Functional fungi and ‘shroom boom are two ways you might hear the increasing interest in mushrooms described these days. As the global pandemic pushed eaters toward new ways of strengthening immunity, mushrooms have emerged a winner. Products infused with mushrooms have seen 80% or more growth in the marketplace with new products being released with regularity.

Ground coffee and herbal teas are filling with fungi, and you can now find bottled cold brew, granola bars, tonics, vinaigrettes, even snack foods infused with mushrooms such as cordyceps, reishi and Lions Mane (Foragers tip: look for Lions Mane, a woodland mushroom, growing wild on the San Francisco Bay hills.)

Appreciating the strengthening power of mushrooms is not new. Chinese medicine has used mushrooms for healing since the 29th century BC, while traditional Japanese recipes are filled with home remedies and savory dishes incorporating shitake, reishi and maitake. Mushrooms are purported to help with mental acuity, immune and heart health, energy and mood support, stress and inflammation reduction and glucose regulation. Penn State, a premiere researcher in the field, discovered mushrooms have high amounts of ergothioneine and glutathione, two important antioxidants when dealing with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a known precursor to Alzheimer’s.

“What we found is that, without a doubt, mushrooms are the highest dietary source of these two antioxidants, and some types are packed with both of them,” said Robert Beelman, professor emeritus of food science and director of the Penn State Center for Plant and Mushroom Products for Health. “Porcini has the highest, by far, of any mushrooms we tested. White button mushrooms have less of the antioxidants, but still higher amounts than most foods.”

Beelman recommends eating at least five button mushrooms per day to reduce risk of neurological illness, and don’t worry about cooking them. While heat can negatively impact some functional food potency, mushrooms are different – they interact favorability with heat and fat (both from a health and culinary perspective). Resiliency lies within their cell walls. Unlike proteins found in meat, or pectin found in vegetables, mushrooms are remarkably forgiving. Composed of chitin, this heat-stable polymer allows for a quick sauté or a long roast, without the worry of breaking down the mushrooms or overcooking.

Another unique component of mushrooms is glutamate ribonucleotides, compounds that contribute a rich and savory umami taste. This amino acid flavor-bomb makes ground mushrooms a satisfying substitute for red meat, eliminating calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium (a cup of mushrooms only contains 5 mg sodium). For your next cookout, consider making Blended Burgers. Mix ground beef with up to 30% ground mushrooms (pre-roasting mushrooms with some olive oil makes the taste even richer). Your guests won’t even notice the difference!

When looking for mushroom-infused products – trust but verify. Some have been found to NOT include as much added mushroom as their labels report. Look for foods with third-party testing to insure you get what you pay for.

Epicurean Group is researching how to incorporate these new ideas and products into our communities. Here’s a few more ways to maximize mushrooms into your diet now:

• Sauté mushrooms on high heat with butter and herbs and serve on toast for breakfast.
• Make a super immunity stock using steeped dried shitake mushrooms and a sea vegetable called kombu.
• Combine ground mushrooms with ground walnuts and cauliflower for a plant-forward taco alternative.

Umami – What is it?

Along with sweet, sour, salty and bitter, umami is considered the fifth taste. Discovered by Japanese scientists in 1907, this savory flavor comes from glutamates found in food, most commonly meat, tomatoes, aged cheese, seaweed, some fish, miso, soy sauce, beets, broccoli and fermented foods. The human tongue has receptors for each “taste,” but umami receptors are most abundant. Mushrooms and dried mushroom powder contribute a strong umami flavor to cooking, bumping up flavor without the need for added salt. For delicious plant-forward cooking, remember to incorporate foods high in umami.