garlic mushrooms : Benefits, Side Effects, Nutrition, Types, and More
Don’t cut off and discard the stems from your garlic mushrooms s — they’re edible and just as nutritious as the tops
Sliced mushrooms on your salad. Creamy mushroom soup. Mushrooms sautéed or grilled as a side. There are so many delicious ways to use mushrooms in your meals. And these days, people and companies alike are experimenting with mushrooms, from mouth sprays that promise greater wellness[1] to the potential mental-health-boosting magic of psilocybin, which some people are microdosing.
Click here to buy magic mushrooms in the UK
Here’s the dirt on these trendy fungi, including an explainer on what scientists do and don’t know about their health benefits and risks — and how health experts recommend adding them to your health and wellness routine.
How to Cut It: garlic mushrooms
Mushrooms are a low-calorie, antioxidant-rich superfood that can be used as a meat substitute. Everyday Health staff nutritionist Kelly Kennedy, RDN, shows you how to cut mushrooms.
What Are garlic mushrooms?
We might include mushrooms in a meal as we would a vegetable, but “mushrooms are fungi, which puts them into an entirely separate food kingdom,” says Kim Bedwell of the Mushroom Council in Redwood City, California. Mushrooms grow in the wild outdoors, though those are not the varieties typically eaten. For consumption, mushrooms are grown indoors year-round. (Fungi fact: They don’t need light to flourish; instead they get their nutrients from the compost they grow in.)[3]
Common Questions & Answers
What are the health benefits of mushrooms?
Mushrooms are low in calories and fat, contain a surprising amount of protein, are a good source of blood-pressure-regulating potassium, and are high in selenium, a mineral with antioxidant properties. They may also play a role in cancer prevention, and some varieties are excellent sources of vitamin D.
Which mushrooms are poisonous?
Avoid eating wild mushrooms, as there are many varieties that cause side effects from nausea and vomiting to respiratory or organ failure and death. Stick to mushrooms found at your grocer, which are safe to eat.
What is mushroom coffee?
Mushroom coffee is a drink that’s made with a blend of ground coffee and medicinal mushrooms. Some varieties you might find in a mushroom coffee product include chaga mushroom, reishi, and cordyceps, because they’re thought to improve immune health, relieve stress, and support cognition.
Are mushrooms good for the brain?
Research suggests the antioxidants in mushrooms may help preserve neuronal health and potentially lower the risk of mild cognitive impairment, a form of early memory loss that can sometimes progress to Alzheimer’s.
What is psilocybin?
Psilocybin is the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms that people use for its hallucinogenic effects. There is some preliminary research on the use of psilocybin to treat mental health conditions.
Types of garlic mushrooms
White button mushrooms are the most popular variety. You may also find the following edible mushrooms at your grocery or specialty store or at the farmers market.
- Cremini (baby bella)
- Portobello
- Shiitake
- Oyster
- Enoki
- Beech
- Maitake
- Morel
- Porcini
Mushroom Nutrition Facts
Below are the nutrition facts for 3.5 ounces (oz) of three popular varieties of mushrooms.
White Button[5]
Calories: 31
Protein: 2.9 grams (g)
Fat: 0.4 g
Carbohydrates: 4.1 g
Potassium: 373 milligrams (mg)[6]
Selenium: 20 micrograms (mcg) (an excellent source)[7]
Cremini (Baby Bella)[8]
Calories: 30
Protein: 3.1 g
Fat: 0.2 g
Carbohydrates: 4.0 g
Potassium: 380 mg
Selenium: 15.3 mcg (an excellent source)
Portobello[9]
Calories: 32
Protein: 2.8 g
Fat: 0.3 g
Carbohydrates: 4.7 g
Potassium: 349 mg
Selenium: 14.7 mcg (an excellent source)
Forms of Mushrooms`
You may be most familiar with fresh mushrooms that you slice up for a salad or sauté for a stir-fry, but mushrooms come in a variety of other forms, too. At specialty grocers, health food stores, or dietary supplement stores and online retailers, you can also find mushroom-based supplements, nutraceuticals (whole mushroom-based products), drinks like mushroom tea, and mouth sprays. While some of these products have been researched, in general, more data is needed in the form of clinical trials to know exactly how effective they are and how they work, and there’s also a need for mushroom supplement production — mushroom farming and the manufacture and testing of supplements — to become standardized to ensure these products do what they say they do.[10] If you ingest mushrooms in these processed forms, make sure to tell your doctor, just as you would talk about any other vitamins, minerals, or supplements you’re taking.
