Why we should eat mushrooms!

Mushrooms are quickly becoming the food of choice for a lot of people around the world. Global mushroom consumption has dramatically increased in the last few years because of great strides in the field of mushroom identification and cultivation. We know a lot more about fungi in general than we did a couple of decades ago.

Foraging for mushrooms is also an ancient activity that people have engaged in since times immemorial. Foragers wait for seasonal mushrooms with much anticipation and awe as there are gourmet mushrooms that are highly valued both for their taste as well as their nutritional benefits. The commonly cultivated mushrooms are Oyster, Button, Shiitake, Enoki, Cremini just to name a few. While every mushroom species has its own nutrient profile, there are some commonly known health benefits to eating mushrooms that we will discuss today.

1.      Source of Vitamin B group: Mushrooms are a great source of Vitamin B group including the illusive B12 which is mostly only found in the gut of animals. Oyster and Shiitake Mushrooms are abundant in Vitamin B group and eating as little as 50 gm of each is enough for our daily requirements. The often overlooked and underrated Oyster mushroom is a Vitamin B powerhouse and gives us a healthy amount of Sodium.

2.      Anti-Cancer Properties: Agaricus Bisporous known to us as the Button Mushroom is known to have anti-cancer properties and aids in the recovery of patients post chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Several other mushrooms and groups are currently being studied for the wide range of antioxidants that they have and how they can aid in fighting against a host of cancers. Asian cultures have long used mushrooms to fight disease. The medicinal use of mushrooms besides the culinary aspect is something we will look at deeper in the coming time.

3.      Vitamin D: Mushrooms like humans can make Vitamin D upon exposure to UV light or Sunlight. White Button, Cremini and Portobello mushrooms which are three different stages of the same mushroom, all contain high amounts of Vitamin D. For a lot of us from the state of Sikkim, we do not get enough sunlight, studies show that not getting enough sunlight can cause a host of health problems for people, Mushrooms can be an excellent secondary source of Vitamin D. Maitake Mushroom (Grifola Frondose aka hen of the woods) also found in the jungles of Sikkim is among the best source of Vitamin D, eating just about 50 grams of this mushroom can supplement our Vitamin D needs and this is one of the tastiest mushrooms to eat.

4.      Boost Brain Health: Apart from the great taste and textures that mushrooms are known for, there are benefits to eating certain mushrooms which seem quite unbelievable to most people unacquainted to the mycoverse. The Lions Mane Mushroom (Hericium Erinaceus) is known to contain compounds that aid in cell growth in the brain. Research on this magical mushroom is revealing remarkable results as it can help us fight conditions like dementia, Alzheimer’s and even battle against anxiety and depression. This mushroom helps repair the brain and numerous studies and findings about this mushroom have made it a highly sought after supplement and gourmet ingredient.

Mushrooms can boost our immune system and help in the recovery and maintenance of our Gut. The gourmet and culinary value of mushrooms is also immense with the global industry growing at a steady pace. Cultivating mushrooms is a good source of income as some mushrooms can sell at very high prices and considering that they do not need much space or major investment to start out with, it would be an excellent source of income and livelihood for a lot of people in our state.

All things considered, mushrooms are an excellent source of important nutrients, they are not difficult to cultivate and can be grown anywhere within a small space. A lot of people today understand that fungi and mushrooms will slowly become a major source of food and nutrition for the world. Eating mushrooms has always been considered a very gourmet thing to do but with the growth of the mushroom industry, they are fast becoming a regular part of people’s food palette.

Next, we will look at some amazing medicinal mushrooms.