A walk in the woods is always a good idea, and picking mushrooms is a great excuse. Thanks to this, you can not only eat tasty food, but also get away from the computer or TV. The forest is full of delicious chanterelles, boletes, boletes and butter mushrooms. However, there is a lot of controversy around the nutritional value of mushrooms – some say they have almost none. How is it really? Are mushrooms just a tasty addition to dishes, or do they have a positive effect on our health?
Chanterelles are particularly popular in Poland, and although mushrooms grow all year round, there are more of them in autumn. Some nutritionists believe that they are only used to improve the taste of food, but others believe that they have health benefits. It is certain that they will be good for people on a reduction diet, slimming, because they have few calories.
Composition of mushrooms. What’s in them
In their composition we will find primarily water, because they contain the same amount of water as in vegetables. Despite this, they are not as easily digestible, mainly due to the chitin present in them, which is a polysaccharide similar in structure to cellulose. Why is it hard to digest? This is because it is not dissolved by gastric juices, so it lingers in the stomach for quite a long time and only with time passes further along our digestive system.
Our sense of taste reacts to mushrooms similarly to meat, so it can sometimes be a substitute for it when we feel like a more vegetarian dish. What’s more, they contain protein, and the best digested protein is present primarily in young varieties, mushrooms and boletes. In addition to chitin, protein and water, they also contain vitamin A, i.e. carotene, which is the most abundant in chanterelles (hence their orange color), vitamin C in a small concentration, and a lot of vitamin B1 and B12.
It is believed that they can reduce the feeling of fatigue of joints and muscles, as well as lower blood cholesterol levels, they also have a rejuvenating and regenerative effect on the body. Some mushrooms, e.g. oyster mushrooms, also have anti-cancer properties, thanks to the content of pleuran, and strengthen immunity and blood vessels. Therefore, when you have the opportunity, replace mushrooms with oyster mushrooms. Health properties are also hidden in Asian mushrooms, such as mun (improve blood circulation and the functioning of the circulatory system) and shiitake (have an antiviral effect and reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in the blood).
Beware of poisoning
Of course, there are also poisonous varieties, so go for mushroom picking with an atlas, or buy them in proven places. Mushrooms should be bought whole, with stem and cap, and they should be carefully inspected before preparation.