Nutritionists notebook: mushrooms
Veronika Powell MSc, Viva!Health
By Veronika Powell MSc, Viva! Health.
Mushrooms are always firmly placed amongst the vegetable section in any shop, but, truly, they don’t belong to the plant kingdom at all – they’re actually key members of the fungi family. Their anatomy is very different to plants and they have unique characteristics. Generally low in fat, they contain fibre, protein and a variety of minerals and vitamins, including copper, selenium, potassium, magnesium, zinc and several B vitamins. Mushrooms also contain some very specific antioxidants that help to reduce inflammation and protect our cells from damage.
With their chewy texture and low calorie content, mushrooms are a popular meat replacement in traditional meat-based dishes and, thanks to their characteristic flavour, can stand as the star of any savoury recipe.