Friday, September 26, 2008

Health benefits of Mushrooms: Why we love them?

Mushrooms! Super Mario love it! so do I, although they are weird looking thing they are packed with nutrients but be careful on mushroom you eat because there are wild mushrooms that are poisonous to humans. Aside from Japanese and Chinese who have long valued mushrooms for their healing and nutritional properties, people have always regarded this umbrella shaped fungi with morbid dread and suspicion or curiosity. Who wanted to eat something related to the bug that causes athlete's foot and jock itch anyway, unenlightened gourmands mockingly say.

Today and near future, the mushrooms curative powers are being seriously studied, not only in japan and china, but also throughout the world. every year researchers isolate 10 additional antibiotics from mushrooms. This is because mushrooms must compete against bacteria, and they are equipped with biological weapons to survive in that environment. After all penicillin was derived from a fungus. Mushrooms are also reportedly effective in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar, and reducing the clotting tendency of blood.

Mushrooms are 90 percent water but are also packed with vitamins and minerals. Mushroom contains:
  • phosphorous
  • potassium
  • iron
  • copper
  • zinc
  • selenium
  • salt

Their vitamin content may include:
  • Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
  • Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
  • panthotenic acid
  • folic acid
  • Vitamin B12
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin D
Raw mushrooms are is low in calorie and fat. Its amino acid content is second only to beans and peas and lentils.

Among the most popular edible mushrooms are shitake, reishi, and maitake. The shitake, commonly served in Japanese and Chinese restaurants, is reputedly an immune system booster and in used int the treatment of AIDS. It reportedly has antihistamine properties and found to be useful in the treatment of stomach ulcers. reishi is linked to to ginseng which is considered to be a longevity herb, it also helps healing insomia, nervousness and forgetfulness. maitake mushrooms is an especially potent immune system booster. It actually lowers blood sugar levels, helping diabetics stay healthy.

The mushroom is turning to from fungus to famous.

Here are some list of edible mushrooms that you can buy on supermarket:
Type = Taste = How to use it
Shitake =Intense smoky =In strongly flavored dishes, such as Oriental stews and stir fries.
Oyster =Subtle flavor =In pies and risottos
Lion's Mane =Mild flavor, meaty center = Fried or in sauces, casseroles and stews
Field=Delicate and mild=Grilled, fried, baked, or stuffed
Chanterelle=Succulent wood sented=Good with egg, pasta, chicken, and fish dishes
Cep or porcini=Meaty texture, very flavorsome =In risottos, pasta, stews




2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love mushrooms! Thanks for the drop :)

Rachel said...

I decided to try a new variety of mushrooms yesterday and had some oyster mushrooms. i did not like them at all as they had no flavour and they were very chewy like the texture of meat. As a vegetarian I did not enjoy this much.

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