Mushrooms, tasty, easy to cook and nutritious, are increasingly being added to the Indian cuisine. The common mushrooms varieties in our country are Button, Portobello, Oyster, Shitake and Enoki. Owing to its earthy flavour and interesting texture, it is a hit with children too.
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE
Mushrooms possess a very impressive range of nutrients. Rich source of Vitamin D, it is also abundant in anti-oxidants, Vitamin B compounds, proteins and minerals such as selenium, potassium, phosphorous and iron together with dietary fiber. Besides these, its calorie count is very low and the fat percentage is close to zero.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Here are some health benefits of mushrooms:
1 . Improve Skeletal Health
Mushrooms are one of the rare sources of Vitamin D in edible form. This essential nutrient helps the body metabolize and absorb minerals like Calcium and Phosphorous thereby supplementing bone and teeth strength.
2 . Aid Weight Loss
Being a vegan source of lean protein, mushroom is an excellent choice for vegetarian and non-vegetarian weight watchers. The protein content combined with the dietary fiber of the fungi hastens the rate of metabolism in our body, leading to quick weight loss.
3 . Treat Anaemia
A diet enriched with mushrooms ensures that we get a healthy dose of iron from our food-source that aids the formation of haemoglobin in our body. Also, the iron found in mushrooms is of the type that can easily be assimilated by humans, increasing its potency as a source of the mineral.
4 . Control Hypertension
The high potassium content of mushrooms helps alleviate the spikes in blood pressure by vasodilating the blood vessels. The potassium content also helps in promoting a healthy nervous system by supplementing the neurons.
5 . Boost Immunity
Mushrooms are a very potent source of naturally occurring anti-oxidants. Eating a cup of the fungi on a daily basis can reverse the oxidizing effect of deadly free-radicals on our cells. This helps prevent diseases and slows down skin-ageing.
6 . Lower Cholesterol Levels
Mushrooms are practically a zero calorie vegan food source. The fibre, potassium and vitamin C contained in mushrooms contributes towards lowering the harmful LDL levels in our blood, thereby preserving our heart-health.
So, go ahead and add this amazing food to your diet. Cheap to buy, easy to cook, it can be combined with animal proteins or vegetables of your choice in a whole range of dishes. Eat Healthy, Stay Happy with 1mg!