – is one of Japan’s major culinary mushrooms. It is equally popular in China, where it has been used in traditional medicine for centuries due to its alleged healing properties. The maitake is one…

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Natto: A Fermented Soybean Snack Packed with Vitamins

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Natto is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans, and is characterized by its strong taste, pungent smell, and gooey texture. Natto isn’t well-known outside of Japan, and its acquired taste and unpleasant appearance probably confines it to a limited audience. Nonetheless, natto can be found in some Western health food stores for one reason: it is highly nutritious. In fact, the health benefits of natto are so considerable that some stores sell it in capsule form…

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