Mushrooms, an easy choice for cuisine

You have probably seen them packed in supermarket shelves or sprouting in your yard. You may even have had a superb meal that comprised of mushrooms. But are they nutritionally viable for you, and your baby to be? Are they safe for consumption by a pregnant woman? Rebecca Njoki found out.

Mushrooms are fungal, fleshy growths that produce spores and have a domed cap with gills underneath. They grow and expand fast and unexpectedly by absorption of fluids, a reason as to why the verb mushroom means rapid expansion.

Are they toxic?

There are over 10.000 species of mushrooms, but not all are edible. The most popular species grown in mushroom farms is known as Agaricus bisporus, and is either white or cream in colour. It is not easily distinguished as there is no distinct trait between a poisonous mushroom and the safe one for consumption. The best way to have the edible species is to purchase the packed ones from the supermarket or a certified sales outlet. Ingestion of the toxic mushroom leads to mushroom poisoning or mycetism.

Their value

Mushrooms are good for every member of the family and are a good source of phosphorous, magnesium, potassium and fibre. Magnesium helps to curb constipation, leg cramps and back pains. Since it helps in absorption of calcium, it leads to healing of bones, and hence important in pregnancy. On the other hand, phosphorous aids digestion to avoid constipation, hormone balance and nutrient consumption from other foods for the mother and the unborn. Potassium is essential in preventing fatigue and weakness of muscles because it plays an important role in helping to maintain regular muscle contraction. It also helps balance water in the body to prevent oedema. In addition, mushrooms contain no fat or cholesterol and are high in protein, therefore a good choice of diet for a weight-watcher. Some mushrooms can be a significant source of vitamin D after exposure to sun rays. However, this darkens the mushroom’s skin.

Preparing mushrooms

Mushrooms are easy to cook and easily digestible, making them an easy choice for cuisine. They do not need peeling but the stem can be cut off if it is dry and the mushroom cleaned. So what is the best and most common method of cooking mushrooms? Sarah Kahuria, a chef in a Nairobi hotel says that sauteing it is. ‘Using this method add a little butter, oil or fat in a pan and wait for it to melt. Then put in a few mushrooms at a time. After a while they will brown: then flip to allow the other side to cook. A few mushrooms are put at a time to avoid them becoming mushy.’ Other methods include grilling and microwaving. Any desired seasoning can be added into the meal while cooking or afterwards.

Other uses

Some mushrooms are medicinal. Most countries in the Middle East use some species for cancer therapy and for deriving immunity-enhancing qualities. In the past, mushrooms were the source of dyes before synthetic dyes came into existence.

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