Mushrooms

ushrooms are neither a fruit nor a vegetable (they’re a fungus) but they can be good for you—if you choose the right ones. Many Slavic and Asian cultures revere mushrooms and value them for their medicinal properties. Americans, on the other hand, consider them produce outcasts. Hopefully, I can turn your mycophobia into mycophillia by teaching you how mushrooms can benefit several aspects of your health.

There are many varieties of mushrooms, both cultivated and wild, but there are only a handful of edible mushrooms that have health benefits. Shiitake, oyster, enoki, maitake and hen of the woods are the five medicinal mushrooms that you should make an effort to eat regularly (two to three times a week is optimal). Shiitake mushrooms contain compounds that protect against cancers and viruses as well as lower cholesterol. They are great immune modulators, and shiitake extracts are used by cancer patients in some countries to strengthen their immune function while undergoing treatment. Oyster mushrooms are good for your heart because they contain natural statins that act to decrease the production of LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, while other compounds in oyster mushrooms reduce inflammation and blood clotting. Enoki mushrooms are believed to protect against malignancies. In the area in Japan where they are mainly cultivated, they are consumed daily and cancer rates in that area are significantly lower than in other parts of Japan. Maitake mushrooms are known to enhance the immune system, and have anti-viral, anti-cancer, blood-pressure lowering and blood sugar-modulating properties. Hen of the woods is a wild variety of maitake mushrooms and therefore has similar medicinal benefits. There are other inedible mushrooms that are purely medicinal, such as reishi, lion’s mane and agaricus. They are taken as tonics, teas, extracts and capsules.

You may be shocked to know that you should never eat raw mushrooms, especially common white button mushrooms. They contain natural toxins that can only be inactivated by heat. Furthermore, cooking is the only way to release the nutrients of medicinal mushrooms. Common white mushrooms include button, brown, portabella, cremini, porcini and chanterelles. They have no medicinal properties and should be cooked very well if you are going to eat them.

Mushrooms are delicious and they can enhance the flavor of many foods. Unfortunately, they are often found in cream- and butter-based sauces, which add calories and unhealthy fats to an otherwise healthful food. You will find both fresh and dried mushrooms at Gelson’s. I recommend that you add them to soups, grill, roast or sauté them in olive oil for best results. Enoki mushrooms, though usually served raw, should be blanched briefly or added towards the end of cooking other mushrooms. Mushrooms pair well with lemon, onion, garlic, shallot, dill, parsley, tarragon, basil, oregano, capers, cheese, fish, chicken, beef and wine (for sauces). When you select fresh mushrooms, look for those that appear clean, fresh, smooth, moist (but not slimy), and unblemished. The gills on the underside should be tightly closed. When you bring them home, remove them from any plastic packaging and place them in a porous paper bag in the refrigerator. Clean mushrooms before use by gently wiping them with a damp paper towel or soft brush (I love my little mushroom brush from our produce department). Washing under running water or soaking fresh mushrooms is not recommended, as they will absorb the water and become mushy. However, dried mushrooms should be soaked in boiled water for several minutes before use and the soaking water should be used to add flavor to the dish. Trim the stems from most mushrooms and remove them completely from shiitakes. This month, try my recipes for Seared Ahi Tuna with Shiitake Ginger Sauce and Roasted Mushrooms with Persillade.

Women & Weight

id you know that most women gain weight throughout their lifespan up until their 70s? Incremental weight gain can have significant impact on the development of chronic disease in women. Interestingly, key life events can predict weight gain: starting college is often accompanied by the “freshman 15”; entering the workforce leads to a more sedentary lifestyle; marriage is often associated with “I’m off the market” weight gain; pregnancy weight is rarely lost after women have children (so that the more children a woman has, the more weight she is likely to gain); and, finally, hormonal changes during menopause lead to an average weight gain of 12 pounds.

The point of this is not to depress you. I’m telling you this so that you will be aware of the significant times in your life that you need to be more vigilant about gaining weight. Preventing weight gain is a much better health-promoting strategy than losing weight (except in pregnancy), since most people are unsuccessful at weight loss.

No matter your age, it’s not too late to adopt preventative strategies. Make exercise a regular part of your day and focus your food choices on eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grains and other minimally processed foods. Also try to get adequate sleep and monitor your weight with regular weigh-ins and waist circumference measurements. Preventing age-related weight gain means increased longevity, lower risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, gallbladder disease and osteoarthritis and a better overall quality of life.