The Joy and Benefits of Summer Mushrooms
A strong and fresh summer rain is simply magical. Like the wand of a cosmic wizard, everything around us springs to life with vigor, and bursts with ecstatic color and enthusiasm. Greens are greener, flowers are brighter, the air smells rich and fresh, and if we are lucky, a hidden rainbow of color emerges from the forest. In true rainbow fashion, it is but a fleeting glimmer.
With the renewed growing activity from the rain, our fungal allies and teachers rise to greet us if we are brave enough to venture out. During the rain an observant hiker may notice yellow, gold, or black Tremella species sometimes called "Witches Butter". Able to hold up to 500 times its weight in water, it will be the first to retreat when the sun returns. Hidden under some foliage you may spot the vibrant red Boletes or Russula against dramatic green moss, or the arresting orange of the Orange Mycena, the yellow POP! of Chantrelles and Chicken of the Woods, the soft gray and cornflower blue of the Indigo Milkies, or the striking white of the Destroying Angel. A true rainbow indeed, not all safe to eat, but an ephemeral feast for the eyes nonetheless.
Fungi play many different critical roles in the forest ecosystem, and in kind, those that are safe to consume can play many different roles in our health and wellbeing. Mushrooms are a joy to include in our diet, and the staggering number of phytochemicals, beta-glucans, polysacharides, antioxidants, terpenoid & phenolic compounds, vitamins, and fiber content make this whole food group just one giant Superfood! group. Teas, powders, extracts, tinctures, and good ol' meat substitutes make mushrooms a top choice for inclusion in our diet at any and all times. The well documented and long list of benefits - including just for a start: anti-tumor & cancer support, neurogenisis, cardiovascular support, immune boosting, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties - have prompted dozens of books and hundreds of articles on their medicinal benefits and uses. Included at the end of this article are a short list of my favorite books and resources for further exploration on the panacea of benefits that mushrooms offer to us. An important characteristic of the fleshy, edible mushrooms, is that as a group, fleshy, edible mushrooms have the highest fiber content of any food. (Reishi, Turkey Tail, Chaga, and some others are too fibrous and tough to consume as food, and are typically extracted and the nutrients made available as teas, tinctures, and powders.) In a country that has chronically low fiber intake and resulting health complications due to high meat, fat, and sugar consumption (which have no fiber whatsoever), this is critically important in turning the tide against chronic inflammation and disease. Just by working mushrooms into our diet (for fun, no less, they are often SO delicious and versatile!) we can take a simple, but BIG step to improving our overall health. If that's not magic, I don't know what is!
Summertime is about joy and celebration, and so too should we bring our fungal friends to the party. Grilled oyster and shiitake mushroom kebabs, ginger and turkey tail iced tea, sauteed mushroom fajitas, pasta with tomatoes and chantrelles, button mushroom salad, Lion's Mane faux-"lobster" rolls, mushroom and vegetable shakshuka, Reishi Root Beer, mushroom coffee, the possibilities are endless! With the weather unreliable, and our concern for safety and ecology paramount, we are gifted with the fact that many of the most delicious and beneficial species are relatively easily cultivated and available to us. Here in Western North Carolina there are abundant farmers markets and tailgate markets, along with respectable ready to cook mushroom packages in nearly all grocery stores. Mushroom drinks have even begun to hit the shelves! Look for them by the kombucha. There are cultivation classes and foraging classes around you no matter where you are. There are mushroom groups if you really get inoculated!
A quick note about procuring mushrooms: One of the most amazing features of fungi is how they work within the ecosystem. They break things down and recycle them. They pass nutrients, enzymes, and chemical impulses back and forth between trees and plants underground. Mushrooms are to mycelium what the apple is to the apple tree. It is the fruiting body spreading the seed (spores). Because of these amazing characteristics, they can pick up environmental contaminants and toxins. Whenever we obtain mushrooms, we always want to ensure that they were grown in clean, contaminant free, healthy environments. They are known to pick up heavy metals such as lead or mercury. Never eat or buy mushrooms grown in China. (It was mentioned on a podcast that even Chinese mycologists wouldn't buy or eat mushrooms cultivated in China.) An important example of the positive impact of this aspect is how mushrooms can actually help clean up some environmental toxin problems. This aspect is called "Mycoremediation". Mushrooms save the day, once again!
Being out in the woods, whether for mushrooms or serenity, has it's own healing properties. Simply being present in the forest, or going for a hike, endows us with a host of health benefits, both physically and psychologically. Well documented research from a number of locations, most notably and influentially Japan, has clinically demonstrated a range of positive health outcomes. In his book Forest Bathing: How Trees can Help You Find Health and Happiness, Dr. Qing Li summarises the research and outlines the many benefits of time spent in the woods. Simply by looking at a plant the natural color green that our eyes perceive helps improve our mood. A short walk in a park or on a trail elevates our mood, and improves our health measurably. By breathing in the phytochemicals released by the trees and plants we deliver a boost to our immune system, and it stimulates the production of 'natural killer' T cells. The more time spent in the woods, the better it is for us.
As our understanding of mushrooms and ecology expands, the clearer it becomes that we need them, and in some respects they need us. Celebrate the joy of partnership at your next cookout or gathering by working in a few different kinds of mushrooms. Consider welcoming them into your life with a home grow kit, a cultivation or foraging class by one of our many resident experts here in WNC. An offer of quiet gratitude on your next walk for all that they do, and all we can be together goes a long way as well.
Rob Wunder
Eagle Scout, Foray Director - MOMS-KC; Master Naturalist-Loess Bluffs Chapter;
Leave No Trace Certified, Wild Mushroom Certified
Resources:
Books:
Christopher Hobbs's Medicinal Mushrooms: The Essential Guide - Dr. Christopher Hobbs - "If you can only have 1 mushroom book, this should be it."
The Complete Mushroom Hunter: An Illustrated Guide to Foraging, Harvesting, and Enjoying Wild Mushrooms - Gary Lincoff - "Lincoff is a superstar in the world of fungi, and this book is an amazing resource for any fungi enthusiast."
Fantastic Fungi - Paul Stamets - "The companion book to the movie - available on Netflix - It offers a fantastic overview of all the multifaceted benefits of fungi. The movie is excellent."
Podcast:
The Mushroom Hour Podcast - "Each episode features an interview with an expert, from every mushroom related field imaginable. The host chooses not to use his name; brilliantly, the whole podcast is focused and directed towards the interview subject. You will learn incredible things if you listen to this podcast."
WNC Local Resources:
No Taste Like Home - https://notastelikehome.org/ - "Alan Muscat and his team offer a great experience. You will get to know a variety of local plants and fungi, and nothing - I mean, nothing - can replace learning from an experienced forager like Alan." http://www.alanmuskat.com/the-mushroom-man/
Asheville Mushroom Club - https://ashevillemushroomclub.org/
NAMA - The North American Mycological Association - https://namyco.org/
Keep an eye out for more meal ideas, recipes, and info coming up on the blog and social media!
