Mushrooms

There are so many varieties of mushrooms that it’s impossible not to enjoy them. Fruity, meaty, velvety, peppery, and creamy – mushroom’s flavors taste amazing raw or cooked. They are very versatile and can be thrown in just about anything and prepared in so many ways; raw, sautéed, roasted, stuffed, breaded, stir-fried, seared, and grilled. Mushrooms give you a great, meaty texture in recipes and are packed with vitamins and minerals too.

  • Mushrooms are the only fruit/vegetable that can produce Vitamin D – which is necessary for our body to absorb calcium.
  • They are great for immune system support, as mushrooms help reduce icky inflammation in the body
  • Research has shown that mushrooms may help prevent cardiovascular disease. Mushrooms reduce the binding of certain immune cells onto the lining of the aorta artery. With the binding reduced, blood flow improves and aorta damage is prevented.
  • Mushrooms also have B2 Vitamins, which are needed for our bodies to convert food into fuel, which is then used to produce energy. B vitamins are also important for the health of our skin, hair, eyes, and liver.

Vegukate Tips:

Mushrooms usually fall on the “clean fifteen” so no need to buy organic.

Purchase mushrooms that look plump and firm. A closed veil under the mushroom’s cap indicates it’s fresh, while exposed gills usually mean it’s old. (An old Italian fruit vendor taught me that trick; let’s not question it!)

Store mushrooms in their original packaging where they will keep up to a week. If buying loose mushrooms, place them in a container and plastic wrap the lid (like a store-bought package) to keep fresh.