Mushrooms add the 'meat'

Mushrooms make food “meaty,” adding a tender but chewy texture that makes for a satisfying “bite” to a dish. Mushrooms are also fantastic little sponges, soaking up the briny, salty or savory flavors of liquids in a dish and happily releasing them as you chew.

Pairing mushrooms with pork tenderloin makes the whole barbecue better, adding the smooth mushroom texture to the shreds of pork, both sopped with the sauce they were cooked in. This barbecue is cooked on the grill, but it also works beautifully when simmered all day in a slow cooker.

Quick & Easy Barbecue Pork and Mushrooms

1 whole pork tenderloin, trimmed (about 1 pound)

1 tablespoon barbeque sauce, honey-smoked

2 Portabella mushroom caps, sliced into 1/4 inch strips

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon grill seasoning, mesquite 

Pre-heat grill to 350 degrees. Place pork on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Rub the barbecue sauce on the pork. Spread the mushroom strips around the pork and drizzle oil over the pork and mushrooms. Sprinkle the grill seasoning over the mushrooms.

Fold the sides and ends of the foil up and crimp to seal. Place pork packet on the grill, close cover. Let the pork cook 45 minutes, remove from the grill and let rest 15 minutes. Carefully unwrap the foil and remove the pork.

Cut into 4 sections. With two forks, shred the pork. Mix the shredded pork with some of the remaining juices from the foil to moisten. 

Top with the mushrooms and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: Calories 190; total fat 6g; saturated fat 1.5g; trans fat 0g; cholesterol 75mg; sodium 340mg; carbohydrate 6g; dietary fiber 1g; sugars 2g; protein 26g.

Eating Mushrooms Slashes Risk of Breast Cancer by Two-Thirds

Regular mushroom consumption can decrease a woman's risk of breast cancer by two thirds, researchers have found.

Scientists from the University of Western Australia in Perth conducted a study on 2,018 Chinese women, half of whom had been diagnosed with breast cancer. After adjusting for known cancer risk factors such as obesity, smoking, lack of exercise and lower education level, the researchers found that women who ate at least 10 grams of button mushrooms per day were 64 percent less likely to develop the disease. Women who ate dried mushrooms regularly also significantly reduced their cancer risk, although not by as much.

The study was published in the International Journal of Cancer.

This is not the first time scientists have found evidence of mushrooms' cancer-fighting properties. Laboratory studies have found that mushrooms may suppress the body's production of the sex hormone estrogen, much like the breast cancer drugs known as aromatose inhibitors. High estrogen levels are a well-known risk factor for breast cancer. 

Mushrooms have also been found to strengthen the body's immune function and block tumor development. Mushroom extract has been shown to stop the growth of breast cancer cells, sparking an ongoing study into whether taking mushroom extract twice per month can prevent a recurrence of the disease. 

While the Chinese study focused on the culinary mushrooms Agaricus bisporus (button mushrooms), the study on extracts is focusing on the traditional medicinal mushroom Phellinus linteus. In Eastern medicine, this mushroom is used to help refresh the body and lengthen lifespan.

Researchers believe that P. linteus acts by blocking the action of an enzyme known as AKT, which plays a role in controlling cell growth. Prior studies have suggested that the mushroom hampers the activity of skin, lung and prostate cancer cells. It reduces uncontrollable cell growth and blocks the development of blood vessels that keep tumors alive.

Mushrooms Synthesize Vitamin D When Exposed to Ultraviolet Light

Recent research recommends that like humans, some animals and certain species of algae, mushrooms may also be able to synthesize vitamin D upon exposure to sunlight.

Vitamin D is synthesized by the body upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight. Synthesis of the vitamin does not appear to be possible in the absence of ultraviolet radiation. The vitamin D in the diet of fish, for example, ultimately comes from several varieties of shallow water algae that produce it from sunlight.

Mushrooms, however, contain 4 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D per serving, and early studies suggest that this can be increased to 100 percent simply by exposing the mushrooms to sunlight for just five minutes.

A further test of this phenomenon was recently conducted by researchers from Crosby House Surgery in England. In a case study, a single 30-year-old, vitamin D deficient Indian man was fed mushrooms that had been treated with ultraviolet-B radiation. After three months of eating the mushrooms daily, his blood vitamin D levels increased by 129 percent.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that functions as a hormone precursor and also plays a critical role in calcium absorption and bone health. Researchers have long known that deficiency can lead to bone deformities in children and adults, as well as increasing adults' risk of osteoporosis and fractures. New research suggests, however, the vitamin D deficiency may also increase the risk of autoimmune diseases, cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Many studies suggest, however, that nearly 50 percent of people in the United States may be vitamin D deficient. 

Doctors recommend that light-skinned people get 15 minutes of sun on the face and hands per day to ensure sufficient vitamin D levels; more exposure might be needed during the winter for those living far from the equator. People with darker skin need correspondingly more exposure.

Mushrooms: The Underestimated Super Food

Mushrooms: The Underestimated Super Food

Scientific Research:

Several scientists addressed the health benefits of mushrooms in a session in July 2008 at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo in New Orleans.

Mushrooms are low in calories, cholesterol and sodium, and they provide plenty of fiber and flavor when cooked. But the big news is that they are high in antioxidants, selenium, riboflavin and other healthful substances that protect the immune system and fight cancer.

