Mushrooms have crucial roles in nature. Decomposing organic matter is a major part of what they do, yet only a portion of overall benefits. There are many types of mushrooms and benefits, so let’s dive into the fun world of eatable fungus.
I’ve spent a significant amount of time studying ways to boost the immune system in addition to incorporating anything anticancer. Over and over, mushrooms popped up. White button, portobello, and crimini mushrooms are more common and known as secondary decomposers grown in organic material like manure.
The mushrooms I am excited about are the ones known for the health-promoting benefits by cultures worldwide. These types mainly grow in hardwoods.
Gourmet mushrooms like Shiitake, Oyster, King Trumpet, Lions Mane, and Pioppino taste great and have other beneficial properties such as anticancer, antiviral, and even immune system support.
The part we think of and eat is the fruiting body of a mushroom. Much of the organism we don’t see is called mycelium.
Personally, I’m a huge fan of eating mushrooms and have thoroughly enjoyed experimenting and including them into our regular diet. The King Trumpet or King Oyster is probably my favorite and tastes similar to scallops when sauteed in butter. Mushrooms are an excellent substitute for meat at meals. They provide a good source of many minerals and health-promoting compounds, are low calories, polysaccharides, amino acids, and provide small amounts of protein. We’ve even made a pulled pork that is hard to tell isn’t actually pork!
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/how-to-cook/how-to-cook-king-oyster-mushrooms
As a dietary ingredient, mushrooms are a regular in our menu, especially ones that may have microbiome promoting components. Fiber and Oligosaccharides are prebiotics that feeds good bacteria in the gut. More and more research shows that many health conditions originate or are significantly impacted by gut health and constitute over half of the body’s immune system.
Microbiome and Mushroom
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5618583/
Lion’s Mane is delicious and tastes like crab meat when dry sauteed and finished in butter with a little garlic. This flavorful fungus is a common extract for cognitive function supplements, and, interestingly, the fruiting body looks like a brain.
Another part of mushrooms I’m ecstatic about is their cancer-fighting components. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19020765/
Other mushrooms not known for their culinary wow factor but may hold the keys to overcoming the cancer epidemic are as followed:
Reishi is extremely exciting and has been used in Eastern Medicine for thousands of years. Containing a few scientifically important compounds – polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, triterpenoids – show anticancer effects. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30806265/
Supplements are a primary way of getting reishi, including powder form, dried in tea blends, and even powdered drink mixes. I highly recommend researching any supplier for quality and reputation.
Chaga- This interesting fungus ironically looks and acts similar to melanoma. This parasitic fungus grows on birch and other trees. Studies have shown Chaga extract to suppress cancer progression. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4946216/
Chaga has a very earthy taste and can be intense at times. I find drinking a Chaga Coffee mix from Four Sigmatic with a little Yacon Syrup provides an outstanding balance for the unique flavor.
There are lots of supplements, and as always, I recommend finding a reputable supplier. We carry brands I am comfortable with, but there are many options.
All in all, adding mushrooms to our diets gives us much needed nutrients and the added benieftis of immune boosting components.
Here is a technical yet handy resource about cancer and mushrooms. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/mushrooms-pdq
Written by Logan Duvall, Partner at Me & McGee Market
Arkansas Native and Father of 4. Bringing agriculture, food, regenerative practices, and medicine together to overcome cancer while strengthening the community.
Sharing gained experience from life’s journeys – primarily of my eldest son being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and lots of business failures.