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.
