Shiitake are also a good source of B vitamins, including the ever-elusive B12. (Vitamin B12 is synthesized solely by bacteria and fungi, and is not available from vegetables.) It is, however, shiitake's medicinal possibilities that are getting worldwide attention. In the last two decades, scientists have isolated substances from shiitake that may play a role in the cure and prevention of modern civilization's dreaded illnesses: heart disease, cancer, and AIDS.
|
