Button mushrooms are one of the best food known to be safe and of high value. The button mushroom with its umbrella-shaped body is a group of fungi belonging to the phylum Basidiomycota and the order Agaricales of the Plant Kingdom. Amazingly, there are 14000 species of mushrooms worldwide. Nature provides mushroom in a wide range of colors from white to yellow, orange, and red. Because of the presence of similar nutritional attributes of vegetables, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) classified the mushroom as a vegetable.
Types of mushrooms.
There are 12 common types of edible mushrooms, Their aroma and umami taste make them a popular item in Italian, (European) American, Chinese, and Japanese (Asian) cuisines. The mushroom we eat is commercially grown on farms and directly consumed in homes and restaurants. Although all mushrooms have nutraceutical value, many mushrooms such as the shiitake (Lentinus edodes), reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), (Trametes versicolor), maitake (Grifola frondosa), and turkey tail have high medicinal properties. The 12 common edible mushrooms are Button, Portobello, Cremini, Oyster, Shitake, Porcini, Hedgehog, Maitake, Enoki, Morel, Clamshell, and chanterelle.
Mushroom- an organic, safe food.
Most mushrooms grow in organic substratum without the need to use fertilizer or pesticides. sometimes you can see sprouts of mushrooms on a green lawn. Therefore, they are safe from residues of chemicals and is organic safe food. It is also safe because it is low in calories, has no cholesterol, and no sodium.
The high food value of button mushroom.
Although all mushrooms are rich in nutrients, we wish to focus on the nutrition and benefits of button mushroom as it the most largely consumed edible mushroom. Button mushroom is low in calories (22/100g). Therefore, it reduces the chances of adding weight. It has good carbohydrates and protein that fulfills 2.5 and 4% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of USDA, respectively. The fiber content is 1g gram per 100g, an agent that helps digestion (Figure 1).
Mushroom is high in vitamin B contributing to as high as 31% of RDA by riboflavin. It is also rich in vitamin C (3.5% of RDA). Vitamin D (1% of RDA) along with calcium makes it a valuable food for the development of strong bones. However, button mushroom does not contain vitamin A, E, and K (Source: USDA) (Figure 2). Therefore, vitamins A, E, and K must derive those from other sources in the diet of an individual.
Button mushroom is also rich in minerals such as copper (35% of RDA), selenium (17% of RDA), zinc (15% of RDA), and phosphorus (12% of RDA). These and other minerals make the mushroom a very effective antioxidant (Figure 3).
Button mushroom is by far one of the best sources of potassium. The button mushroom in 100g contains a significant amount of potassium (318 mg/100g ) and a less amount of sodium (5 mg/100g). Potassium helps in maintaining the fluid concentration of the blood and regulating the blood pressure. (Table 1). The addition of this superfood makes one perfectly healthy and fit.
Health Benefits of button mushroom a safe and high-value food.
Because of the combination of nutrients, the mushroom is not only a safe and high-value tasty food, but it also wards off many diseases. The medicinal benefits include protection against cancer, tumor, allergy, diabetes, and infection of virus bacteria and fungus. The benefits also include being an immunity enhancer. It detoxifies the blood and protects it from cardiovascular diseases. In the days of COVID-19, it is an excellent source of boosting immunity against this deadly disease.
A mushroom burger is a vegetarian’s delicate and delight meal!
