The benefits and harms of edible and false mushrooms for the human body: properties of forest mushrooms
Some people are very distrustful of forest mushrooms, believing that they are of no use. This erroneous opinion, unfortunately, has spread to mushrooms as well. However, it is completely unsubstantiated - the benefits of forest mushrooms are becoming obvious. To do this, it is enough just to familiarize yourself with their composition. Today you can find an abundance of information detailing the beneficial properties of a particular type of fruit body. In fact, mushrooms are a unique gift of nature that cannot be written off and considered absolutely useless.
The well-known mycologist Mikhail Vishnevsky has long made a conclusion regarding the health benefits of honey agarics. According to him, this is a real forest "pharmacy" that saturates the human body with vitamins and keeps it in good shape. It turns out that honey mushrooms are valued not only in cooking, but also in medicine. With the help of these fruiting bodies, many serious diseases are treated.
A lot of information is known about the experience today. These mushrooms are highly valued among mushroom pickers, because the nature of their growth is unique. The fact is that mainly mushrooms grow on stumps, rotten trees and fallen branches. They are very fond of forest clearings, so lovers of "quiet hunting" know exactly where to look for them. In addition, honey mushrooms do not tolerate loneliness and grow up as whole families. It is a real success to meet these mushrooms on your way, because you can get a good harvest from one small area. Honey mushrooms are also universal: they are used to prepare various dishes and preparations for the winter.
Many people, familiarizing themselves with the benefits of honey agaric mushrooms, immediately light up with the desire to go to the forest for a mushroom harvest. But I must say that the taste of these mushrooms does not lag behind, because eating them is a pleasure. However, with mushrooms, as with any other mushrooms, you need to be careful, because along with vitamins, they can also harm. From this article, you will learn in detail about the benefits and dangers of honey mushrooms.
What benefits do wild mushrooms bring to the human body?
As already noted, in order to appreciate all the benefits of mushrooms for the human body, it is necessary to familiarize oneself with their biochemical composition. Like all other edible mushrooms, honey mushrooms are 90% water and protein, which is very useful. The remaining 10% are vitamins, amino acids and useful microelements. However, even this small percentage is sufficient to have a positive effect on the body and keep it in good shape. In addition, honey mushrooms are widely used in the field of medicine.
So, what benefits do mushrooms bring to the human body, and why are they so popular? First, studies have shown that these mushrooms are high in B vitamins, as well as C, E and PP. In addition, they contain many trace elements important for the human body: magnesium, zinc, copper, sodium iron, calcium, potassium and phosphorus. I must say that the presence of calcium and phosphorus makes honey mushrooms equal to fish, as well as other seafood. Thus, vegetarians prefer to eat these particular fruiting bodies. Also honey agaric contains sugar, fiber and ash.
Another advantage of honey agaric is its low calorie content. The fact is that there are only 22 calories per 100 g of fresh product. In this regard, honey mushrooms are often used during diets and fasting. Many nutritionists recommend adding these mushrooms to the daily diet for most of their patients. After all, honey mushrooms are a source of protein and other vitamins, and due to their low calorie content, the body is not overloaded with unnecessary substances.
The benefits and harms of autumn birch honey agarics
The most popular representatives among these fruit bodies are autumn mushrooms, the benefits and harms of which we will now consider. Although it should be noted that all types of edible mushrooms have practically the same beneficial properties. Among the autumn representatives, mushrooms growing on deciduous trees, in particular, on birches, aspens, acacias, oaks, etc., are most often found. In total, autumn mushrooms can settle on more than 200 species of trees and shrubs. The peak of fertility of these mushrooms falls on the month of September, and they can be found most often on birch stumps.
In the people, such mushrooms are called "birch". A lot of information is also known about the benefits and dangers of birch mushrooms. So, only 100 g of this product can satisfy a person's daily need for essential trace elements. Copper, zinc, magnesium and iron, which are part of honey agaric, have a positive effect on the processes of hematopoiesis. That is why doctors often recommend that people with anemia eat foods from these fruiting bodies. As you can see, honey mushrooms are very much appreciated not only on the gourmet table, but also in medicine. So, with their regular consumption in food, the level of hemoglobin rises and the thyroid gland normalizes.
