Magic Mushrooms – The health benefits of mushrooms you may not know about!

Mushrooms for sale at my local farmers market

Did I get your attention, or did you see that title and run away in case I had embraced a slightly more bohemian lifestyle than I’d let on 🙂 don’t worry, I haven’t! I’ve just done a lot of reading about mushrooms recently and I never realised how good for you they are.

I kind of always categorised them in with things such as iceberg lettuce, cucumber, cauliflower and pears…..things I thought tasted ok but had little nutritional value (maybe because of their pale complexion), I am now informed that they all actually have qualities which are good for us! Well, does cucumber?? (Wow apparently it does!)

In this post I have gathered together the research I’ve done so you can see some of the benefits, and some great ways to enjoy mushrooms (not the magic kind!!)

Did you know that mushrooms are the only known plant based food source that contains vitamin D, other sources include eggs, oily fish and then the non edible source – sunshine! You’d have to eat ALOT of mushrooms to take in enough vitamin D so make sure you get outside (put your sunblock on) and soak up that goodness! Vitamin D helps you grow strong and healthy bones.

They are also a great source of vitamin B2 (needed to boost energy metabolism and metabolism in proteins) and B3 (can help reduce cholesterol)

That’s not all, mushrooms have been found to contain anti oxidants which can help decrease your risk of cancer and they contain iron and calcium.

The thing I love about mushrooms is that there are so many types available and they are so versatile so it would be hard to grow tired of them. I have been adding sliced chestnut mushrooms to stir fried kale in the mornings and it helps bulk up the meal without many added calories. You can get all different kinds of mushrooms but make sure you know what you are eating, don’t just pick mushrooms you find growing outside and eat them if you’re not sure as they can be extremely poisonous. I like to just buy a mix of mushrooms from the supermarket although one day I would love to go out foraging (with someone who knows about mushrooms).

In fact mushrooms are low carb, very low fat and they have zero cholesterol.

Ok so on to cooking them – well you can literally do anything with them! Why not start off by grilling field mushrooms and then add some garlic and herb butter and enjoy as a light brunch.

I like adding them to Omelettes, Quiche, pies, kebabs, stirfries, soups, burgers, on top of pizzas etc and they can even be the main star of the recipe such as in this Rich mushroom ragu. or this Mushroom Lasagna

Open Mushroom Lasagna topped with Chanterelle mushrooms and Parsley!

Ingredients which compliment mushrooms include garlic, hard herbs such as rosemary and thyme, other herbs such as parsley and sage. They go great with strong cheeses and my favourite is grilled or sauteed mushrooms served with a drizzle of rich truffle oil…Delicious!!

So there you go, make sure to include mushrooms in your diet on a regular basis to stay healthy and slim! What are your favourite types of mushrooms? I like chestnut and Enoki mushrooms and then for visual effect of course you can’t beat the beautiful chanterelle!