I read an articleabout the health benefits of mushrooms. Assuming the article is true, I see a lot of upside to increasing the amount of store-bought mushrooms I eat, whether raw or in foods I prepare.
I know a lot of people have a problem with the idea of eating fungus, but why aren’t mushrooms touted more? Did they get a bad name at some point?
There’s no question eating wild mushrooms is risky, but that’s not what I am talking about. Why don’t we hear more about the benefits of eating mushrooms in the US? I see ads telling me how good beef is for me…
I get that but seeing that mushrooms are almost a superfood and are a worldwide multibillion-dollar industry you’d think someone would be touting them. Current world mushroom production is about 30.2 million tons and worth $ 2,800 billion.
Perhaps they don’t need to advertise and the beef industry does?
At a previous job I worked on studies where they tried to find out if chemicals caused cancer in animals. One study was on a chemical used for preserving meat , can’t recall the name. At the public hearing there were about 5 people there from a meat lobbying group, I think it was the meat institute or something like that. I believe they ruled that the chemical did not cause cancer in animals.
I’m not a food marketing person, but unless there’s a shortage of supply I want more people using my products and that takes some kind of advertising. There’s an American Mushroom Institute. I’ll see if they can tell me why I never see advertising for mushrooms unless they are on sale at the supermarket… and even that’s pretty rare. It’s as if nobody cares whether I buy them or not…
I think mushrooms are one of those “love 'em or hate 'em” foods. I fall into the “love 'em” camp.They add a nice umami hit to anything they’re added to. Both my sisters hate them. I think it’s a texture thing maybe. My wife and kids like them.
Are most of the wild mushrooms ok to eat? Read an article about people on the west coast making a good living on finding and selling big wild mushrooms. But there were fights and one guy ended up getting shot to death over wild mushrooms. I think it was Oregon or Washington or maybe both.
Yeah that’s my thought too. I know a lot of people who can’t stand mushrooms, either because the mouth feel (slimy!), texture (mushy!) or taste (dirt-y!)
I got pizza with my family for my birthday the other day and I said we had to get one with mushrooms. It was so good, it had a mushroom-y, dirt-y smell. My dad and my niece totally turned their noses up at it. More for me!
Are mushrooms a “superfood?” Are mushrooms even any good for you?
I love mushrooms, but my take on them is that they’re nutritionally pretty inert.
Try to visit Germany in the late spring, which is chanterelle season. Every decent restaurant has a special chanterelle menu…cream of chanterelle soup; beef tongue braised in a chanterelle sauce, chanterelle ice cream…mmmmmm.
A lot produce is like that. Scallions (green onions) are good but you never see those advertised. Same with, say, ginger, cabbage, jalapenos, eggplant, raspberries, parsley and so on. I think most people wouldn’t seek a particular brand of cherries or cucumbers. There simply isn’t enough to differentiate one from another.
What you do find are trade groups and associations creating ad campaigns to boost their members’ sales. The main thing that makes an Idaho potato, California raisin or Washington apple different from others is marketing success.
Dr. Grieger often says the reason broccoli (and by that he means vegan foods, including mushrooms) isn’t more popular is because it lacks the backing of the sugar, meat or dairy industry lobby.
For me, I’m kind of sick of seeing only two or so species of mushroom at the store: portobello, baby bello/cremini, button: these all the same mushroom. If you’re lucky you see shiitake, maaybe oyster or chanterelle. If Big Mushroom wants to sell more stock, give us more variety. :mad: Where’s all the fresh porcinis ?
What’s the point in eating mushrooms? A day’s worth of calories is something like 10 kilograms of mushrooms. I have better things to do than eat stuff with the texture and nutritional value of styrofoam.