Cooking Methods!!

Mushrooms can have lots of nutrients and health benefits, but it all depends on how they are prepared. 

An academic article from 2016 compares different cooking methods and their effects on nutrients in mushrooms. They looked at four mushroom types, including three grown here: Shiitake mushrooms, Snow Oysters, and King Oysters.

Researchers found deep-frying mushrooms lost protein, carbohydrates and antioxidants while increasing fat and energy. Boiling the mushrooms also lowered antioxidants, but they improved the amount of beta-glucans. Those are sources of dietary fibre with claims to have positive effects when treating diseases and resisting allergies, according to the article. 

So what cooking methods are considered the best for preserving the mushroom’s nutrients? It’s grilling and, get this, microwaving. The researchers grilled mushroom slices for three minutes on each side and they microwaved other mushroom slices in a microwave for 90 seconds. 

Both methods slightly increased the beta-glucans as well for all the mushrooms except the King Oysters, where all the methods caused a decrease. 

The two techniques also enhanced the mushroom’s antioxidants from the raw mushrooms. Researchers saw grilling the King Oysters as the better way to increase antioxidants while microwaving was more suitable for the Snow Oysters. 

Can mushrooms be eaten raw?

We recommend cooking mushrooms instead of eating them raw.

There are cases of edible mushrooms sometimes causing illness when not prepared properly or eaten raw. There is also some concern with raw shiitake mushrooms, but they are fine when cooked.

Cooking the mushrooms is more digestible and releases the nutrients so they can help the body.

All that’s left to do is check out our mushrooms and bring some home to see what cooking method you like the most!

Disclaimer: Despite the references provided, this information is for educational purposes only.