Mushrooms are a great example of
"don't judge a book by its cover." Yes, they're fungi. And sure, some
varieties look like something out of a Dr Seuss story. On the other hand,
Mushrooms need to be put into your shopping cart and added to meals far more often
(not just on pizza, though that's great too!). Here are six reasons why:
1. They provide vitamin D:
Mushrooms are the only product that
delivers vitamin D, a nutrient that's not easy to come by in many commonly
eaten foods. This is because when mushrooms are exposed to UV light, they can
produce vitamin D. For instance, one portabella mushroom treated with UV light
contains more than 100% of the Daily Value for vitamin D. Vitamin D content in
portabella, white button, and brown cremini mushrooms ("baby Bellas")
can be found on the Nutrition Facts Panel. These varieties are more likely to
be treated.
2. They taste meaty:
The flavour of mushrooms has been described
as "umami," a Japanese word meaning "pleasant savory taste," referred to as the fifth taste sense. Portabella (and cremini)
mushrooms have a meatier flavour, while white button mushrooms have a milder
flavour that deepens with cooking. Because portabella mushrooms have a meaty
texture, they're often grilled whole or served on buns in place of meat
burgers.
3. They're high in selenium:
Mushrooms are one of the richest
sources of selenium in the produce aisle. That's a mineral that works as an
antioxidant in your body, guarding cells against the kind of damage that can
lead to disease. Selenium is also essential for the immune system.
4. They vanish into ground meat:
With their meaty taste and
texture and ability to disappear into ground meat, they're the perfect way to
cut back on the amount of ground beef (or ground pork, chicken, or turkey) you
use in recipes. You'll also cut the number of calories and fat in your recipe
with this trick. (Here's my recipe for Freezer-Friendly Beef Burritos, which
uses ground beef and white button mushrooms to stretch ground beef.)
Keep in mind these ratio recommendations while you're cooking:
- Burgers and meatloaf: Use 25% mushrooms to 75% ground meat
- Tacos: Use 50% of each mushroom and ground meat
- Pasta sauces: Use 70% mushrooms to 30% ground meat
5. They may help with weight loss:
Mushrooms are extremely low in
calories. A serving of five white button mushrooms or one whole portabella
mushroom has only about 20 calories! Mushrooms, on the other hand, are also
satisfying. People who replaced mushrooms for meat at lunch reduced their
calorie and fat intake but reported feeling just as full and satisfied as those
who ate meat, according to a study published in the journal Appetite.
6. They're a sustainable crop:
Mushrooms are grown in trays indoors and don't require sunlight, farmland, or very much water. When you eat them instead of meat — or blend them to eat less meat — you're also lowering your meal's overall carbon footprint.