Mushrooms belong to the Agaricus family and are not plants, but they are used in cooking as vegetables because they contain essential nutrients. Fungi are saprophytes, organisms that use dead and decaying animal and plant matter for growth and nutrition. The body of the fungus, as a rule, is scattered over a large area and is practically invisible. The part of the mycelium that mushroom pickers see is called the “fruit body.” There are thousands of species of mushrooms in the world, but mycologists have only identified about 10% of them.
Nutritional value of mushroom
Mushrooms are a natural source of vitamin D, contain the antioxidant minerals germanium and selenium, and other minerals such as copper, niacin, potassium and phosphorus. They are also rich in vitamin C, protein, calcium and iron. In addition, mushrooms contain insoluble chitin and soluble beta-glucans, which are extremely beneficial for human health.
Mushrooms are cooked because their cell walls are not digested in the gastrointestinal tract unless exposed to heat. Mushrooms fight various types of cancer, regulate blood cholesterol and therefore reduce the risk of diabetes. They also strengthen the immune system and help you lose weight.
Scientists against myths: is it true that everyone can eat mushrooms and how many useful substances do they contain?
In the new series “Scientists against Myths” we talk about misconceptions associated with mushrooms.
The season of “spike mushrooms” has begun in the forests of the Kama region. Perm residents share photographs of boletus, boletus and boletus mushrooms on social networks. Therefore, we dedicated the new series of the “Scientists against Myths” project to mushrooms. Lidia Perevedentseva, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor of the Department of Botany and Plant Genetics, agreed to tell us what is true about them and what is not.
Until 1975, only 50 species of cap mushrooms were known in the Perm region. And since the Department of Botany and Plant Genetics began research on the study of “cap” mushrooms of the Perm region, about 900 species have been identified. New ones are still being found, for example, in the Basegi Nature Reserve and other areas.
Lidia Grigorievna debunks myths associated with mushrooms
Myth 1: A lot of mushrooms in June is an anomaly
– There is nothing abnormal in the fact that there are already a lot of mushrooms in the forests now. June 2020 has many rainy and warm days, which cannot be said about the last hot summer. This time, all the circumstances were in place for the appearance of a large number of mushrooms. Now is the season of “spike mushrooms” - this is the name of the mushrooms that appear when cereal plants spike. These are boletus, boletus, but there may also be boletus.
This is the “witch’s ring” (we are talking about the mushrooms around which we are standing, of course). This is what people call mushrooms that grow all around. It was believed that witches flock to the Sabbath at midnight and begin to dance in circles. Where they dance, various poisonous mushrooms grow. In fact, these mushrooms - meadow mushrooms - are not poisonous, but, on the contrary, edible and very tasty
The mycelium grows radially in all directions. And along its edge fruiting bodies - mushrooms - are formed. The mycelium of the meadow honey fungus, for example, grows at a speed of 10 centimeters in diameter per season. Therefore, if we measure the ring, we will understand how old it is
Before the "spikelets" there was a wave of spring mushrooms - morels and strings. After the spikelets will come a few summer mushrooms (summer honey fungus). Then - autumn: milk mushrooms and rows, autumn honey mushrooms.
Myth 2: Mushrooms contain few nutrients
– In meadow honey fungus, for example, there is marasmic acid, which suppresses the development of staphylococcus. Many mushrooms are medicinal. They contain a lot of nutrients, but they are in a special “box”, the walls of which consist of very durable mushroom fiber. Therefore, in order to get all these useful substances, mushrooms need to be ground as much as possible.
Many mushrooms increase human immunity; they are called immunomodulators (for example, reishi, hericium comb, tramethes). The direction of medicine in which diseases are treated with mushrooms is called fungotherapy. But before starting this therapy, you need to consult a doctor.
Mushrooms contain many beneficial substances. The photo shows champignons that we collected during an hour-long walk around the Perm State National Research University campus
Even poisonous mushrooms have medicinal properties, but it's all about the dose. 100 grams of toadstool (one cap) is lethal for humans. But even its poisons in microdoses are used in folk medicine .
By the way, dung mushroom is used as a remedy for alcoholism. If you take it with alcohol, you will develop a severe allergy.
This is a dung mushroom. It is used as a remedy for alcoholism
Myth 3: Everyone can eat mushrooms
– Mushrooms are “heavy” food; chitin, which is contained in the cell membrane, is difficult for the body to digest. Mushrooms should not be eaten by children under five years of age, people who have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, or the elderly. It is recommended that older children be given mushrooms no more than twice a month. And best of all – in crushed form.
Lidia Grigorievna says that mushrooms are “heavy” food
Myth 4: To determine whether any mushrooms are poisonous, you need to boil them with an onion
- It is a myth. Mushrooms contain many oxidative enzymes. During boiling, they enter the solution and contribute to the darkening of the onion. This has nothing to do with whether mushrooms are poisonous or not. Unfortunately, people fall for this bait and still use this method.
Myth 5: All mushrooms are edible, the main thing is to cook them correctly
- Of course, this is a myth. I would say this: all mushrooms are edible, just some - only once (just kidding). I have already said that even a small dose of toadstool is lethal, no matter how you prepare it. Or, for example, the plush spider web is deadly poisonous to humans, causing kidney failure. It grows in Russia only here, in the Elovsky district.
There are poisonous, edible, inedible (tasteless or small) and conditionally edible mushrooms. The latter are exactly the ones that need to be prepared correctly. Not just boil and fry, but, for example, soak and salt. These, for example, include volnushka, kulbik, bitter and others.