Carbs
One cup of raw mushrooms contains 2.3 grams of carbohydrates. Mushrooms are also a good source of fiber, particularly the soluble fiber beta-glucan.3
Mushrooms have a naturally low glycemic index, which means that they are presumed to have little negative effect on blood glucose or insulin response due to their low carbohydrate content. There is not sufficient, conclusive evidence on the use of mushrooms for diabetes, however.4
Fats
Mushrooms have only a minuscule amount of fat, most of which is polyunsaturated fat. As a result, mushrooms are considered a heart-healthy food choice.
Protein
Mushrooms provide a small amount of protein at 2.2 grams per cup, which represents just a portion of your daily needs. So be sure to eat protein-rich foods such as legumes, nuts, dairy, meat, or fish as part of a balanced diet.
Vitamins and Minerals
Mushrooms are full of micronutrients. They are a good source of copper, potassium, phosphorus, and iron. Copper assists in energy production and iron utilization. Potassium is important for maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance, is required for proper nerve and muscle conduction, and may help to lower blood pressure.6
Iron is a mineral needed for the synthesis of hemoglobin, DNA, amino acids, neurotransmitters, and certain hormones.7 Mushrooms also contain niacin (vitamin B3) and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). B vitamins assist in the release of energy from carbohydrates, protein, and fat.
Calories
One cup of raw mushrooms contains just 15 calories. That makes this a low-calorie food, especially since most people don’t eat a full cup at one time and will take in even fewer calories than this.
Summary
Mushrooms are a low-calorie food that provide the body with several nutrients, such as copper, potassium, iron, and a couple of B vitamins.
Health Benefits on garlic mushrooms
A total of 126 health-related functions are thought to be produced by medicinal mushrooms and fungi.8 Research is ongoing about the potential for using mushrooms to improve health and to prevent or manage health conditions.9
In addition to the many vitamins and minerals mushrooms contain, they have also been found to have high levels of some antioxidant compounds. These compounds can be beneficial to health.
Fights Cell Damage
Antioxidants have been shown to fight oxidative stress and inflammation, which contribute to signs of aging and to the development of chronic diseases. Several varieties of mushrooms, such as porcini and white button mushrooms, are high in the antioxidants glutathione and ergothioneine, which are not found in many other plant foods.
Improves Brain Function
Consuming mushrooms may help slow the cognitive decline that comes with aging, according to both the antioxidant research above and a separate study of over 600 people aged 60 and over.
Supports Bone Health
Some mushrooms sold in stores have been treated with UV light to increase their vitamin D stores. These treated mushrooms are one of the best sources of vitamin D. Vitamin D is important for healthy bones. Eating these mushrooms has the same benefit as getting vitamin D from supplements or from sun exposure.
Normally, mushrooms are not a good source of vitamin D. The exception is wild mushrooms, but eating them can be risky if you are unable to determine which are edible and which are toxic.
Lowers Diabetes Risk
Mushrooms are a good source of fiber. Consuming dietary fiber has many health benefits, including a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.15 A 2020 study adds that the polysaccharides in mushrooms also help protect against diabetes by reducing oxidative stress.16
Reduces Depression
After reviewing results of the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), researchers noted that people who consumed mushrooms had a reduced risk of having depression.17 This effect appears to be present regardless of the amount of mushrooms consumed.
10 Different Kinds of garlic mushrooms Extract Supplements
With anti-aging effects, mental health benefits, and cancer fighting properties, you aren’t going to want to sleep on these shrooms!
What Are the Potential Side Effects of garlic mushrooms ?
The risk of side effects from mushrooms depends on the type and the source. “Broadly speaking, mushrooms are extremely safe, for the varieties that you find in your grocer,” says Brooking. On the other hand, “it’s recommended that you do not pick wild mushrooms unless you are an expert in the field. There are thousands of varieties of mushrooms, and some are poisonous,” she explains.
