"Make up for a winter in Sanjiu, and there will be no pain in the coming year", this is a good time to take supplements. As the saying goes, "If you want to be in good health, mushroom soup is a treasure, and if you want to be thin, eat more mushrooms and less meat." It is enough to see people's love for mushrooms.
Among the many edible mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms stand out, and it is crowned as the "queen of mushrooms", which has excellent nutrition and taste, which is perfect from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine and modern nutrition.
Calcium supplementation is a hand, and the benefits are all there
The "Compendium of Materia Medica" believes that shiitake mushrooms are "sweet, flat, non-toxic, can benefit qi without hunger, cure wind and break blood, dissolve phlegm and regulate qi, benefit taste and help food, and regulate urine".
From the perspective of modern medicine, the polysaccharides, purines, ergosterols and terpenoids in shiitake mushrooms are the main substances that exert physiological activity, and the health effect of lentinan is particularly prominent. If you want to select a treasure trove of nutrients in food, shiitake mushrooms must be on the list.
1. Replenish calcium and strengthen bones
Vitamin D is an indispensable substance for the body to regulate calcium and phosphorus metabolism, which can promote the absorption and utilization of calcium in the intestine and help prevent osteoporosis. Studies have shown that the vitamin D content in shiitake mushrooms is significantly higher than that of other mushrooms, and its content is 20 times higher than that of soybeans and 8 times higher than that of kelp. Shiitake mushrooms that have been sun-dried will have higher vitamin D, with a vitamin D content of 3.9 micrograms per 100 grams.
In addition, shiitake mushrooms also contain another active ingredient, ergosterol, which can also be converted into vitamin D after exposure to sunlight, which helps to enhance the body's absorption of calcium.
2. Regulate the three highs and maintain blood vessels
In winter, when the temperature is low, the blood will become viscous, which has a great impact on blood pressure. In addition to drug assistance, there is also a good sugar in our food that can improve the intravascular situation, which is plant polysaccharides.
Plant polysaccharides are generally abundant in mushrooms, especially shiitake mushrooms. It is mainly based on starch, cellulose and pectin, which can help remove blockages from the inner walls of blood vessels, make blood flow smoother, and restore blood pressure to normal when they enter the body.
In addition, plant polysaccharides can also regulate the activity of glucose-metabolizing enzymes and reduce blood sugar levels, which has a significant preventive and ameliorating effect on diabetes.
Shiitake mushrooms also contain a substance called lentin, which can help reduce triglycerides, serum cholesterol and LDL levels in the body, prevent atherosclerosis, and have a good protective effect on the cardiovascular system.
3. Anti-aging and anti-dementia
The ergothioneine contained in shiitake mushrooms not only has strong antioxidant properties, but also plays a certain preventive role in Alzheimer's disease.
4. Enhance immunity and assist in cancer prevention
The shiitake polysaccharide in shiitake mushroom is a special immune booster, which can activate the white blood cells and T cells in the immune system to make them work better, and at the same time inhibit the growth and reproduction of viruses. For cancer cells, lentinan can produce interferon, which helps cut off its nutrients and energy, thereby hindering the occurrence and progression of tumors.
5. Promote defecation and help digestion
Shiitake mushrooms are rich in dietary fiber, and fresh shiitake mushrooms can reach 3.3g/100g, which is very beneficial in inhibiting fat absorption and preventing poor bowel movements.
What's even more commendable is that shiitake mushrooms have a tender and delicate taste, which is not as difficult to swallow as other high-fiber foods.
How to choose between fresh and dried shiitake mushrooms?
Some people believe that the most important thing is freshness, while others think that dry food is easy to store. So when we buy shiitake mushrooms, which one is better?
nutritionally
In general, there is little difference in the nutritional value between fresh and dried shiitake mushrooms. However, dried shiitake mushrooms that have been dried have higher vitamin D than fresh shiitake mushrooms, which is better for dried shiitake mushrooms.
Tip: You don't have to choose dried shiitake mushrooms for this purpose. Fresh shiitake mushrooms are sun-dried, and vitamin D content is also increased. If you only think about nutritional value, you can actually do both.
