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Author: Dr. Afsah Iqbal Nahvi at 12:12 AM on March 19, 2021 No Comments

Mushrooms are also called toadstools, which are fleshy, spore-bearing fruit bodies. The term "mushroom" and its variants may be derived from the French word mousseron, which refers to moss (mousse). The main types of this large fungus are: Pleurotus ostreatus, Shiitake, Agaricus bisporus, Flammulina velutipes and Fungus. The main medicinal mushrooms are Ganoderma lucidum, Cordyceps and Poria. The vitamin D content of mushrooms depends on post-harvest handling, especially accidental exposure to sunlight. The evidence provided by the US Department of Agriculture shows that mushrooms exposed to ultraviolet light contain large amounts of vitamin D. When exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, the ergosterol in mushrooms is converted into vitamin D2 even after harvesting. This process is now being used intentionally to provide fresh vitamin D functional mushrooms in the grocery market. In the comprehensive safety assessment of the production of vitamin D in fresh mushrooms, the researchers showed that artificial ultraviolet technology is as effective for the production of vitamin D as mushrooms exposed to natural sunlight, and that ultraviolet light has a long history in the safe use of vitamin D production. history. D In food. Mushrooms are widely used in cooking and are used in many cuisines (especially China, Korea, Europe, and Japan). Edibility can be defined by standards, which include non-toxic effects on humans and ideal taste and aroma. Edible fungi are the fleshy and edible fruiting bodies of several large fungi. Edible mushrooms include many wild or cultivated fungal species. There are many kinds of mushrooms, some of them are; button, dinghri, shiitake, jelly ear mushroom, straw mushroom, golden needle, lily mushroom, snow ear mushroom, etc., but the most commonly used is button mushroom. Commonly used white mushrooms contain 93kj of calories, 7 IU of vitamin D, 17.3 mg of choline, 17 micrograms of folic acid and 3.6 mg of niacin per 100 grams. Unless the mushrooms are exposed to the sun or deliberately treated with artificial light, the vitamin D content is absent or very low. Mushrooms are a good source of the antioxidant nutrient selenium. As we all know, selenium can protect the body from chronic diseases and strengthen our immune system. Mushrooms also provide ergothioneine, which helps protect body cells from damage. Mushrooms are a rich source of nutrients, but they are low in calories, sodium and sugars, so they help control weight because they limit fat intake and have a high sense of fullness. It contains nutrients that are beneficial to heart health and anti-cancer properties. Some studies have shown that mushroom extracts (polysaccharides) are used as dietary supplements to improve immunity and even have anti-tumor properties. Beta-glucan is the main polysaccharide; it has anti-cancer, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. It is the only vegetarian source of vitamin D. Compared with cultivated mushrooms, wild mushrooms contain more vitamin D2. Lectins; glycoproteins have many medicinal properties, and mushrooms are a rich source of lectins. Mushrooms also contain ergosterol, which is good for cardiovascular diseases. Tocopherol is an essential fatty acid, which plays an important role in body metabolism and helps to improve degenerative diseases. Mushrooms can be used in the diet of patients with PEM (Protein Energy Malnutrition) to improve their condition. It is a large fungus with high nutritional value and medicinal value. Mushrooms can be cooked, marinated and added to soups, pasta and even noodles.

——The author is Shalimar SKUAST-K FST Associate Professor.

Dr. Afsah Iqbal Nahvi added mushrooms at 12:12 AM on March 19, 2021 to improve their nutritional and medicinal properties. View all posts by Dr. Afsah Iqbal Nahvi →

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