Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) also known as Lentinula edodes, Oriental Black mushrooms, Forest mushrooms, Chinese mushrooms. Shiitake contains lentinan, eritadenine, iron, vitamin C, protein, L-ergothioneine, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B2, B12, and high levels of vitamin D. The health giving properties of shiitake mushrooms have been prized in traditional Chinese medicine for over 6,000 years. The Asian fungi were mentioned in some of the earliest medical texts known for their health-giving properties. The Chinese believe that shiitake are more like animals than plants, and are even thought to have a social aspect to their lives. Shiitake mushrooms have been prized for thousands of years for both their smoky, rich flavor and their health-giving properties.