On the mouth
Fresh shiitake mushrooms taste thick, delicate and tender, and are very delicious, while dried shiitake mushrooms will taste rough because they have been dried and then soaked in water.
Flavor-wise
Dried shiitake mushrooms are dried, and their aroma is more intense, which is more suitable for making soups, adding flavor and umami to food as side dishes.
As for which one to choose, it depends on what kind of dish you want to make. If you want to make soup or stew meat, it is more recommended to choose dried shiitake mushrooms, which have a strong umami flavor, while when stir-frying, boiling hot pot, and making fillings, fresh shiitake mushrooms with a more fragrant taste and easy to taste are a better choice.
Tips: If you cook for too long, the umami substances in shiitake mushrooms will volatilize, so when you use dried shiitake mushrooms to make soup, you should also remember not to cook them for too long.
Delicious recipes
Shiitake mushroom rape - calcium supplementation is better
Rape (Shanghai green) contains a lot of calcium, and the vitamin D in shiitake mushrooms can promote calcium absorption.
Ingredients: shiitake mushrooms, Shanghai green (rape), light soy sauce, oyster sauce
Method:
1. Wash the rape, put it in boiling water, add salt and a few drops of oil and blanch for 1 minute.
2. Remove the roots of the mushrooms and cut them with a flower knife, blanch them for 1 minute, and fry them in a pan.
3. 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of starch and water to adjust the juice, pour it into a pot and bring to a boil, and pour it on top of the rape.
Chicken stew with mushrooms – for a protein boost
Ingredients: chicken, shiitake mushrooms, ginger, cooking wine
Method: Cut the chicken into pieces after washing, and cut the dried shiitake mushrooms into pieces after soaking. Start the oil pan, put in the chicken pieces, stir-fry for a while, then add the green onion, ginger and garlic, pour in cooking wine, vinegar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, add boiling water to cover the chicken, put in the shiitake mushrooms after the water boils, turn to low heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, and then put it on the plate after the juice is collected.
Stir-fried meat with black fungus and shiitake mushrooms – boosts immunity
Ingredients: 5 shiitake mushrooms, 200g snow peas, 50g black fungus, 100g lean meat, appropriate amount of oil, salt, light soy sauce
Method: Remove the stems of shiitake mushrooms, soak them in water with fungus for 1 hour, cut the mushrooms into thin slices, remove the tendons of snow peas, wash them and set aside, and cut the lean meat into shreds for later use. Heat oil in a pot, add shiitake mushrooms, black fungus and lean meat and stir-fry for 3 minutes, then add snow peas and stir-fry for 3 minutes, add light soy sauce and salt to taste, and stir-fry evenly.
Shiitake mushroom tips
1. Pick out good fresh shiitake mushrooms
Look at the color: good shiitake mushrooms are generally yellow-brown, if they are black, or there is a sticky feeling when touched by hand, it means that they are not fresh.
Look at the cap: Choose the cap of fresh shiitake mushrooms that is more uniform, round, complete, rolled down, thick meat, and no mildew. If the edge of the cap has been stretched out and the folds are yellow, it means that the shiitake mushroom is old.
It is recommended that you pour warm water into the basin, add some flour in an appropriate amount, then put the shiitake mushrooms in it, stir it in one direction, and finally rinse it with running water.
2. Tips for soaking dried shiitake mushrooms
Tip 1: Use lukewarm water
When soaking shiitake mushrooms, it is best to use warm water at 25~35 °C to speed up the soaking speed.
Tip 2: Add sugar
Adding an appropriate amount of sugar to the water can not only quickly soak the shiitake mushrooms, but also reduce the loss of nutrients in them.
Note: Do not pour out the water that has been soaked in shiitake mushrooms, there will be some water-soluble nutrients such as B vitamins and mushroom polysaccharides, which can be used as broth, freshness enhancer, etc.
In addition, dried shiitake mushrooms may contain a lot of fine sand, so you can use a little flour to knead them when washing, so that they can be washed more cleanly.