Discover the eco-friendly and nutrient-dense benefits of mushrooms, including shiitake, white button, portobello, oyster, and maitake mushrooms.
Arguably one of the most eco-friendly (and health-friendly!) crops available, mushrooms present some truly “magical” properties. From their small physical footprint and environmental restoration, to their impressive nutritional qualities and diverse culinary applications, mushrooms truly take the term “superfood” to a whole new level. Thistle loves including this hardy ingredient in our meals, and we’re excited to share why. Read on to learn about the mushroom’s incredible benefits towards a healthier planet and a healthier you!
Mushrooms with Benefits
Mushrooms come in a plethora of varieties, and each has their own unique texture, taste and benefits. Some common varieties you’ll see in most supermarkets include Button mushrooms, Portabella mushrooms, Shiitake mushrooms and Crimini mushrooms. More exotic (and likely more expensive) types of mushrooms include Enoki mushrooms, Maitake mushrooms, Oyster mushrooms, Trumpet mushrooms, Morel mushrooms and Chanterelle mushrooms. We’ll cover just a few types in this blog post, but encourage you to try each one to experience its unique texture and flavor! Generally, mushrooms are low in total calories (due to their high water content!), and high in fiber, which supports satiety. We want to highlight some of our favorites here at Thistle, and dive more deeply into their wonders. Let’s go!
Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms are fantastic for the environment - they are able to digest wood and other potential waste products, turning them into a fuel source for growth. These “fun-guys” are also exceptionally nutrient-dense; 1 cup of raw shiitake mushrooms provides 65% of the recommended daily amount (RDA) of copper, over half the RDA of selenium and pantothenic acid, and decent amounts of zinc, manganese, riboflavin, vitamin B6, niacin and folate. From a culinary standpoint, shiitake mushrooms bring a smoky and earthy flavor to meals, along with a pleasantly chewy texture.
White Button Mushrooms
Perhaps the most commonly used mushroom, white button mushrooms provide similar ecological benefits as shiitake, and provide additional health benefits when included in the diet. A 2008 research study showed that white button mushrooms increased the amount of antiviral proteins that protect the body from harmful bacteria. In general, mushrooms can also be a source of vitamin D; when exposed to sunlight, mushrooms convert a naturally occurring compound called Ergosterol into vitamin D. Vitamin D is uncommon in foods, making mushrooms exposed to UV rays a powerhouse when it comes to nutrition. In the supermarket, you can look for mushrooms labeled “high in vitamin D” to select those that have been properly exposed.
Portobello Mushrooms
Looking for a plant-forward swap for burger night? Look no further! Portobello mushrooms provide the hearty texture meat does, and can be used to replace some or all of a traditional burger patty. These tasty fungi are as nutrient-dense as they come, providing a sizable amount of riboflavin, pantothenic acid, niacin, phosphorus, potassium and copper. Their benefits don’t stop there, though - portobello mushrooms can also be used as an eco-friendly battery - who would have thought!
Oyster Mushrooms
By now, we hope you’re feeling just as awed as we are by the superpowers mushrooms possess. We’re happy to report that oyster mushrooms are no different! Oyster mushrooms, which can convert many materials in fuel sources, were used to clean up hazardous waste after the devastating 2017 Northern California wildfires. Similarly, they were used to clean up an oil spill near the San Francisco Bay Bridge in 2007-2008. Oyster mushrooms are not only an eco-friendly superpower, but also a nutrient-dense superfood with similar nutrition benefits to portobello mushrooms.
Maitake Mushrooms
Meaning “dancing mushroom” in Japanese, Maitake mushrooms are known for their intense peppery, earthy taste. Rich in copper, B vitamins and vitamin C, Maitake mushrooms may help fight certain kinds of cancer and slow tumor growth. They have a firm texture, and hold up well during most cooking methods - a simple saute helps dilute the intense peppery taste while maintaining the chewy and satisfying texture!
Where to find mushrooms on the Thistle menu
With all the amazing benefits mushrooms provide, it’s no wonder Thistle loves including them in our meals. You’ll find mushrooms in most meal types we offer – from breakfasts like our Savory Polenta Bowl with Chimichurri, to lunches like our Miso Squash Bowl and our Lemon Miso Rice Bowl, and dinners like our Crunchy Thai Peanut Bowl and Mushroom and Kale Pesto Risotto. We even include mushrooms in some of our sweet snacks, like our Peanut Butter Ganache Bar and our Reishi Cookie Dough balls; both tasty treats contain dried Reishi mushroom powder, which may support immune function!
How to use mushrooms in your own cooking
Mushrooms are so diverse in the culinary world – from an addition to salads and stir fries to a main component of a meal, mushrooms add an umami flavor and rich, hearty texture to plant-forward cuisine. If you prefer to include mushrooms in a powdered form, you can consider dried porcini or dried reishi powder; you’ll want to review what a serving looks like, then try it in a recipe like Thistle’s Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls. To “cap” off this piece, we encourage you to try new varieties of mushrooms until you find your favorites! We hope you enjoyed this “fun-guide” to mushrooms!