Wild mushrooms can cause a variety of possible side effects, most commonly nausea, vomiting, cramping, and diarrhea, which can show up within 20 minutes to four hours after ingestion. Other signs and symptoms of mushroom poisoning include excessive salivation, sweating, tears, confusion, delusions, convulsions, largely depending on what type of mushroom is eaten. It’s important to know that mushroom poisoning can be fatal, because of organ damage and failure.[19]
Another category is “magic” mushrooms, which contain substances such as psilocybin and psilocin that cause hallucinations and delusions. While these have been used for centuries, if not thousands of years, the psychedelics can lead to “bad trips” by causing anxiety, especially when taken at higher doses.[20] Though psilocybin is considered one of the “least toxic drugs known,” it’s not without risk. Using the substance can also lead to panic attacks, paranoia, mood swings, nausea, and tremors.
How to Select and Store garlic mushrooms
Mushroom varieties have different flavor profiles, says Bedwell. The type you choose will depend on your taste preferences. For instance, a “super-mild” mushroom is the white button mushroom, which you often see on pizza and at the salad bar because they really go well with any other veggie, she says. (This is a great gateway mushroom if you’re just starting to eat them.)
Stronger-flavored mushrooms include maitakes and lion’s mane, or pom poms. Maitakes have a rich, earthy flavor and can hold their own as an entrée, while lion’s mane has a crab-like flavor and texture that pairs well with shellfish and fish, Bedwell explains.
After choosing and buying mushrooms, keep those fungi dry in order to prolong their life. Store in the fridge unwashed.
How to Eat garlic mushrooms
“Once you are ready to use them, you can either brush the dirt off or give them a quick rinse, but try to avoid fully submerging them in water,’ says Bedwell.
When preparing mushrooms, don’t cut off and discard the stems; they’re edible, she says. If the bottom of the stem is dry, trim just that part off. Then chop, slice, or dice as the recipe directs.
Not sure what to whip up? The good news about mushrooms is that they’re very versatile. They can be eaten raw or disguise themselves as meat.
Bedwell recommends chopping them up really small and mixing them with ground meat in recipes for burgers and meatballs. The umami flavor of mushrooms pumps up the flavor in these recipes and makes smaller amounts of meat go further.
Or you can get back to basics and pop mushrooms in the oven and roast them, suggests Bedwell. Toss them in olive oil, salt, pepper, and thinly sliced garlic and roast for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Bring them in wherever you can. That means slicing them into a salad, stirring them into a soup, or adding them to a frittata, says Brooking.
Or make them the star of the show. Turn mushroom caps over and fill with tomato sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella and dried oregano, and broil into pizza mushrooms. Slice for a mushroom stroganoff. Or grill portobello caps for burgers. Then dig in!
garlic mushrooms Recipes
Scallion Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Mushrooms Make this ideal appetizer (it’s spicy, it’s cheesy) by Ambitious Kitchen. Your crowd will love it!
Mighty Mushroom Blended Burger Diced mushrooms blend effortlessly with ground beef for a healthier take on a burger that has a really rich flavor, in this recipe from the Mushroom Council.
Amazing Mushroom Bowls With Kale Pesto Pinch of Yum combines smoky-sweet marinated mushrooms with pineapple and bell peppers, and serves it all over rice and dollops of kale pesto for a lunch- or dinnerworthy meal.
Nondairy Cream of Mushroom Soup The registered dietitian-nutritionist Joy Bauer purees mushrooms, cannellini beans, and broth to create a silky-smooth soup that tastes really rich (but doesn’t contain a lick of cream).
Smoky Shiitake Quesadillas With Avocado Cream Spiced-up shiitakes and grated cheddar are tucked away in tortillas (substitute whole-wheat flats if you’d like) and topped with a Greek yogurt–based avocado cream from How Sweet Eats.
Summary on garlic mushrooms
Mushrooms are a healthy and flavorful ingredient to add to a variety of dishes, from appetizers to soups and salads, and as a side or the main dish. “They’re nutritious, and they add that umami sense of richness that enhances the flavor of any dish. This makes mushrooms really important from a nutrition standpoint but also to make healthy food taste great,” says Brooking.