HEADLINE VEGETABLE – Mushrooms!

The term superfood is used and overused in the media, with no formal definition. Often referring to foods displaying some of the following characteristics:

• Minimal processing without nutrient enriching
• Have nutritional benefits not seen in other foods
• Easily affordable and accessible
• Research linked to food to potential reduced risk long term disease
• Provide other bioactive compounds – antioxidants

Mushrooms are a superfood. As a matter of fact so are most other vegetables, so let’s start harnessing their supernatural powers!

Mushrooms

(flat, shitake, button, swiss, enoki and oyster)

Mushrooms are neither a fruit nor a vegetable; having a different nutritional profile to that of fruits and vegetables they complement the diet offering unique health benefits.
Rich texture and unique savoury flavour; ‘5th taste’ or ‘umami’ Japanese term meaning flavoursome.
Mushrooms contain natural glutamates (Not MSG) produced by the body, used as neurotransmitter in brain by nerve cells and therefore eliminates the need for added flavour enhancers in meals; salt or MSG.

No other vegetable can match the nutrition profile of the mushroom!

At less than $1 a serve (100g or 3 mushrooms) mushrooms provides 20% of your daily needs for each of the B vitamins; riboflavin, niacin, Pantothenic acid, biotin and minerals; selenium and copper. Whilst also high in protein, cholesterol free, virtually fat free and providing good amounts of folate and potassium.

Vitamins B12:

B12 is normally associated with animal foods; mushrooms provide it in exact same form as beef, liver and fish. Majority present on the surface cup and flesh.

• B12 present is bioavailable (1-5% recommended daily intake)
• Highly recommended for vegans

Vitamin D:

Easy way to get 100% of daily needs; especially for those with inadequate sun exposure.
The Sunlight converts ergosterol to ergocalciferol (Vit D2). Cultivated mushrooms generally have a low Vitamin D content due to a lack of light exposure. When exposed to a short burst of UV light (1-2 sec) mushrooms stimulate natural production of excess VIt D then required daily.

• Easy to absorb; 85% retention in wild mushrooms after frying for 5 mins
• Little loss through refrigeration

Fibre:

• More content when cooked and water loss
• Insoluble resistant starch acts as prebiotic; healthy blood cholesterol level maintenance.

Antioxidants:

• Ranked in the Top 5 for their powerful antioxidant capacity
• High in ergothioneine, protecting haemoglobin in RBC and monocytes from oxidation. Also found in meats, egg, wheat germ, some beans and onions but no other vegetables or fruits.

Great for your waistline

When replacing meat for mushrooms; appetite is suppressed and is substantially lower in kilojoules.

• 103 kJ/100g vs. lean beef 746 kJ/100g

Cancer Prevention

Suppress cancer enzymes which promote the development of breast cancer and play a role in prostate cancer and benign prostate enlargement

UWA study amongst 2018 Chinese women with breast cancer; women eating 10g or more mushrooms daily reduced risk by 60% – protection further enhanced if also consumed a cup of green tea (1g dried leaves).

Select – fresh, firm and colour, if I am withered I am aged.

Store – In a brown paper bag in refrigerator crisper, avoid plastic.

Prepare – Wipe with a damp cloth. If clean and undamaged do not require peeling – Vit D

Use – Fresh in salads, pasta, casseroles, soups, stir-fries, grills, barbeques, risotto, and stuffing’s.

How to cook me – Casseroles, soups, stir-fries, grill, barbeque, risotto, pasta and stuffing’s.

Other browns and whites we love – Brown lentils, artichoke, potato, swede, cauliflower, fennel, bulb garlic, ginger, leeks, white and brown onion, parsnip, shallots, taro, yams, turnips, water chestnuts, white beans (cannellini, lima, navy, soybeans).

Spotscreen has a range of engaging and informative nutrition based programs to help employees develop a more positive relationship with healthy eating. We encourage you to implement a nutrition program to generate awareness and a healthy eating culture in your workplace. Bookings are limited! So contact us now to secure your booking.

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