How To Boost Your Nutrition With Mushrooms

Before you forage, learn about nutritional mushrooms!

It’s foraging season, so it’s the perfect time to learn about the health benefits of cooking with mushrooms. Did you know there are nearly 2,000 species of edible and medicinal mushrooms in the world? Let’s learn about the nutritional benefits of mushrooms and boost your nutrition with mushrooms!

“Plants are all about symbiosis,” said filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg on a recent podcast episode. “Maybe the mushrooms are telling us a grand story.”

Mushrooms are adaptogens, which means that they help the body balance physiological processes. There are a myriad of benefits of eating mushrooms. They are especially helpful for combating fatigue, balancing the mind, sharpening the wit, and promoting overall wellness.

Cooking is one way to eat mushrooms. You may have had them on a burger or as part of a vegetable hash. But you can also drink them by mixing powdered mushrooms with non-dairy milk and sweetener to create a healing elixir.

Eating medicinal mushrooms is a less common practice, simply because identifying and harvesting medicinal mushrooms can be a challenge for people who’ve never done it before. But indigenous cultures have been consuming medicinal mushrooms for thousands of years, and the benefits are clear.

Some Of The Health Benefits Of Mushrooms

Nutritional Benefits

Mushrooms contain B-vitamins, potassium, and selenium which are all essential for helping the human body function well. Research indicates that eating mushrooms can benefit the skin, heart health, and nervous system. All of these powerful benefits cumulatively add up to boost your immune system with mushrooms!

 

Anti-Cancer Benefits

The Reishi mushroom has been used in Asian countries for wellness, and is now being studied in labs as a cancer-fighting agent. Reishi may help stimulate the immune system and lower high blood pressure, among other benefits.

Lowering Cholesterol

Many studies corroborate the finding that mushrooms can help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In fact, in one study animals were fed dried mushrooms as part of their diet for several months. In some of these animals, total cholesterol levels were reduced between 10 and 65%.

 At the grocery store, you’re most likely to find white, shiitake, and portobello mushrooms for cooking. Experts do recommend that you wipe or quickly wash mushrooms before eating. They do tend to soak up water, which diminishes the flavor. So just give them a quick cleaning, then toss them in a pan, and enjoy the health and flavor benefits of celebrating National Mushroom Month! We hope you enjoyed this article and make sure to boost your nutrition with mushrooms today!

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