What Is Mushroom Nutrition?
Contrary to popular belief, edible mushrooms are highly medicinal and nutritious. Mushrooms are low in calories, fat free, gluten free, cholesterol free and very low in sodium. They have bio-active compounds that improve immune function and lower the risk of common diseases like cancer and heart disease. They provide important nutrients which include selenium, potassium, copper, phosphorous, B vitamins and many more. Mushrooms are an excellent source of antioxidants. Medicinal mushroom powders are some of the most powerful herbs. These mushrooms include reishi, chaga, maitake, shiitake, lions mane and others. Each type has a different medicinal use. The 3 most popular mushrooms that have been studied intensively are reishi, shiitake and maitake.
Mushrooms have an earthy flavor and meaty texture especially when dehydrated. While allergies to mushrooms are rare some people may find them hard to digest. They have a tough cell wall that is indigestible if you don’t cook them or dehydrate them. They are also available freeze dried which can be
added to soups or salads. Raw mushrooms could contain a small amount of toxins that are destroyed by cooking them or by processing them. Reishi mushrooms for example are ground down fine enough to digest them. I use reishi mushrooms as a tea. I also add the powder to my smoothies, hot chocolate elixirs, or my salad. Other than a powder, reishi can be in the form of an herbal extract. Dried mushrooms can be kept indefinitely at room temperature in a dry place.
Things to ponder: Will you let food be your medicine this year? Will you begin to do your own research? Will you begin to take your health in your own hands? Will you begin to think out of the box? It is important to eat organically grown mushrooms that are firm, plump and dry to touch since they absorb whatever they grow in good or bad. This determines their potency. Out of the thousands of species of mushrooms 50 to 100 are toxic. Word of caution: Do Not Pick and Eat Wild Mushrooms. I use www.longevitywarehouse.com and www.shamanshack.info to order my mushrooms. Putting many mushroom species together into one product creates a synergy and is highly advantageous. You have some of the facts and now the choice is yours about this incredible superfood!
