Superfoods: Mushrooms

In addition to ordinary white button mushrooms, you can also find brown mushrooms, larger portobello mushrooms, and other mushrooms such as shiitake, oyster, and chanterelle.

While they’re all great in their own ways, it turns out that those commonplace (and usually much less costly) white button mushrooms are one of the most nutritionally potent superfoods you can eat. Low in calories and high in protein, mushrooms are also incredibly high in antioxidants, packed with B vitamins (and even vitamin D when they’re exposed to the sun while growing), and high in minerals such as selenium, potassium, and copper. They also contain two types of important dietary fibers: beta-glucans and chitin.

Mushrooms offer numerous health benefits, too. Thanks to their particular kinds of fiber, they promote gut health. One study of over 2,000 Chinese women found that eating just a third of an ounce of cooked mushrooms (approximately half a button mushroom) daily cut their risk of breast cancer by 64%. Mushrooms also protect your brain and heart, support your immune system, and reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Mushrooms add a rich umami flavor to dishes, which makes them an excellent addition to soups, stews, and stir-fries. You can even use them as the basis for veggie burgers and other meat analogs. They’re also tasty when grilled, used in casseroles, and as a classic pizza topping.

( Excerpt from The Food Revolution Network)