Discover the eco-friendly and nutrient-dense benefits of mushrooms, including shiitake, white button, portobello, oyster, and maitake mushrooms.
Arguably one of the most eco-friendly (and health-friendly!) crops available, mushrooms present some truly “magical” properties. From their small physical footprint and environmental restoration, to their impressive nutritional qualities and diverse culinary applications, mushrooms truly take the term “superfood” to a whole new level. Thistle loves including this hardy ingredient in our meals, and we’re excited to share why. Read on to learn about the mushroom’s incredible benefits towards a healthier planet and a healthier you!
Mushrooms with Benefits
Mushrooms come in a plethora of varieties, and each has their own unique texture, taste and benefits. Some common varieties you’ll see in most supermarkets include Button mushrooms, Portabella mushrooms, Shiitake mushrooms and Crimini mushrooms. More exotic (and likely more expensive) types of mushrooms include Enoki mushrooms, Maitake mushrooms, Oyster mushrooms, Trumpet mushrooms, Morel mushrooms and Chanterelle mushrooms. We’ll cover just a few types in this blog post, but encourage you to try each one to experience its unique texture and flavor! Generally, mushrooms are low in total calories (due to their high water content!), and high in fiber, which supports satiety. We want to highlight some of our favorites here at Thistle, and dive more deeply into their wonders. Let’s go!
Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms are fantastic for the environment - they are able to digest wood and other potential waste products, turning them into a fuel source for growth. These “fun-guys” are also exceptionally nutrient-dense; 1 cup of raw shiitake mushrooms provides 65% of the recommended daily amount (RDA) of copper, over half the RDA of selenium and pantothenic acid, and decent amounts of zinc, manganese, riboflavin, vitamin B6, niacin and folate. From a culinary standpoint, shiitake mushrooms bring a smoky and earthy flavor to meals, along with a pleasantly chewy texture.
White Button Mushrooms
Perhaps the most commonly used mushroom, white button mushrooms provide similar ecological benefits as shiitake, and provide additional health benefits when included in the diet. A 2008 research study showed that white button mushrooms increased the amount of antiviral proteins that protect the body from harmful bacteria. In general, mushrooms can also be a source of vitamin D; when exposed to sunlight, mushrooms convert a naturally occurring compound called Ergosterol into vitamin D. Vitamin D is uncommon in foods, making mushrooms exposed to UV rays a powerhouse when it comes to nutrition. In the supermarket, you can look for mushrooms labeled “high in vitamin D” to select those that have been properly exposed.
Portobello Mushrooms
Looking for a plant-forward swap for burger night? Look no further! Portobello mushrooms provide the hearty texture meat does, and can be used to replace some or all of a traditional burger patty. These tasty fungi are as nutrient-dense as they come, providing a sizable amount of riboflavin, pantothenic acid, niacin, phosphorus, potassium and copper. Their benefits don’t stop there, though - portobello mushrooms can also be used as an eco-friendly battery - who would have thought!
Oyster Mushrooms
By now, we hope you’re feeling just as awed as we are by the superpowers mushrooms possess. We’re happy to report that oyster mushrooms are no different! Oyster mushrooms, which can convert many materials in fuel sources, were used to clean up hazardous waste after the devastating 2017 Northern California wildfires. Similarly, they were used to clean up an oil spill near the San Francisco Bay Bridge in 2007-2008. Oyster mushrooms are not only an eco-friendly superpower, but also a nutrient-dense superfood with similar nutrition benefits to portobello mushrooms.
Maitake Mushrooms
Meaning “dancing mushroom” in Japanese, Maitake mushrooms are known for their intense peppery, earthy taste. Rich in copper, B vitamins and vitamin C, Maitake mushrooms may help fight certain kinds of cancer and slow tumor growth. They have a firm texture, and hold up well during most cooking methods - a simple saute helps dilute the intense peppery taste while maintaining the chewy and satisfying texture!
Where to find mushrooms on the Thistle menu
With all the amazing benefits mushrooms provide, it’s no wonder Thistle loves including them in our meals. You’ll find mushrooms in most meal types we offer – from breakfasts like our Savory Polenta Bowl with Chimichurri, to lunches like our Miso Squash Bowl and our Lemon Miso Rice Bowl, and dinners like our Crunchy Thai Peanut Bowl and Mushroom and Kale Pesto Risotto. We even include mushrooms in some of our sweet snacks, like our Peanut Butter Ganache Bar and our Reishi Cookie Dough balls; both tasty treats contain dried Reishi mushroom powder, which may support immune function!
How to use mushrooms in your own cooking
Mushrooms are so diverse in the culinary world – from an addition to salads and stir fries to a main component of a meal, mushrooms add an umami flavor and rich, hearty texture to plant-forward cuisine. If you prefer to include mushrooms in a powdered form, you can consider dried porcini or dried reishi powder; you’ll want to review what a serving looks like, then try it in a recipe like Thistle’s Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls. To “cap” off this piece, we encourage you to try new varieties of mushrooms until you find your favorites! We hope you enjoyed this “fun-guide” to mushrooms!
