The Easy Hack To Make Mushrooms Even More Nutritious

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health says there are over 10,000 variations of mushrooms. Regarding edible mushrooms, you may be familiar with sweet candy caps (a fantastic maple syrup alternative) or the smokey shiitake. There are many you probably haven't heard of before, such as Caesar's mushroom, famous in Italy and usually eaten raw, or the King Bolete, which resembles a sponge in mushroom shape and is most commonly found in the northern hemisphere. While memorizing the name of every mushroom may not be feasible, we have a simple trick for mushrooms that you can remember.

Mushrooms are highly nutritious; they are high in B vitamins, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin D and low in calories and fat. With the power to reduce inflammation and prevent infections, this bell-shaped fungus could even lower cancer risk. But what if we said you could make them even more nutritious from the comfort of your very own home? Listen up; now is the time to boost your mushrooms!

This hack to turn your mushrooms into nutritional giants is quick and easy. Katherine Phillips, a senior research scientist at Virginia Tech University, revealed in an interview with The Guardian that placing sliced mushrooms outside for just 15 minutes could "...enhance the vitamin D by at least 25%". Make sure you place the mushrooms on aluminum foil; if they are whole, place them gill side up. We usually make 50%-90% of our vitamin D intake from sunlight, but wouldn't it be convenient to supplement some of this with mushrooms?

I'm sure you might be asking, why should I put my mushrooms out in the sun if I can go outside myself? Well, you may not always be guaranteed sunlight when you want it, especially during the winter months we all know that our vitamin D intake can take a bit of a drop. Yet, it's also important to consider how your work may impact your exposure to sunlight, perhaps you work long hours inside? Well, this hack could increase your vitamin D intake, which can, in turn, strengthen your immune system and support healthy bones.

While there may still be many mysteries surrounding the wonderful mushroom, here are a few facts and tips you could be unfamiliar with. First, mushrooms possess a porous surface that readily absorbs moisture (so you may want to determine the best time to salt them during the cooking process). It's important to store these fungi where moisture accumulation will be limited. Martha Stewart recommends storing mushrooms in the refrigerator in a brown paper bag to preserve the best texture and flavor. It is also important to highlight here that as soon as mushrooms are harvested, they begin to lose nutrition, so keeping them in the refrigerator is critical.

Mushrooms are also delicious meat alternatives. For instance, mushroom beef jerky, oyster mushroom scallops, or even diced/grated mushrooms as mincemeat. And it is not only the ethical argument that sees mushrooms as a popular plant-based alternative; they may be the key to sustainable agriculture. Farming mushrooms uses less water, less space, requires less energy, and emits less carbon dioxide. The nutritional benefits of mushrooms — especially regarding protein — are comparable to traditional meat and soy-based foods. Mushrooms could become a worthy replacement for meat products in the coming years and the secret to future farming and nutrition. We're so here for it.