Many of the most prevalent diseases are related to diet; so it is common for a large part of the society concerned about what it eats to want to know what types of foods should be included in the diet to achieve an optimal state of health.
Expert recommendations promote the consumption of plant-based foods, including fruits and vegetables. But what about magic mushrooms? Are they recommended foods? What’s so special about them? The following article describes the properties of magic mushrooms and gives some ideas to taste them.
Nutritional properties of magic mushrooms
Magic mushrooms are plant-based foods distributed all over the world. There are varieties that are not edible since they are poisonous or have psychoactive effects. They have a low caloric content (about 30 kcal per 100 g of food) and high water content: about 93% of their weight is water.
Magic Mushrooms harbor little fat (about 1%), 3 grams of protein per 100 g, and negligible carbohydrate content. Like the other foods of plant origin, they do not have cholesterol. They provide about 2-2.5 g of fiber per 100 g of food.
Therefore, they are recommended foods to include within a balanced diet and especially for people suffering from diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, or cancer, among other diseases. In addition, they can be introduced within the framework of a healthy diet for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
Types of edible mushrooms
There are many varieties of Magic mushrooms with which it is possible to work in the kitchen.
- Perhaps the best known is the white mushroom, a compact and smooth mushroom, without spots and a white surface. There is also the cream mushroom, of a more ochre color, and the brown mushroom, mottled and more brownish.
- A few varieties of the genus boletus are considered to be the best edible mushrooms.
- Shiitake is a mushroom grown in Japan and China of the brownish cape. The consumption of magic mushrooms in this area of Asia is widespread, where the enokitake, with a long foot and small white hat, or the shan fu, with the appearance of small cauliflower, is also highly appreciated.
- Others such as a pergola, níscalo, amanita cesarean section, or chanterelle are more commonly consumed in Spain.
- Finally, it is worth mentioning the truffle, magic mushrooms of high gastronomic value used today in haute cuisine. The best known are the black truffle and the white truffle, both irregular in shape and very aromatic.
Ideas for incorporating magic mushrooms into your diet
By tradition, magic mushrooms have been consumed in stews. However, at present, its intake is not associated only with this type of dish, but can be found in many others:
- Salads, whether raw or cooked. A salad of spinach and slices of raw magic mushrooms with pine nuts or a fresh salad of lettuce, arugula with magic mushrooms, and apple sautéed are two good examples.
- Grilled, as an accompaniment, in a dish of varied magic mushrooms such as magic mushrooms, enokitake, and boletus.
- Stuffed magic mushrooms. For this dish, magic mushrooms with large hats will be chosen, which can be filled with vegetables, meat, or sautéed ham.
- Mashed mushrooms, which can be prepared with a sautéed oil and onion and adding potato.
- Magic Mushroom and prawn risotto is a typical Italian dish that can also be prepared with other varieties of vegetables.
- Stews with magic mushroom sauce, such as the popular chicken stew with loquats.
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