Mushrooms are healthy both baked and boiled, but we still eat very little of them

By: STA Date: 2022. 11. 07. 11:26

The oyster mushroom, which can be prepared in a variety of ways, is not only delicious, but also extremely healthy due to its high fiber and protein content – draws attention to the European Fresh Team program, a campaign promoting fruit and vegetable consumption by the National Chamber of Agriculture. Despite this, the average annual consumption of mushrooms nationally is only 1 kilogram per person, while the EU average is four times that.

(Photo: Pixabay)

Humans have been consuming mushrooms for an estimated 30,000 years. One of these is the cultivated oyster mushroom, which is also popular in our country, the intensive cultivation technology of which was developed by Hungarian researchers. The germ variety (propagation material) most commonly used worldwide is the pride of domestic breeding, and dozens of patented Hungarian technologies are available for its nutrient medium. It is grown in a straw medium, the mushroom does not come into contact with manure or soil.

When buying, it is definitely worth paying attention to the freshness of the mushroom

The fresh mushroom has a pleasant smell, the cap is flexible and can be crushed, the cap edge is intact, not worn, and bends slightly inward. The darker the color, the longer it can be stored refrigerated. Perhaps few people know that the young, not fully developed fruiting body (mushroom bunch) still contains a lot of special mushroom sugar, which is why the so-called umami taste appears much more when eating “baby mushrooms”. Large, overgrown hats contain less water, so they are more fibrous and harder to use. The oyster mushroom can also be eaten raw, for example in a salad; it is tastier if you blanch it a little beforehand (for 1-2 minutes, in boiling water) and add it to the salad, but it is also excellent for grilling, cooking, and steaming. Dried mushrooms must be soaked in lukewarm water before use to regain the water content lost during drying; many flavors dissolve in the soaking water, so it is advisable to use it after it has been filtered. The oyster mushroom is also an excellent ingredient for soups, meat and egg dishes, but it is also excellent grilled, stewed, salad, ragout for pasta, or even as a filling. It is an essential ingredient in vegetarian cuisine. Older specimens and the trunk are a bit chewy, but they can be used well if they are chopped or ground into food, or if they are dried and ground into powder.

Eating boletus mushrooms, which are rich in dietary fiber, promotes the harmonious functioning of our body

It slows down the absorption of carbohydrates, thereby preventing a sudden rise in blood sugar, binds bile acid, and thus lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It has a remarkable effect on blood cholesterol and blood lipoprotein levels, and it also contains antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer compounds. In terms of nutritional value, the oyster mushroom is rich in proteins (15-30% of the dry matter), most of which are easily digestible. The biological value of mushroom proteins is close to that of animal proteins. The cap always contains a higher amount of digestible protein than the stock. Its energy content is low, its water content is high, it does not contain cholesterol, and the minimum dry matter content is made up of fats and usable carbohydrates.

Domestic mushroom production has increased in recent years, from the 18,000 tons registered in 2008 to nearly 30,000 tons today, producing roughly HUF 15-20 billion in annual production value. 90 percent of the produced mushrooms are champignons, 7-8 percent are boletus mushrooms, and nearly 60 percent of these are exported.