Mushroom Facts
Did you know that mushrooms…
…are loved for thousands of years
The “Iceman” discovered in the Italian Alps in 1991 was carrying dried mushrooms with him. Moreover, it is studied that fungi kingdom have flourished on Earth for as long as possibly 2 billion years
…are a great source of B-vitamins
They contain thiamin, ribofloxin, niacin, panthothenic acid and folic acid that are needed for the normal brain functioning, promote healthy vision and skin, and help good metabolism and producing hormones
…are high in protein
Mushrooms contain more protein than most vegetables and are low in calories making them a perfect source for nutrition without the risk to gain weight. One serving of button mushrooms (4-5 champignons) has only 20 calories and no fat
…can produce vitamin D
Mushrooms are also called superfood for their ability to produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Some mushrooms varieties are able to create as much vitamin D as contained in supplements you buy from a pharmacy store
…don’t need sunlight to grow
Mushrooms also can grow with no sun at all. Unlike plants, for example. They belong to fungi kingdom and are separate from the other eukaryotic life kingdoms of plants and animals. They grow by absorbing organic elements from their environment. Many species of mushrooms seemingly appear overnight, growing or expanding rapidly
…are rich in selenium
That is something really amazing as selenium is an essential mineral which strengthens the immune system and may help reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic illnesses
…can protect themselves
Mushrooms protect their growth by producing antibiotics. A famous antibiotic called penicillin is obtained from penicillium mushroom
…are used as medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine has been using mushrooms for many centuries
…possess an “umami” taste
Culinary experts added the taste of mushrooms to the fifth category of flavours called “umami”, that means “savoury” in Japanese. The other four are sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and saltiness. Usually it is used to describe the taste of glutamates, cooked meat and broths. By itself, umami is not palatable, but instead highlights the experience of other basic tastes
…can be enormous in size
A 6 meter tall mushroom existed in Saudi Arabia 350 million years ago. It was likely the largest living organism on dry land at that time
…are very expensive sometimes
The most expensive single food ingredient sold was a 1 kg 497g white truffle dug up in Tuscany, that was sold for $330,000 to the billionaire Stainley Ho at the international auction