Hen of the Woods: Medicinal Benefits
Hen of the Woods aka Grifola Frondosa aka Maitake growing off a logged Oak stump. Indiana woods, fall 2021.
As a Midwest forager the fall season never comes fast enough. The season promises Chicken of the woods, Shrimp of the woods, Blewits, Honey Mushrooms, Beefsteaks, and not to be forgotten the extremely large, delicious, and most importantly medicinal- Hen of the Woods.
The Hen of the Woods mushroom is traditionally referred to as Grifola Frondosa. The name directly implies characteristics of the mushrooms’ components and physical features. The Latin term “Frondosa” dictates “leafy” as the mushroom itself extends into leafy tips off of stag-like projections from a large base. “Grifola” translates to “something intricate, or braided” as this mushroom is layered densely upon itself- the name fits.
Some foragers say at least 100 oak trees ought be checked before finding a Hen in the fall. In my experience, a logged woods ripe with stumps offers an ideal foraging ground for this specimen.
So why create a tincture from a prized gourmet mushrooms?
Aside from offering a unique template for the kitchen, the Hen of the Woods is chock-full of valuable medicinal structures.
For starters, Hens contain a higher amino acid profile than the majority of cultivated mushrooms. They even carry a large array of essential amino acids including but not limited to: L. Histidine, L. Methionine, L. Tryptophan, L. Lysine, L. Threonine.
The fruiting body, and mycelium, of G. Frondosa have been determined to contain a minimum of 47 polysaccharides which are active in the body. The largest contributors are beta-Glucans. A specific beta-Glucan has two chains, a D and MD fraction, which have been isolated and attributed to the medicinal properties associated with the mushroom. These medicinal characteristics can be simplified into three categories: antitumor, anticancer, and immunomodulatory. These fractions are so well studied they have been isolated and purified and used to treat individuals more commonly overseas.
Image source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7824844/
More recent studies have isolated a larger array of compounds which have been shown to also carry antitumor and anticarcinogenic traits but also contain antidiabetic properties. Alternative bioactive impacts include: hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and antioxidative properties. Simply meaning, the intake of this mushroom can reduce blood sugar levels, reduce high-cholesterol levels, and reduce the levels of ROS (oxygen reactive species) accumulated in cells. High ROS in our cells contribute to aging, inflammation, cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders. There are even some compounds associated with anti-herpes simplex virus. In fact, if a user is already taking a blood sugar medication they should avoid taking Hen of the Woods extract as the mixture may drop their blood sugar levels too low.
Why a tincture?
By taking the fresh fruiting body and doing a dual-extract in alcohol and water a wide array of medicinal compounds are extracted from the fruit body and concentrated in a liquid to be quickly attained by the blood stream. This bypasses the need for the gut to break down the mushroom and extract the medicinal components via absorption through the gut wall into the bloodstream. Instead, the extract can be put directly onto the tongue for rapid absorption into the blood stream OR diluted into a drink of choice for easy consumption.
This tincture was made using 100% organic alcohol, reverse osmosis water, and fresh wild Hen of the Woods as the wild Hen of the Woods mushroom is found to carry a larger array and higher concentration of medicinal compounds compared to those cultivated indoors using sawdust cultivation means.
By what means and how often should the tincture be taken?
2-3 full droppers should be placed inside a drink of choice (tea, coffee, water, juice) in the morning AND evening. Repeat until the tincture bottle is empty and it’s time for a refill!
