Don't let the humble button mushroom fool you - hidden beneath it's creamy white dome is a powerhouse of natural flavour and goodness. Neither a vegetable nor a fruit, mushrooms are a unique but surprisingly versatile addition to your menu. We have compiled nine powerful reasons why you should be including a serve of mushrooms (that's just three mushrooms) in your everyday diet.
9 powerful reasons why you should be eating three mushrooms every day!
1. Mushrooms are low in kilojoules and have virtually no fat. They also make you feel fuller for longer. This is great news if you are trying to cut back on your portion sizes to lose weight.
2. Mushrooms have high levels of antioxidants. And as you know, antioxidants help keep your body healthy.
3. One serve of mushrooms provides over 20% of your daily B vitamins: Riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin as well as the minerals selenium and copper.
4. Mushrooms have vitamin B12 both on the surface and in the flesh - the same B12 found in animal foods. The vitamin is important for both your brain and nervous system functions. What's more, mushroom B12 is easy for your body to absorb.
5. Mushrooms are the only non-animal fresh food to contain vitamin D. Adequate vitamin D lowers the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and bowel cancer.
6. Mushrooms can increase their levels of vitamin D naturally, using the sun. Simply place your store bought mushrooms in the sun for 15-minutes and the vitamin D levels will multiply. These super-charged levels of D will remain in the mushroom for a week.
7. Mushrooms contain unique compounds that appear to protect us from breast or prostate cancer. In fact, Australian research is showing that by eating just 10 grams of mushrooms a day, a woman can decrease her risk of breast cancer by 66%.
8. Mushrooms are bursting with umami flavour - and as they mature from a button to a flat mushroom, the flavour increases. Furthermore, by adding mushrooms for your meals, there is no need for added salt.
9. Thanks to their umami flavour and powerful nutrients, mushrooms are a perfect substitute for red meat. The Blend cooking technique of substituting 30-70% mince meat for mushrooms, results in a dish that is both nutritious and delicious!
Including mushrooms in your everyday diet is easy!
The distinctive flavour and texture of mushrooms makes them a fantastic choice to add to any of your savory dishes, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Toss some button mushrooms in salad, slice a few and sauté them for brekkie, add finely diced mushrooms to your spaghetti bolognese or just grill them whole on the BBQ. They are also great on kebabs, added to pie fillings, served as a sauce with your favourite steak, on a pizza... quite frankly they are so versatile, they can be enjoyed with every meal!
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