Rich in vitamins, minerals, fibers … Mushrooms are also low in calories and well protein. As a bonus, they offer delicate flavors. Here are the 10 best edible mushrooms to buy in the store or to pick with connoisseurs …
The mushrooms stand out from the plant kingdom by many characteristics. One thing is certain, they are rich in nutrients good for health!
These small plants are the world champions of the content of vitamin B and especially vitamin B3 (essential for the skin and the digestive and nervous systems) and vitamin B2 (which is involved in many enzymes). They are also interesting sources of minerals, such as iron or zinc and selenium.
Edible mushrooms… and good for your health!
Low in calories and rich in protein, mushrooms are true slimming allies. Their fiber content gives them appetite suppressant effects and also helps to facilitate transit. They also contribute to lower cholesterol in the blood.
Thanks to the essential nutrients they contain (selenium, copper, biotin, niacin and riboflavin), they are excellent for skin and hair health. They help protect the heart with their antioxidant properties and prevent certain cancers as well as diabetes.
Important sources of selenium, they strengthen our immune system and fight against the aging of cells, responsible for many chronic diseases.
While some mushrooms are bland and unattractive on a taste plan, around thirty in the world are recognized as excellent edibles. Be careful though, because around 20 fungi are deadly. To be able to identify the right candidates for the kitchen, it is better to go out into the field with a connoisseur.
You should avoid picking up mushrooms on roadsides, or in certain areas where the soil is polluted, as they often tend to accumulate toxic heavy metals like mercury, lead and cadmium.
Top 10 edible mushrooms
Here is our list of the 10 best edible mushrooms to buy in the store or to pick with connoisseurs …
1- Paris mushroom
The button mushroom is a type of mushroom with a slightly woody taste. In addition to being low in calories, it remains the perfect food to consume when monitoring your weight. This plant has a high water content (94%) and has a significant power of satiety which makes the feeling of hunger disappear easily and muscles transit.
A small clarification is necessary to start: the mushroom is neither a fruit nor a vegetable; it’s a vegetal which constitutes a genus in itself the fungal kingdom. Deprived of chlorophyll and therefore incapable of photosynthesis, the fungus draws organic matter from the soil for food. In addition, it provides rare minerals and vitamins (vitamin D) in large quantities.
For digest it well, it is advisable not to cook it excessively and not to add too much fat. You can put the button mushroom absolutely everywhere! It is eaten both raw and cooked and is a wonderful accompaniment to meats and fish.
2- Shiitake
the shiitake is very rich in nutrients (296kcal / 100g): it offers a high content of vitamins B5, B2, B3 (PP), D, potassium, selenium, iron, zinc and copper. It is a good source of fiber (polysaccharides including lentinan).
In Asian medicine, shiitake is renowned for its ability to better resist colds and diseases, like an elixir. Today, preparations made from shiitake are consumed almost everywhere to stimulate the immune system as well as to prevent and treat cancer.
We often cook shiitake like button mushrooms, sautéed in a wok, in accompaniment of meat or poultry dishes. It can also be associated with other Asian mushrooms such as maitake (Grifola frondosa) or reishi (Ganoderma lucidum). It is also found in the form of capsules, extracts or tablets.
3- Oyster mushroom
The oyster mushroom is a mushroom which takes its name from the Greek “pleuron” which means “side” and “ôtos”, which means “ear”. Its appearance precisely reveals a beautiful hat that is shaped like a cute little ear and its foot is off-center in relation to the hat. Low in calories, it contains around 35 calories per 100 g, and is suitable for slimming diets.
The oyster mushroom helps prevent cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, but also diabetes thanks to its antioxidant content. It also allows, thanks to its active ingredients, to fight against cancer cells, Alzheimer’s disease, to slow down aging and to strengthen the immune system!
The oyster mushroom has multiple health benefits: it has hematological, antiviral, antibiotic, and antibacterial properties. In addition to being an excellent source of B vitamins (especially vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and B9) known to give energy, it is also rich in copper, iron, zinc and phosphorus. With its composition in calcium, phosphorus, oyster mushroom also plays an important role in the growth and strengthening of bones.
4- Blue foot
the blue foot is a fungus that usually grows in deciduous and coniferous woods. It can be found from April to November. It is distinguished by its lilac to purplish blue hat and its fruity and aniseed scent.
