OrganicAuthority.com - Organic Blog » organic mushrooms

Weight-Loss Trick: Substitute Mushrooms for Meat

Barbara Feiner — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:08:09 +0000

If losing weight is on your list of New Year’s resolutions, then mushrooms may become your new BFF.

I’ve written, in recent weeks, about the fab fungi’s cancer-fighting properties. Research also shows mushrooms can help you avoid consuming too many calories.

“A 2008 study published in the journal Appetite found that participants who substituted mushrooms in dishes traditionally made with ground beef—lasagna and chili, for example—reported no difference in enjoyment or hunger satisfaction compared to those who dined on the meat-containing dishes, despite consuming from 300 to almost 600 fewer calories,” says registered dietitian Karen Collins, nutrition adviser for the American Institute for Cancer Research.

“Adding mushrooms and other vegetables to soups, stews and casseroles is a great way to make a dish more filling with fewer calories,” she adds. “However, mushrooms are not nutritional substitutes for meat, since they are substantially lower in protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12. So, when adding mushrooms to add texture and flavor in place of meat, remember that dried beans, nuts, poultry or seafood should also be added in the meal to maintain equal nutrition.”

Needless to say, we recommend organic varieties.

Additional Mushroom Recipes from Organic Authority

New Research Confirms Mushrooms’ Status as Power Food

Barbara Feiner — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 16:07:42 +0000

We’ve recently covered the nutritional superpowers of the mighty mushroom, but new studies reveal its role in preventing cancer and other diseases. (Of course, we recommend buying organic varieties to reduce your risk of exposure to pesticides.) Mushrooms contain high amounts of beta-glucans, compounds that occur in yeast and the bran of cereal grains, says Lana Zivanovic, PhD, an associate professor of food science and technology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. These substances help keep immune cells in a state of vigilance, guarding against disease, she told attendees at the 2008 Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting. Mushrooms contain cancer-fighting substances, adds IFT presenter Shiuan Chen, PhD, director of surgical research at the Beckman Research Institute in Duarte, Calif. His lab experiments show mushrooms’ cells contain mechanisms that suppress breast and prostate cancer cells, and he’s now preparing for clinical trials. Results should be available within a year. Research also shows mushrooms contain ergothioneine, an antioxidant that contributes to immune support and protection of the eyes, skin, liver, kidneys and bone marrow. The substance is produced in soil and transported through the mushroom’s roots, says Joy Dubost, PhD, RD, principal nutritionist at PepsiCo. Her studies reveal stressful growing conditions can actually help mushrooms produce more antioxidants. Finally, white button mushrooms have more protein, potassium, copper and selenium than oyster or shiitake mushrooms, says Robert Beelman, PhD, a professor of food science at Pennsylvania State University in University Park. Whether mushrooms will be consumed more as foods or in supplements and extractions is yet to be seen, but he foresees a rich opportunity in the marketplace.

OrganicAuthority Recipe Archive

Organic Mushrooms

Barbara Feiner — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 16:43:12 +0000

Mushrooms are a produce-aisle favorite, but ever wonder how they stack up nutritionally?

“Mushrooms provide a variety of nutrients with few calories,” says nutritionist and registered dietitian Karen Collins, a consultant for the American Institute for Cancer Research. “A half-cup of mushroom pieces contains just 9 calories when raw or 21 calories when cooked without added fat.

“Mushrooms are a good source of the mineral selenium, which protects against cancer as an antioxidant and by promoting DNA repair,” she adds. “Mushrooms also contain other compounds that act as antioxidants and may lead to the lowering of estrogen levels in postmenopausal women.” (High estrogen levels are linked with increased risk of breast cancer.)

Here’s a basic mushroom primer:

White mushrooms (“button” mushrooms) are the most common variety of cultivated mushroom, but usually the least flavorful. They keep better than most wild mushrooms, as they tend to be firmer.
Their brown counterparts, “crimini,” have a slightly fuller flavor.
Portobello mushrooms are the fully mature form of crimini and have become a popular substitute for meat.

Tune in tomorrow for a great new recipe: Mushroom Sauté with Toasted Walnuts.

Additional Mushroom Recipes on OrganicAuthority.com