Overview
Mushrooms are a part of the fungi family and reproduce via spores.
They can grow above or even underground.
Mushrooms can be cultivated or found in the wild. Make sure you consume edible mushrooms, as some wild can be poisonous.
There are a vast amount of mushroom types. Each coming from a different part of the world. Making mushrooms, a worldwide food.
Origin locations include Asia to European countries. But has been seen in ancient Greek and Chinese cultures.
Mushrooms are not only a delicious food they also have been used for medicinal properties.
Enjoy mushrooms raw, cooked, or dried!
Common mushrooms include while/brown field, portabello, crimini, porcini, chanterelle, shiitake, morel, and oyster mushrooms.
The Look
Mushrooms can be white, brownish, or yellowish in color.
They can be identified by their capped head tops and bottom stems. The heads of a mushroom can be more frilly or fan-like.
When purchasing edible mushrooms look for mushrooms that are unblemished.
Mushrooms should not be slimy or wilted.
Depending on the type of mushroom will determine the exact look.
There are many "commercial" cultivated types of mushrooms like the white button or shiitake mushrooms, but there are also a handful of wild ones.
Be aware of wild mushrooms as many can be poisonous and can be misidentified as edible mushrooms.
Mushrooms can also be dried and packaged.
Nutrition
Contain a small amount of all the macronutrients
Mushrooms are one of the few foods that have naturally occurring vitamin D. Many foods have to be fortified with vitamin D, but not mushrooms!
Depending on the type of mushroom, each variety will have more or less different nutrients.
B vitamins such as niacin (B3), riboflavin (B2), and pantothenic acid (B5).
Minerals such as selenium, potassium, copper, potassium, magnesium, and zinc.
Phytochemicals
Some forms have high amounts of beta-glucans.
Benefits
Lower in calories, which can be good for weight loss or overall body composition.
Mushrooms are known to have anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties due to their nutritional makeup, immune support, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Some mushrooms have high antioxidant levels which are helpful for fighting disease.
Can be beneficial for aid in lowering cholesterol and liver protection.
Serving Size
These serving sizes are based on the common white/brown field mushroom
About 1 cup of mushrooms is 16 calories
About 1.8 grams of protein
About 3 grams of carbohydrates
About 0.1 grams of fat
About 1.2 grams of fiber
Use & Cooking
Mushrooms can be used and cooked in a variety of ways or eaten raw.
Common ways of cooking are sauteing, stir-frying, broiling, and stuffing.
Before cooking, make sure to clean your mushrooms with a damp cloth to remove any excessive dirt.
Do not keep them in water, mushrooms will absorb the water and turn slimy and waterlogged.
If using whole mushrooms, cut the last portion of the stem off and chop them to your desired style. Some mushrooms can be purchased pre-sliced.
Once cleaned and sliced to the desired liking, consume them raw or cook with the desired cooking method.
Mushrooms pair well with a variety of different flavors, seasonings, and spices. Some common examples are olive oils, soy sauce, balsamic, garlic, onion, creams, and other dairy products.
They have a hearty flavor and texture which is perfect for those who follow plant-based diets.
Mushrooms make great toppings for pizzas, salads, and steaks. Again can be consumed raw or cooked.
Storage
Mushrooms are best kept in the refrigerator. They will hold up for about a couple of days before they start to go slimy.
If possible keep in a paper bag for optimal freshness, no plastic baggies, plastic will make them turn slimy quicker.
Recipes
Eat solo as a side dish or combine them into your favorite recipes
Mushroom risotto
Sauteed garlic mushrooms
Chicken marsala
Green bean casserole
Mushroom pasta sauce
Mushroom soup or cream of mushroom soup
Stuffed mushrooms
Stir-fry
Eat raw with your favorite dip
Volman, J. J., Helsper, J. P., Wei, S., Baars, J. J., van Griensven, L. J., Sonnenberg, A. S., Mensink, R. P., & Plat, J. (2010). Effects of mushroom-derived beta-glucan-rich polysaccharide extracts on nitric oxide production by bone marrow-derived macrophages and nuclear factor-kappaB transactivation in Caco-2 reporter cells: can effects be explained by structure?. Molecular nutrition & food research, 54(2), 268–276. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.200900009
Valverde, M. E., Hernández-Pérez, T., & Paredes-López, O. (2015). Edible mushrooms: improving human health and promoting quality life. International journal of microbiology, 2015, 376387. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/376387
Jayachandran, M., Xiao, J., & Xu, B. (2017). A Critical Review on Health Promoting Benefits of Edible Mushrooms through Gut Microbiota. International journal of molecular sciences, 18(9), 1934. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18091934
Zhang, J. J., Li, Y., Zhou, T., Xu, D. P., Zhang, P., Li, S., & Li, H. B. (2016). Bioactivities and Health Benefits of Mushrooms Mainly from China. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 21(7), 938. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21070938
