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These mushrooms are rarely found in the forest. But if you are lucky to find them, the mushroom picker will fill the basket very quickly. It’s about oyster mushrooms. This mushroom has many varieties that grow in temperate climates. Most of them choose dead wood for their habitat, from which they absorb the cellulose they need. They can also settle on weakened dying trees.
Description of oyster mushroom
This agaric most likes to grow on hardwood trees: willow, birch, aspen, oak, mountain ash. In shape, it resembles an oyster, so one of its varieties has another name – oyster mushroom. It can grow in large colonies, reaching 30 cm in diameter by old age.
You can determine the age of an oyster mushroom by the color of the cap: the older it is, the lighter it is. This applies to the most common oyster mushroom, which has a dark brown color. Her relative of the late oyster mushroom has a lighter hat.
There are oyster mushrooms with a very extreme color: lemon or elm lives in the Far East, and pink lives only in a humid and hot climate. In a temperate climate, in addition to oyster and late oyster mushrooms, you can find pulmonary, which grows only on larch. Her hat is very light. Steppe oyster mushroom grows in the south. She, in the absence of trees, settles on the roots and stems of umbrella plants.
In most oyster mushrooms, the stem and cap have grown together so that it is difficult to determine where one ends and the other begins. Sometimes the leg is completely absent, and the hat is attached directly to the tree, and very firmly. The only exception is royal oyster mushroom with a thick rather long stem and a hat up to 12 cm in diameter.
By the way, this is the most delicious variety of all mushrooms of this species. The flesh of all oyster mushrooms is white, as are the spore plates.
Several species are conditionally edible, but after a short boil they are quite edible.
They can be used for all types of cooking: boil, fry, marinate and salt.
You can collect these mushrooms from spring, and they bear fruit until December.
At temperatures above plus five degrees in winter, oyster mushroom begins to grow, so in a strong thaw it is quite possible to go to the forest for mushrooms.
This mushroom is easy to grow even at home, its industrial production is widely developed, it is almost always on sale.
This circumstance should be used and more often included in the menu of dishes from it, since the mushroom has considerable benefits. It is due to the composition of oyster mushrooms.
What are the beneficial nutrients found in oyster mushrooms?
- It contains 3,3% protein, which includes 10 essential amino acids.
- Dietary fiber contained in 100 g of oyster mushrooms is 0,1 of the daily human need.
- Variety of vitamins. Vitamins of group B, PP are presented in quantities significant for health. Oyster mushrooms contain ergocalciferol or vitamin D2, which is rarely found in foods, as well as vitamin D.
- Rich mineral composition. There is especially a lot of potassium, phosphorus and copper in it, there are quite rare selenium and zinc.
- Unsaturated omega-6 fatty acids and saturated fatty acids are vital for humans.
- It contains the antibiotic plurothin, which has an antitumor and anti-inflammatory effect.
- This mushroom contains the anti-allergen lovastatin.
The benefits of oyster mushroom
Such a rich composition allows the use of these mushrooms not only as a valuable food product, but also as a remedy. Here is a list of health problems that oyster mushrooms can help with.
- Problems with bowel cleansing.
- Hypertension and problems with the cardiovascular system.
- Atherosclerosis.
- Nearsightedness or farsightedness.
- Oncological diseases.
- Allergy.
- Roundworm infestation.
Due to the presence of many healing substances in oyster mushroom, it helps in the following cases.
- Removes salts of heavy metals and radionuclides. Therefore, it is included in the menu of people receiving radiation courses in the treatment of cancer.
- Breaks down cholesterol plaques and normalizes lipid metabolism.
- Releases the body of toxins by absorbing and removing them.
- It is a good prophylactic for the prevention of liver diseases, gastritis and ulcers in various parts of the digestive system. Oyster mushroom is able to cure them at an early stage.
- The calorie content of only 33 kcal per 100 g of the product allows it to be used as food for those who want to reduce their weight.
- It is able to fight bacteria, including E. coli, not only due to the content of the antibiotic, but also benzaldehyde, which is known for its antibacterial properties.
- Oyster mushrooms contain a unique antioxidant, ergotianeine, which has not yet been found in other foods. Therefore, the mushroom improves immunity, improves the functioning of all organs and systems, and reduces the risk of cancer. Immunity is also increased by polysaccharides contained in mushrooms. They stimulate the thymus gland, which is responsible for the state of the human immune system.
- A considerable amount of phosphorus contributes to the normalization of calcium metabolism, improves the condition of nails, hair and joints.
- Strengthens the nervous system, improves the quality of sleep.
- Oyster mushroom tincture on alcohol heals even chronic ulcers.
- The anti-allergen lovastatin not only relieves allergic reactions. Recent studies have shown that it is effective in the treatment of serious diseases such as multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury.
- Vitamin D, which in these mushrooms is double the daily rate, prevents tooth decay and normalizes blood sugar, preventing the development of both type XNUMX and type XNUMX diabetes.
But even such a truly healing mushroom can not be eaten by everyone.
Harm and contraindication of oyster mushroom
Oyster mushroom, like all mushrooms, contains chitin, which is harmful to humans in large quantities.
Mushrooms must be subjected to heat treatment, which allows to increase their absorption by 70%.
There are other reasons that limit the use of this mushroom. This is a heavy food for the stomach, its use should be limited to the elderly and completely excluded from the menu of young children and pregnant women. Those who have serious problems with the kidneys, liver and gastrointestinal tract should not get carried away with oyster mushroom dishes. And they are absolutely contraindicated for people with individual intolerance to this product.
It is clear that we are talking only about benign mushrooms, collected according to all the rules. They should not be stored longer than the prescribed period – no more than five days in the refrigerator. They also need to be prepared properly. First, the mushrooms are boiled for 15 minutes, and then any dishes are prepared from them. You need to boil oyster mushrooms if you decide to pickle them. These mushrooms cannot be salted raw.
Everything should be in moderation. In order for these medicinal mushrooms to bring only benefits, they must be consumed in compliance with all the rules and in accordance with the recommendations of doctors.