Special kingdom: mushrooms - harm or benefit?

There are many untrue myths around mushrooms, and due to a number of prejudices, many do not want to include them in their diet, but in vain! We propose to figure out together whether mushrooms are still useful for us..

Mushrooms are not plants or animals, they are biologically classified as a separate kingdom of living spore organisms, whose cells have the properties of cells of both animals and plants.. But unlike representatives of the animal kingdom, they do not have a nervous system, which means they do not experience pain and suffering, therefore they are a vegan product.. Mushrooms are not only widely used in medicine, but have been used for cooking for several millennia..

Since ancient times, the mushroom has been an almost essential product for Russian and Asian cuisine.. Today it can be found in every kitchen in the world.! But it is important to understand that due to the environmental situation, not all mushrooms are safe to eat, even those that are not recognized as poisonous.. It is always worth remembering that mushrooms absorb literally everything that surrounds them.. Many forest seasonal mushrooms, such as chanterelles, can be harvested in adverse conditions, and the seller will never tell you about it (he may not be aware of this himself). Therefore, try to give preference to those types of mushrooms that are grown industrially, such as champignons, oyster mushrooms, shiitake and portobello that are fashionable today.. Do not buy mushrooms in the markets, from unknown representatives, as well as near roads. It is most reliable to buy mushrooms from trusted manufacturers in the nearest supermarket.

Mushrooms contain a number of substances important for human health, such as choline, which has a beneficial effect on cell membranes, which improves memory and thought processes. And also, according to recent studies, ergothioneine, the most powerful intramitochondrial antioxidant (neutralizes free radicals in the body), is found in the greatest amount in mushrooms.. It is heat-resistant, so there is no doubt that your body will get it when eating cooked mushrooms (raw, even conditionally safe, it is still not recommended to use it ever, but to preserve important properties, you should not cook them more than 25-30.

By the way, dried mushrooms can be just as dangerous as raw ones, because the drying process does not affect the destruction of certain toxins contained in most mushrooms.. Of course, pickled, canned and pickled mushrooms no longer carry any benefit and can even be dangerous, and frozen ones lose a minimum of useful properties only if they were frozen after fresh assembly (no more than a day).

Mushrooms contain vitamin D, which is not found in plant foods, which means that just one serving of mushrooms can fill part of the body's daily requirement for vitamin D.. Great news for opponents of dietary supplements!

Mushrooms are one of the top anti-cancer foods that inhibit free radicals and various inflammations.. Mushrooms contain a lot of vitamins and other useful substances, here are just a small part: B3 and B2, selenium, potassium, folic acid (necessary during pregnancy and its planning), copper, vitamins A and C, they are full of potassium, iron (therefore, it is important.

Due to the fiber, mushrooms contribute to the normalization of blood sugar levels, which makes them a dietary product, and not a "

Mushrooms contain 8 essential amino acids, therefore they are considered one of the most valuable high-protein foods and are comparable in protein value to meat (which is why mushrooms are often recommended to be included in the diet of sports nutrition and with protein deficiency). And many types of mushrooms also contain prebiotic substances necessary for healthy microflora..

Thanks to the unique bioactive components found in mushrooms, they have a positive effect on the nervous system, protecting against inflammatory and destructive processes in old age, protecting brain cells and helping to increase the number of neurons..

It is impossible not to mention that mushrooms affect the lowering of blood cholesterol levels (especially oyster mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms) and are a low-calorie product in themselves..

When choosing mushrooms, be guided by their appearance.! You should not choose mushrooms even with minimal signs of spoilage: loose, with intense dark spots, or with obvious accumulations of mucus and signs of condensation in the package. Mushrooms should be fresh, firm, preferably with a short stem without dirt, with frosted caps. Mushrooms must not emit an unpleasant odor or have droplets of moisture that indicate clearly improper storage of goods..

Store mushrooms properly! Of course, in the refrigerator, in a dry place and in well-ventilated packaging. You should not store mushrooms next to fruits - this way they deteriorate faster, and also do not forget about the property of mushrooms to absorb the maximum amount of water and odors (therefore, you should not soak them for too long or store them, for example, next to onions).

As for children, there is not a single study to date that would say that mushrooms are contraindicated for a child's body, pregnant or nursing mothers! If these are cultivated mushrooms, then the potential danger is practically eliminated, including in relation to children.. They can be introduced even from the beginning of the first days of complementary foods (from 6 months) of the baby in small quantities, if it is customary to use them in the family, while maintaining all the above recommendations.

For the first feeding of a baby, I recommend boiling mushrooms in boiling water for 5 minutes before cooking mushrooms and only then cook them without using excess oil and salt.. It is worth remembering that mushrooms contain chitin, a natural compound from the group of nitrogen-containing polysaccharides, due to which they can be digested for a long time by the body, especially a small child (including this may be due to an insufficient amount of enzymes, which increase with age), therefore.

Of course, there is no particular need to consume mushrooms if you do not like them for some reason, but what you definitely should not doubt is their undoubted benefit to the human body at any stage of the life cycle..

There is another type of mushroom that a person consumes with food and perhaps rarely thinks about it - this is yeast.. Yes, yes, those very ones, the benefits of which are debated a lot! Unlike fungi in our usual view, yeasts are unicellular microscopic fungi without mycelium.. They are very common in the environment, they can be found literally everywhere.. They are both useful and dangerous..

For example, very popular today is vegan nutritional yeast, which comes in flaked form (rarely in powder and liquid form) and has a pleasant nutty-cheese flavor.. This dietary supplement, of course, has nothing to do with cheese, and is also much more useful than baker's or brewer's yeast, as it is often enriched with vitamins, for example, group B. In fact, these are “killed” yeast cultures that are not capable of reproduction, are devoid of candida (the very “thrush” fungi that, under certain conditions, cause inflammatory processes in the body, therefore, such yeast, entering the body, does not “feed” the opportunistic microflora. In any case, I recommend being very careful about using even such yeast and always read the recommendations for use..

In conclusion, I would like to note that it is not necessary to consume mushrooms every day in large quantities and you should always focus on your feelings.. After all, there is individual intolerance and even allergies to some types of seemingly “safe” mushrooms, there may be some acute disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, in which case it is recommended to refrain from frequent use of mushrooms. In any case, moderation and variety are important for a healthy diet, which means that even healthy superfoods like mushrooms should not be abused..

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