What Are the Differences Between Shiitake and Donggu? Read This One Article to Understand
Many people cannot tell what donggu is and what shiitake is, and what about the common huagu (flower mushroom) seen on the market? These foods all look roughly similar on the outside, but the names really leave people utterly confused about what is going on. What are the differences between donggu and shiitake? Is donggu the same as shiitake? Let us take a look together below.
Differences Between Donggu and Shiitake
From the outside, there is actually no obvious difference between shiitake and donggu, and in fact the difference between the two is not great. If the two are to be distinguished, then shiitake is the general term, while donggu is merely one type of shiitake. In many places, shiitake is also called donggu. So if donggu is one type of shiitake, what other types of shiitake are there?
Shiitake includes three common mushroom types: huagu (flower mushroom), donggu, and xiangqin. The three look similar and have similar nutritional value; they differ only in quality. Huagu is also made from shiitake through special processing, while xiangqin is what remains after huagu and donggu have been selected out, and its quality is inferior.
1. Huagu (flower mushroom): Huagu is a category of mushroom variety and is the star among mushrooms. Huagu gets its name because its cap surface has patterns. The cap surface of huagu is pale black, the mushroom patterns crack open in a burst pattern and are white, and the gills on the underside turn pale yellow after being processed by roasting over charcoal fire. Huagu grows quickly in winter; the colder the weather, especially on snowy days, the higher its yield and the better its quality, and its flesh is especially thick. Huagu can be cooked together with fish or meat, and can also be braised plainly with chicken fat and superior stock.
2. Donggu: The quality of donggu is second only to huagu. The cap surface of donggu is black, the gills on the underside are also pale yellow, the flesh is relatively thick, like the rim of a copper gong, and the texture is relatively fine and tender; it is crisp and delicious to eat, and its uses are roughly the same as those of huagu.
3. Xiangqin: Xiangqin is the lowest-grade variety among shiitake. Xiangqin is fully spread open, or mostly spread open, is not so fine and tender, and is not very crisp; its quality is much inferior to huagu and donggu. If xiangqin is finely processed, it is pale yellow and very thin, so some people call it huangbao (yellow thin). Xiangqin is very thin, is lighter after drying, and is cheaper than huagu and donggu.
Nutritional Value of Donggu and Shiitake
From the above we have learned that donggu is in fact one type of shiitake, and the nutritional value of the two is the same. So below let us learn about the nutritional value of shiitake, which is likewise learning about the nutritional value of donggu.
And as for the dried shiitake we commonly eat, what nutrients does it have? The edible portion of dried shiitake accounts for 72%; in every 100 grams of edible portion there are 13 grams of water, 1.8 grams of fat, 54 grams of carbohydrates, 7.8 grams of crude fiber, 4.9 grams of ash, 124 milligrams of calcium, 415 milligrams of phosphorus, 25.3 milligrams of iron, 0.07 milligrams of vitamin B1, 1.13 milligrams of vitamin B2, and 18.9 milligrams of niacin. As for fresh mushrooms, besides containing 85-90% water, the solid matter contains 19.9% crude protein, 4% crude fat, 67% soluble nitrogen-free substances, 7% crude fiber, and 3% ash.
Shiitake is rich in provitamin D, but has very little vitamin C, and also lacks vitamin A and provitamin A. The lentinan contained in shiitake can increase the vitality of helper T cells and thereby enhance the body's humoral immune function. A large amount of practice has proven that donggu has a broad range in preventing and treating cancer and has already been used in clinical treatment. Shiitake also contains a variety of vitamins and minerals, and has a great effect on promoting human metabolism and improving the body's adaptability. Shiitake also has a therapeutic effect on diabetes, pulmonary tuberculosis, infectious hepatitis, neuritis, and the like, and can also be used for indigestion, constipation, weight loss, and so on. Shiitake contains water-soluble umami substances and can be used as a food seasoning; its main components are nucleic acid components such as 5'-guanylic acid.
Dietary Therapeutic Effects of Donggu and Shiitake
The nutrition and components of donggu and shiitake are the same; it can also be said that the two are the same thing, so we can consider their dietary therapeutic effects to be the same. So what dietary therapeutic effects does eating shiitake or donggu have on the human body?
1. Many ancient texts record that shiitake “benefits qi without causing hunger, treats wind and breaks blood stasis, and benefits the stomach and aids eating.” It is used in folk practice to help reduce the occurrence of smallpox and measles, and to treat headache and dizziness.
2. Regular consumption of shiitake is beneficial for preventing rickets in humans, especially infants, caused by blood phosphorus and blood calcium metabolism disorders due to vitamin D deficiency, and can prevent various mucosal and skin inflammatory diseases in humans.
3. The lentinan in shiitake can increase and promote the production of T lymphocytes, and increase the killing activity of T lymphocytes, improving the body's immune function.
4. The water extract of shiitake has a scavenging effect on hydrogen peroxide, has a certain eliminating effect on hydrogen peroxide in the body, and can slow aging.
5. Shiitake contains purines, choline, tyrosine, oxidase, and certain nucleic acid substances, which can lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and lower blood lipids, and can also prevent diseases such as arteriosclerosis and cirrhosis.
6. The cap portion of shiitake contains double-stranded ribonucleic acid, which after entering the human body produces interferon with anti-cancer effects, and can fight cancer.
7. Shiitake also has a therapeutic effect on diabetes, pulmonary tuberculosis, infectious hepatitis, neuritis, and the like, and can also be used for indigestion, constipation, and so on.
Dietary Contraindications of Donggu and Shiitake
Whether we are talking about donggu or shiitake, from the above we can learn that the nutritional content of both is very rich, and eating them has a certain health-promoting effect on the human body. However, when eating shiitake or donggu, attention should still be paid to the following dietary contraindications.
1. Shiitake is a wind-moving food, and patients with intractable pruritus of the skin should avoid eating it. Patients with cold-damp qi stagnation in the spleen and stomach or with pruritic skin disease should avoid eating it.
2. Shiitake is rich in biochemical substances; eating it together with tomatoes that contain carotenoids will destroy the carotenoids contained in the tomatoes and reduce the nutritional value.
3. Shiitake contains vitamin D, and river crab is also rich in vitamin D; eating the two together will make the vitamin D content in the human body too high, causing an increase in calcium, and long-term consumption can easily cause stone symptoms.
4. Shiitake + donkey meat = easily causes abdominal pain and diarrhea.
5. Shiitake + quail meat, quail eggs = prone to dark spots on the face.
6. Shiitake + river crab = easily causes stone symptoms.
7. Shiitake contains vitamin D, and river crab is also rich in vitamin D; eating the two together will make the vitamin D content in the human body too high, causing an increase in calcium, and long-term consumption can easily cause stone symptoms.
8. Shiitake + tomato = destroys carotenoids and reduces nutritional value.