Of Mycology and Mycologists

My Medical Minute

I never did like the taste or feel of mushrooms. So I just stayed away from eating them. The first ones I tried were raw. They were edible, store bought, safe and raw. Maybe that is why I got a dislike for mushrooms. To this day I do not like raw mushrooms.

Several years ago I purchased a magazine for its health content and it just happened to have an article on mushrooms. An article that changed my viewpoint forever. The article covered about a half dozen mushrooms and their health benefits.

First off or maybe I should say safety first and always. There are about a thousand different varieties of mushrooms. About 600 of these are poisonous and death will be the result of eating them. The other 400 are nasty and will make you very sick if not dead. Only about two dozen are good for you but only if you have the trained eye to identify them. If you are like me and cannot identify them then stick with the supermarket varieties. The supermarkets want your business for a long time to come.

Some mushrooms like the button variety have hydrazines that are carcinogenic. Heat, high heat destroys the carcinogenic reality. Heat also breaks down the cellular walls releasing the incredible goodness mostly in the form of immune system boosting juice. Vegetables heated over 140F degrees lose almost all of their vitamin benefit. Mushrooms are exactly opposite, they should be heated as hot as possible without burning them. Sauteed is my favorite and boiling would be good too provided that the water is kept for a soup.

The article did such a good job of showcasing the Shitake mushrooms that I became an instant fan. Now I try to get Shitakes into my eating regimen at least once a week. GO SHITAKES!



MORE INFORMATION HERE FOR HEALTHFUL EATING!