The blue foot is sought after for its tender and fragrant flesh. Its slightly sweet taste can sometimes displease or please. Like most mushrooms, it is rich in protein and in trace elements.
However, it should not be consumed in excess because it can cause digestive syndromes, especially for very advanced mushrooms. We therefore advise picking only the youngest (purple, firm, rolled up margin) and avoiding aged, frozen or imbued (waterlogged) specimens.
5- Cèpe de Bordeaux (Boletus)
Cep is a fungus from the Boletaceae family. Appreciated for its delicious taste and nutrient richness. It is indeed a good source of minerals: iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.
It helps regulate blood pressure and helps prevent cardiovascular disease thanks to its rich in potassium. This mushroom is also distinguished by its high content of group B vitamins, essential for the good health of the organism. Its vitamin B9 composition makes it an ideal ally for women, especially before and during pregnancy. It also contributes to the proper functioning of the immune system.
6- Girolle
Still called chanterelle, the chanterelle is picked in the undergrowth from June to October. It is involved in the construction of the skeleton of children, preserves bone health in adults and prevents osteoporosis in the elderly.
The chanterelle mushroom is indeed a particularly refined mushroom and very well known for its gastronomic qualities than for its nutritional value. Its health benefits come mainly from its richness in calcium and phosphorus.
Like other mushrooms, it can be eaten in a pan with or without fat. However, it is necessary to avoid cooking too vigorously at the risk of making it rubbery. We therefore prepare it over medium heat and let it return to its water before adding garlic and parsley.
7- Trumpet of death
Despite its worrying surname, it is one of the edible mushrooms. Also known as the “cornucopia”, the death’s trumpet can be recognized by the hollow flag shape of its hat and its particular color, varying between ash gray and bluish gray. It is about 3 to 12 centimeters high. Fruity, it has a soft and fibrous texture.
The Death Trumpet is a mushroom rich in various nutrients: vitamins, trace elements and fiber. She participates in proper functioning of the digestive system and facilitates transit. Its content of essential B vitamins contributes to the vitality and proper functioning of the nervous system.
Rich in vitamin D for good bone and dental development, in vitamin E which protects against skin aging and in vitamin K to promote blood circulation, the death trumpet provides a large dose of selenium which is an excellent antioxidant.
8- Morel
The morel is a fungus from the Morchellaceae family and is highly coveted for its very particular and very fine taste. Like the truffle, it is one of the prestigious mushrooms, this is certainly due to its capricious character regarding its appearances!
The morel is distinguished by its richness in vitamin D. 100 g of this mushroom cover practically all our needs in this vitamin which participates in the absorption of calcium by our organism. It strengthens the bone strength as well as immune defenses. Also, it also contributes to the prevention of breast, lung and colon cancers.
Morel never eaten raw, it is only eaten cooked because it contains a toxic substance, hemolysin, which disappears when cooked, hence the name: “thermolabile”.
9- sheep’s foot
the Foot of a sheep (Hydnum repandum) is a fungus that belongs to the Cantharellaceae family. Like the majority of edible mushrooms, sheep’s foot is low in calories (15 kcal / 100g).
Sheep’s foot also stands out from other mushrooms by its high protein content (2g / 100g). It also has a high selenium content, a compound with antioxidant properties, as well as vitamins, B, D, E and K.
They are cooked in a pan with a knob of butter in side dish, in a sauce based on crème fraîche, in omelets but also in quiches and mushroom or forest pies.
10- Black truffle
Originally from Périgord, the black truffle is a mushroom widely used by the greatest chefs in the world of gastronomy. It is a rare and delicate dish that it is good to taste for special occasions.
Ideal slimming ally, black truffles are rich in water and have a high in fiber. The latter have an appetite suppressant effect which induces a reduction in the calories ingested and promotes weight loss. For 100 grams of truffle, there are only 92 calories. It is also involved in various metabolic processes important for the proper functioning of the body.
In cooking, black truffles are often used as condiment to enhance the taste dishes. It is best appreciated when it is believed. It can be grated and cut into thin slices before serving. It is perfect raw and goes very well on a slice of bread with salted butter, drizzled with olive oil to accompany a salad, in cheese or with scallops.
