There's A Fungus Among Us
What can be found on a restaurant’s menu that can have a price tag of $75 an ounce and is hunted by wild pigs? What can be found in anti-aging skincare products as well as in your backyard and has been used in ancient Chinese Medicine for thousands of years? Mushrooms!
I started to become a bit more intrigued with mushrooms when I saw that Dr. Andrew Weil, probably the most famous alternative medicine doctor in the U.S., came out with a whole line of mushroom based skincare products. Then I read Michael Pollan’s book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” where he goes on a “hunt” for the exotic chanterelle mushroom in the forests of northern California. Apparently, there are people who plan all year for the perfect time of year to go on mushroom expeditions.
Okay, so I’m not that interested in mushrooms but I will give you a brief rundown of the uses and benefits of the great fungus among us.
Truffles: “The rich man’s mushroom”, truffles, are one of the most expensive foods on the planet, especially when imported from Italy to the U.S. They are hunted by female pigs and they become excited when they sniff a chemical that is similar to the male swine sex attractant. Boy, are they delicious!
Shiitake: Not only are these mushrooms delicious when sautéed with garlic and olive oil they are also known for boosting the immune system. Shiitake extract has also been used in Asia as an injectable anti-cancer drug.
Portobello: This commonly found mushroom, also delicious, can be used like a vegetarian “steak”. It is big and meaty and can be thrown right on a grill with a slice of parmesan on it. Or it can be used in pasta sauce to make a vegetarian “ragu”.
Reishi: A fungus with anti-inflammatory properties. Sounds better than Advil.
Oyster: These have been said to help lower cholesterol.
Other Medicinal Mushrooms: Zhu Ling, God’s Mushroom, Enoki, Yamabushitake, Most of these mushrooms you probably never heard of nor will you find in a supermarket. They are used by Chinese doctors and herbalists to make concoctions used to fight a number of diseases and viral infections including cancer, high blood pressure and even Alzheimer’s disease. I would leave the usage of these mushrooms up to the experts.
There are so many more tales of mushrooms to be told. Too many for my short blog. Try the recipe below for a healthy dish that could help fight off viruses and have you looking younger!
I started to become a bit more intrigued with mushrooms when I saw that Dr. Andrew Weil, probably the most famous alternative medicine doctor in the U.S., came out with a whole line of mushroom based skincare products. Then I read Michael Pollan’s book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” where he goes on a “hunt” for the exotic chanterelle mushroom in the forests of northern California. Apparently, there are people who plan all year for the perfect time of year to go on mushroom expeditions.
Okay, so I’m not that interested in mushrooms but I will give you a brief rundown of the uses and benefits of the great fungus among us.
Truffles: “The rich man’s mushroom”, truffles, are one of the most expensive foods on the planet, especially when imported from Italy to the U.S. They are hunted by female pigs and they become excited when they sniff a chemical that is similar to the male swine sex attractant. Boy, are they delicious!
Shiitake: Not only are these mushrooms delicious when sautéed with garlic and olive oil they are also known for boosting the immune system. Shiitake extract has also been used in Asia as an injectable anti-cancer drug.
Portobello: This commonly found mushroom, also delicious, can be used like a vegetarian “steak”. It is big and meaty and can be thrown right on a grill with a slice of parmesan on it. Or it can be used in pasta sauce to make a vegetarian “ragu”.
Reishi: A fungus with anti-inflammatory properties. Sounds better than Advil.
Oyster: These have been said to help lower cholesterol.
Other Medicinal Mushrooms: Zhu Ling, God’s Mushroom, Enoki, Yamabushitake, Most of these mushrooms you probably never heard of nor will you find in a supermarket. They are used by Chinese doctors and herbalists to make concoctions used to fight a number of diseases and viral infections including cancer, high blood pressure and even Alzheimer’s disease. I would leave the usage of these mushrooms up to the experts.
There are so many more tales of mushrooms to be told. Too many for my short blog. Try the recipe below for a healthy dish that could help fight off viruses and have you looking younger!
Labels: alternative medicine, anti aging, mushrooms
posted by Jennifer
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11:23 AM 0 Comments
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