Myth 6: Mushrooms accumulate harmful environmental substances
– Indeed, mushrooms accumulate everything and several times more than plants. Therefore, of course, they cannot be collected near roads and factories.
Harmful substances accumulate the most, for example, boletus. A little smaller - a fox. Then - milk mushroom, russula, honey mushroom.
Myth 7: Mushrooms should be cut or twisted from the soil, not pulled out
– You can twist the mushroom, you can cut it off with the stem or just the cap. But the main thing is not to damage the mycelium or tear the litter. After all, what we see above the ground is only the fruiting body. The main part of the mushroom is underground.
The mushroom can be twisted, it can be cut off with the stem or just the cap
Chaga is used to create medicines
Myth 8: Boletus mushrooms grow under birch trees, and boletuses grow under aspen trees.
– People often ask about this. It's true, the fact is that mushrooms form a symbiosis with plants. The territorial division of mushrooms depends on the types of forests. Where there are more pine trees - white pine mushroom (in the north, for example). If there are deciduous forests, there are more waves. If there are spruce trees - spruce saffron. But many mushrooms are “friends” with different trees: both coniferous and deciduous. And some, on the contrary, are picky. For example, larch butterfly forms mycorrhiza only with larch.
This is the “harvest” we reaped on the Perm State National Research University campus
The university has a large exhibition of mushrooms
There are also rare species here
Nadezhda Kasyanova
Photo: Victor Mikhalev
source
Beneficial properties of mushrooms for men
Sexual health
Medicinal mushroom extract:
- supports cardiovascular health;
- improves blood circulation in the body;
- helps with erectile dysfunction;
- improves sexual desire;
- reduces pain during sex;
- helps ejaculation.
Testosterone level
As we age, levels of hormones important to sexual health decline. Mushrooms such as cordyceps and chaga:
- increase testosterone levels;
- maintain optimal bone density;
- help with fertility;
- build muscle mass.
Endurance
Mushrooms improve endurance in athletes and physically active people.
Beneficial properties of mushrooms for women
Mushrooms and synthetic hormones
Xenoestrogens are found in cosmetics, plastics and food products, increasing estrogen levels and causing breast cancer. Mushrooms:
- detoxify;
- support healthy liver function;
- cleanse the body of harmful synthetic hormones;
- balance blood sugar levels;
- filter out unhealthy fats that contain xenoestrogens.
Hormonal stress
Mushroom extracts relax and support the adrenal system, balancing cortisol and other stress hormones.
Healthy Menstrual Cycles and Fertility
Medicinal mushroom extract helps women with:
- polycystic ovary syndrome;
- insulin resistance;
- irregular periods;
- interrupted ovulation;
- problems with conception.
Once the body is returned to a balanced state with the help of mushrooms, conception occurs more easily.
Protection against menopausal depression
Mushrooms support and restore brain function. Women during menopause concentrate more easily and do not suffer from forgetfulness.
Side effects and contraindications
Fatigue
Some people experience fatigue after eating mushrooms and feel physical discomfort.
Gastrointestinal disorder
Side effects on the stomach from mushroom dishes, even if the mushrooms are purchased at the store:
- diarrhea;
- vomit;
- spasms;
- nausea.
Hallucinations
If conditionally edible specimens end up in a mushroom picker’s basket and they were not prepared correctly, the perception of reality changes after eating the crop. People experience hallucinations within 20 minutes. After 30-40 minutes the effect reaches its peak.
Skin allergies
Mushrooms, when consumed in excess, cause:
- skin irritation and rash;
- nosebleeds;
- dry nose, throat;
- other problems.
Anxiety
Fungi cause moderate to extreme anxiety in some people. The condition worsens when mushrooms are eaten in large doses.
Mental disorders
Some people experience fear and panic attacks after eating mushrooms.
Dizziness
There are also reports of dizziness and confusion when consuming mushrooms in large quantities. People with low blood pressure faint.
Deadly mushrooms that are poisonous to humans
There are mushrooms that are deadly to humans:
- Pale toadstool - most fatal poisonings occur from it. Its distribution area is extremely wide: it is found in Europe and Asia, North Africa and North America. Prefers dark, damp places. In appearance it is extremely similar to young champignons. The content of amanitin and phalloidin causes kidney and liver failure in humans. These toxins are so dangerous that even eating half of this mushroom can be fatal. No cooking method - heat treatment, drying or freezing - eliminates its toxicity. It is believed that toadstool can infect even edible mushrooms growing nearby, so it is also better not to collect them.
- Sulfur-yellow false honey fungus grows in both coniferous and deciduous forests. Among the continents it is not found only in Africa. This mushroom prefers old stumps, like real honey mushrooms, so inexperienced mushroom pickers often confuse them. This is especially due to the fact that often false honey mushrooms grow next to honey mushrooms on a neighboring tree. They differ from edible ones in their yellowish color, thinner stem and the absence of a white “ring” on the stem. When consumed as food, the symptoms of poisoning are very similar to toadstool poisoning, although less severe. But in the absence of medical assistance, death is possible.
- The stinking fly agaric (white toadstool) belongs to the large fly agaric family and belongs to the category of deadly mushrooms. It got its name because of the very unpleasant smell of rotten meat. Grows in damp places of coniferous and deciduous forests. The cap is white, conical, with characteristic round spots. Since the smell is very unpleasant, it rarely gets into the baskets of lovers of quiet hunting, which means that poisoning from it is rare. The symptoms are close to poisoning by toadstool, the poisoning itself is very severe and requires qualified medical care.
