The Magic of Mushrooms

Posted on Oct 20, 2014 | 0 comments

Mushrooms are generally a neutral white color with no smell so I often discount them as having no nutritional value.

Wow, is that wrong! Mushrooms are packed with power and I never knew it!

What are mushrooms?

Mushrooms are the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source.

Nope, they are not a vegetable, they are actually a fungi that contain some of the most potent natural medicines known to human!

They are quickly gaining #superfoods status as #Mushrooms contain some of the most effective nutrients in the world! http://t.co/5h8WvndN9h

— Malibu Mama Loves (@MalibuMamaLoves) October 20, 2014

They not only have incredible powers to heal us, but they heal our environment with the amazing ability to filter toxic land/water spills and repair oil damage.

According to Paul Stamets, a leading mycologist, of the known 140,000 species of mushrooms, we are only familiar with about 10%.

What are the benefits of mushrooms?

Only around 100 species of mushrooms are currently being studied for their positive benefits to our health. Research is ongoing, but so far here is what mushrooms have been found to do for you:

Help you with weight management and improves overall health – try substituting mushrooms for that red meat a few times a week, you will see some differences to your waistline and how you feel overall within the first 7 days. This is because of the 2 types of dietary fibers found in the cell walls of mushrooms: chitin and beta-glucans. Both increase satiety and reduce your appetite by making you feel fuller longer. Studies have shown that by regularly eating mushrooms, we will have a better diet quality as mushrooms kick up your metabolism and improve digestion.

Major Immune Boost and Antioxidant – mushrooms help manage our white blood cells which is what keeps us healthy. Mushrooms contain Selenium, a mineral that stimulates production of killer T-cells while plays a role in liver enzyme function and helping to detoxify the body. It also prevents inflammation and decreases tumor growth rates. It is missing from most fruits and veg yet packed into the mushrooms and it has so many benefits to us!

Huge Vitamin D Punch – mushrooms are a great source of Vitamin D (which means mushrooms do everything listed on my Vitamin D Benefits). If you leave your mushrooms, gills up, in the direct sunlight for a couple of hours before you cook/eat them, this will boost the Vitamin D level in a big way reports the Huffington Post.

Anti-Cancer Benefits – mushrooms and vitamin D are linked to fighting cancer, a few types of mushrooms have been found to be very beneficial. Mushrooms have been shown to destroy cancer cells and facilitate nerve regeneration. The high selenium content of mushrooms also helps combat the cancer cells. More studies are being done.

Heart Health – mushrooms contain fiber, potassium and vitamin C which all aid our cardiovascular health. Our blood pressure is regulated by the proper balance between potassium and sodium. The high amount of potassium with the low amount of sodium in mushrooms helps to lower our blood pressure thus reducing the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. It has been shown that 3 grams of beta-glucans (one of the fibers contained in mushrooms) can lower blood cholesterol levels by 5%.

How do I buy and store mushrooms?

It is best to opt for organic and locally grown if possible. Organic for sure as the non-organic ones go through quite the process. (See World’s Healthiest Foods)

Store them in either a dish or a bag with a damp cloth between them. Mushrooms will last longer if not stacked in one big clump, but laid flat, in rows if needed, and kept in the refrigerator. If packaged, it is best to remove from that packaging and store in the same way for 3-7 days.