Ever since I started selling the raw muscle honey that I pick up from a bee farm about 20 minutes from my house, I began to look at other “bodybuilding foods” that I would supply my customers. And keep in mind that I’m always looking out for new supplements, but it seems like I am the only guy creating them. Most of the major supplement websites and companies are still pimping BCAA’s and Free form amino acids, which is really pathetic. Thus, I look EVERYWHERE for products that can help me and you put on more muscle, have less body fat, and overall help with the sports nutrition cause. Hence I bring you my following recommendation, which is the shiitake mushroom. Without question, the shiitake mushroom is a viable muscle-building food that everyone looking to gain muscle and reduce fat should consume at least once per day. (20 grams per serving). As a matter of fact, it can be classified as a body recomposition superfood.
The Big Problem: Building Muscle AND Reducing Bodyfat
The one GIANT problem about gaining muscle mass is that one typically has to eat EXTRA calories to increase muscle. From personal experience, I know that when I weigh more, I’m stronger. When I weigh less, I’m considerably weaker. The problem is when you eat more calories, one is going to gain body fat. So one is stuck between a rock and a hard place of gaining more muscle but increasing body fat or not gaining muscle and losing body fat. It is tough to GAIN muscle mass AND reduce body fat. Only genetically gifted and anabolic steroid users can accomplish this.
However, some protein powders and foods have been developed over the years to support reducing body fat AND the development of muscle mass, products such as Muscle Shake, Lean Pro Peptides, Creapure, Caldrol 500, and Capsimax. However, the task is still difficult. And as a supplement researcher, I am always looking for a product that one can add to their bodybuilding arsenal.
Recently I came across one such product called the Shiitake Mushroom. The shiitake mushroom is a bodybuilding food, and if one consumes a high-quality mushroom daily, I think the overall benefits are outstanding. I think the consumption of mushrooms, in general, is a must. And here are my reasons.
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SUPER SHIITAKE, 120 Tablets$39.99
#1 Shiitake Mushroom For Body Recompositioning
This means the increase of muscle mass and the reduction of body fat. This is my number one reason. I base this on this study.
There are two substances in the shiitake mushroom. One is the beta-glucans found in the mushroom that could support the absorption of fat from food. The other is something called eritadenine, which is known to lower cholesterol levels.
#2 Anti-Cancer
Anti-cancer has to be #2. I’m a big fan of taking anti-cancer products. I’m a big fan because every day, most people are exposed to outside factors that I feel cause cancer. Artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, preservatives, nitrates, perfumes, smoke, pollution, and God knows what else. Therefore I make it a point in my life to consume compounds that could potentially be anti-cancer. My go-to right now is the Delta Nutrition Curcumin product, and now my second go-to is going to be the shiitake mushroom. One can find a bunch of studies that conclude the anti-cancer benefits of mushrooms. And look, I don’t care how old you are, but EVERYONE should be thinking about how to prevent cancer in their own lives. If you have ever seen anyone die from cancer (and I have witnesses SEVERAL people diet firsthand from cancer, including my mother), you will understand the importance of anti-cancer compounds.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01635580903441212
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3339609/
#3 Nutrient Powerhouse
The shiitake mushroom is a nutrient powerhouse. The mushroom contains everything needed to sustain life. Carbs, protein, fat, and vitamins and minerals.
#4 Immunity Boosting Power Of The Shiitake Mushroom
You got to love this benefit while living in these wonderful Covid times. I think what I am seeing is that people with low immune systems are the people that are having the most issues with Covid 19. People with strong immune systems and people that get a nice dose of Vitamin D daily seem to have fewer problems fighting Covid. I base that statement on a couple of studies that I am finding.
Read this important conclusion from the authors in this study.
“Vitamin D insufficiency and severe Covid-19 share numerous associations including hypertension, obesity, male sex, advanced age […] and immune dysfunction. Thus, we suggest that prospective, randomized controlled studies of vitamin D insufficiency in Covid-19 patients are warranted.”
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.24.20075838v1
Here is another study that I find very compelling. In my opinion, this is probably a GREAT reason to consume shiitake mushrooms, especially if you are a senior or one should really recommend this product to the elderly.
Quote from the study
In intensive care patients, 85 percent had a vitamin D level below 30 nanograms per milliliter. Scientists say a vitamin D level of 30-100 nanograms per millilter is optimal. So, this 85 percent were vitamin D insufficient. In patients who did not require intensive care, ‘only’ 57 percent was vitamin D insufficient.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.24.20075838v1
#5. Mushrooms are Anti-inflammatory
Finally, mushrooms are anti-inflammatory, which is great for delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS. It is also good for older people like myself, that are experiencing the pain from lifting too heavy back in the good old days. I used to deadlift 405 for ten reps and do about three sets of them in a row. Looking back, I wish I never did that. I wish I stayed light. But consuming shiitake mushrooms supports the pain associated with joints and muscles.
Where to get your shiitake mushroom?
The best place is a local farm. It is the same method I use to get the raw honey that I sell on this website. And believe it or not, the farmer should overly expose the mushrooms to sunlight. The more sunlight the mushroom is exposed to, the more vitamin D the mushroom will have in it.
2nd option would be my Shiitake tablets that I am selling now. Buy here
Where NOT to get your mushrooms
In my opinion, the worst place to buy your mushrooms is somewhere like Amazon.com. I will bet the farm if you get some there. It is coming from China. And who knows what you’ll be getting. Now you have some mushroom processors here, but nothing beats the quality of coming straight from the farm.
Alex Rogers is a supplement manufacturing expert. He has been formulating, consulting, & manufacturing dietary supplements since 1998. Alex invented protein customization in 1998 & was the first company to allow consumers to create their own protein blends. He helped create the first supplement to contain natural follistatin, invented whey protein with egg lecithin, & recently imported the world’s first 100% hydrolyzed whey.