The benefits and harms of royal and winter honey agarics (flammulin) for men
Royal mushrooms or golden flakes bring similar benefits. Although they differ slightly from ordinary honey mushrooms in appearance, nevertheless, the beneficial properties remain unchanged for all edible species. The same can be said about summer and spring mushrooms. And as for the winter honey agaric (flammulina), here the benefits are obvious, because it does not have false counterparts. This means that the possibility of confusing it with false species and thus harming your body is reduced to zero. In addition, winter mushrooms contain anticoagulants that perfectly thin the blood. Therefore, people suffering from thrombophlebitis or increased blood clotting are advised to carry out a course of treatment with honey agarics.
However, it must be remembered that honey agaric should be eaten in moderation, otherwise it can cause food poisoning and even serious gastrointestinal diseases. I must say that eating these mushrooms at night is highly discouraged, because it is heavy food. In addition, honey mushrooms can harm the body with improper primary processing. They need to be thoroughly soaked in water and boiled for 20 minutes. Boiling honey agaric is a mandatory "ritual", because otherwise the risk of getting an upset stomach increases significantly.
What else can be said about the benefits and harms of honey agarics for humans? If we talk about the benefits, then this product has antimicrobial and even anti-cancer effects. In the presence of Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus in the body, it is just useful to use honey mushrooms. People with coronary heart disease, as well as with diabetes, are advised to make a tincture of honey agarics and take a course for 3 weeks, 2 times a year.
Thanks to the protein content, which helps to prevent and even fight the occurrence of malignant tumors. The healing properties of these mushrooms are noted by doctors in most developed countries. Moreover, the benefits of honey agarics for men can be noted. The content of trace elements in this product has a beneficial effect on male strength.
The benefits and harms of pickled, boiled and frozen mushrooms
The biggest harm is caused by false mushrooms, because many edible species can be confused with them. However, armed with the knowledge that allows you to distinguish edible honey from inedible, you will successfully avoid danger and serious consequences. It is also necessary to remember about correct heat treatment. The fact is that mushrooms contain a substance called chitin, which has an extremely negative effect on the body. And when boiled, its amount is minimized and does not pose a danger. Therefore, poorly boiled mushrooms will have a corresponding effect on the body.In addition, these fruiting bodies are not recommended for use during exacerbations of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidneys. You can also not give this product to children under 11 years old, since their body has not yet learned to digest it.
Pickled mushrooms
As you know, you can make many dishes and preparations for the winter from fresh honey mushrooms. Do these fruit bodies lose their beneficial properties during processing? For example, is there any benefit from pickled honey mushrooms? I must say that honey mushroom is one of the few products that practically does not lose its beneficial properties after processing. The benefits and harms of pickled mushrooms remain unchanged if you put them along with fresh ones. Despite canning, most vitamins, amino acids and mineral salts do not disappear in these mushrooms. And besides, pickled mushrooms do not become more high-calorie.
Frozen honey mushrooms
But the benefits of boiled and then frozen mushrooms are more obvious. It is believed that the freezing process is the best way to preserve their biochemical composition. However, as already noted, they must be pre-boiled.
The benefits and harms of dried, fried honey mushrooms and mushroom caviar
Dried mushrooms
Speaking about the benefits and harms of dried honey mushrooms, it can be noted that 100 g of the product also have an increased calorie content. This is due to the loss of moisture in the fruit body, so the protein content and calorie content increase. The main benefit of dried honey mushrooms is that they are stored for a long time and do not lose their pleasant mushroom aroma. Unfortunately, most of the nutrients are lost during drying. However, it is believed that this product is capable of removing radioactive substances from the body.
Fried honey mushrooms
And what about the benefits and dangers of fried honey agaric? First of all, the calorie content of the fruit bodies prepared in this way increases. This is mainly due to vegetable oil and other commonly used products, such as sour cream or mayonnaise. So, the number of calories per 100 g of fried mushrooms increases from 22 to 60. Therefore, for those who follow the figure, eating fried and stewed mushrooms is undesirable. However, you can cut calories by being careful about adding mayonnaise, sour cream, and butter to your meals. I must say that fried mushrooms perfectly satisfy hunger, because they are very satisfying and nutritious. Similarly, you can note the benefits and harms of caviar from honey agaric.