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Recent weeks have brought more and more reports on the incredible amount of mushrooms in Polish forests. We went to the crowd to search, because mushrooms are valued and desired ingredients in Polish cuisine. For a long time it was believed that it was only because of their taste and aroma. Nothing could be more wrong! Mushrooms are the most valuable for our body, and you will learn their greatest values in a moment.
Mushrooms for those who care about their health and body
The main ingredient of mushrooms is water, which means that they are low in calories (approx. 50-70 kcal / 100 g), so without feeling guilty, you can include them in your diet even when you are slimming.
Don’t think, however, that water is the only thing it can find in mushrooms! Also waiting for you there:
- beta-glucans (a component of dietary fiber), which reduce the concentration of cholesterol and glucose in the blood, support intestinal peristalsis, control the appetite and have a positive effect on the immune system,
- a protein that contains, among others: lysine – an amino acid of which there is relatively little, e.g. in cereal products, thanks to which combining mushrooms with such products increases the nutritional value of the dish,
- B vitamins, e.g. B2 and B3 – their content in some mushrooms is almost as high as in cereal products or meat,
- provitamin A – we find it mainly in chanterelles,
- vitamins C, B12, D and E – appear in small amounts, but (remaining on the mushroom theme) better than nothing!
In addition, mushrooms also contain biologically active substances that have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory or antioxidant properties.
And for whom are mushrooms not recommended?
Unfortunately, despite the fact that they contain many ingredients that have a positive effect on our health, mushrooms are still difficult to digest, mainly due to the fact that their walls contain chitin, which is not digested by our digestive tract. Therefore, you should be careful with mushrooms:
- children up to 7 years of age,
- elderly people whose digestive tract works a bit worse,
- people with stomach or liver problems.
In addition, mushrooms that have been subjected to e.g. frying are even more difficult to digest and can exacerbate disease symptoms in people suffering from pancreatitis or problems with the gallbladder.
How to pick mushrooms and what to do with them afterwards?
Above all, be careful! The most important thing is to remember your own safety. Only collect mushrooms that you are 100% sure are edible. Unfortunately, many species belong to the poisonous ones, and eating them will not result in a short indigestion. By eating poisonous mushrooms, we risk even death. First of all, watch out for toadstools, which look very similar to young kites, and boletus mushrooms, which are easy to mistake for noble ones.
Are the mushrooms of uncertain species already at your home? In addition to throwing them into the trash, you have one more option. Few people know about it, but in such situations you can consult the employees of the Provincial Sanitary and Epidemiological Station. In the mushroom season, at certain times, the duty of trained mushroom experts is there, who will be happy to help dispel any doubts.
I am providing a link to the Poznań station – https://wsse-poznan.pl/menu-strony/grzyby but of course check if there is such a possibility in your city, and if so, find out when you can come to the mushroom expert’s duty.
When it comes to practical tips on mushroom picking, remember to take with you, above all, a basket or other container that will provide the collected mushrooms with access to fresh air (we say NO to plastic nets) and a knife for cutting mushrooms. Remember not to destroy the mycelium, always use a knife and cut the leg of the mushroom above the ground.
When you return home, spread the mushrooms on a table or other flat surface, and when they are dry, clean them from the dirt. Then, if you like, you can dry them, marinate them or cook them right away, or fry and eat them with taste.
Mushrooms can be used to make great soups, sauces or even part of the main course – e.g. breaded kites. They are also a very tasty addition to stuffing dumplings, boiled cabbage, pasta or risotto.
How do you like making mushrooms? Do you prefer to collect them, or maybe you belong to a group of buyers? What are your favorite mushrooms?
We are happy to read your statements. Both in the comments below the text and in our forum: Why eat mushrooms?
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