Mushrooms contain high amounts of beta-glucans, compounds that occur in the bran of cereal grains and in yeast. These substances help to keep immune cells in a state of vigilance, guarding against disease, said Lana Zivanovic, Ph.D., with the University of Tennessee's Department of Food Science and Technology.

Mushrooms also contain cancer-fighting substances, said Shiuan Chen, Ph.D., director of surgical research at the Beckman Research Institute in Duarte, Calif.

Chen's lab experiments show that mushrooms' cells contain mechanisms that suppress breast and prostate cancer cells. He is following up his lab work with clinical trials funded by the Mushroom Council. Results should be out in a year, he said.

Research is showing that mushrooms contain ergothioneine, an antioxidant that contributes to immune support and protection of the eyes, skin, liver, kidneys and bone marrow.

Scientists have unearthed other mushroom benefits including robust amounts of selenium, vitamin D and potassium. "White button mushrooms have more protein, potassium, copper and selenium than oyster or shiitake mushrooms”

Magic Mushrooms - You must watch

Reishi Mushrooms

Reishi Mushrooms Offer Help for Those with Rheumatoid Arthritis 

One of the key measures of a long and well lived life is adaptability. A person`s ability to adapt to changing circumstances goes a long way toward predicting longevity. This involves the responsiveness and functionality of the immune system. A robust immune system capable of adjusting to ever-changing situations is a key factor in preventing the manifestation of a cold or cancer, or anything in between. One important aspect of immune function is its ability to self-regulate downward when needed so that it doesn`t become hyperactive and attack your own tissues, as in the case with Rheumatoid arthritis. Fortunately, nature has delivered an amazingly versatile herb in the Reishi mushroom with the proven capacity to deliver relief and even assist in reversing this condition.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that can be characterized by chronic inflammation of the tissues and organs, but it usually attacks the joints. This hyper-inflammatory response can lead to the destruction of cartilage and the loss of mobility. Symptoms of RA can include swollen and stiff joints, accompanied by considerable pain and loss of function. It is three times more common in women than men, with the first onset of symptoms usually occurring between the ages of 40 and 60. RA is usually treated by mainstream medicine with cortisone-like steroids that suppress the immune system. Even in low dosages, these drugs can cause osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, weight gain, or high blood sugar. Most importantly, this unnatural and dangerous approach to artificially suppressing the immune system can leave you susceptible to infections.

Reishi mushroom, also known as Ganoderma lucidum, is one of the oldest known herbal medicines in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It is native to China, Japan, and North America, has been used for thousands of years, and is revered for its longevity-promoting capabilities. Reishi influences cells that regulate the immune system - namely, lymphatic cells and interferon alpha and interferon beta cells - and has the ability to "educate" these cells of immunity so that they better respond to the body`s needs. In other words, with the help of Reishi, if cells of the immune system are not responsive enough, they will be called to action, or if they are hyperactive such as in the case of an autoimmune disorder such as RA, they will back down.

Where steroid medications suppress the immune system, Reishi doesn`t stimulate or suppress but rather educates, helps modulate, and teaches the cells of the immune system how to self-regulate more effectively. When your white blood cells graduate from the School of Reishi, they are better equipped to manage your immune system.

Reishi capsules or a Reishi tea that you consume today may have been one hundred years or more in the making. First, a tree grows and lives for decades, absorbing energy and nutrients from the sun and the soil. Then, when the tree begins to die, mushrooms will attach to the tree, absorb the life force and further concentrate the nutritional content and medicinal qualities that the tree has acquired throughout its life. Once the mushrooms are harvested and encapsulated or made into powders or teas, this concentrated life force is transferred to its end user. This process represents unleashing the power of Mother Nature onto your immunity.

Mushrooms=Multiple nutrients

Mushrooms are a source of multiple nutrients 

There is often confusion as to whether mushrooms are herbs or vegetables. They are neither because they are classified as part of the fungi family. Only around 3000 of the 14 000 documented varieties of mushroom are edible. They contain a wide range of nutrients, ranging from niacin to fiber, potassium and selenium.

The potassium in mushrooms is excellent for lowering blood pressure, preventing strokes and easing cramps. Mushrooms are low in carbohydrates and contain lean proteins, which make them an ideal low energy snack for diabetics. Due to the presence of Linoleic Acid, they can also be instrumental in the prevention of both breast and prostate cancers.

Mushrooms contain Ergothioneine, which is a powerful antioxidant. They also contain natural antibiotics which are able to help inhibit fungal and microbial infections. They have been known to help heal ulcers and boost the immune system. These fungi are also an excellent food source for those wanting to lose weight, as they are composed almost entirely of water and fiber.

Their Selenium content works alongside Vitamin E to prevent the damaging effects of free radicals. Mushrooms are one of the very few foods to contain an edible form of Vitamin D. They also contain copper, calcium, riboflavin, niacin, zinc, phosphorus and pantothenic acid. Niacin works at interrupting the activity of homocysteine, which is associated with elevated cholesterol levels and an increased risk of osteoarthritis, strokes, heart disease, Alzheimer's and many other cognitive disorders. Their zinc content is essential for helping to stabilize blood sugar levels and also assists with wound healing. Copper is essential for keeping the cardiovascular system healthy.

Much of the research done has focused on the shiitake, reishi, maitake and crimini mushroom varieties. However, research has recently discovered that the common white button mushrooms have just as much cancer-fighting ingredients in them than the fancy varieties have.

While many varieties of mushroom grow wild, only people who are highly experienced in botanical identification should attempt to pick and eat these; there are some that are toxic and may be incorrectly identified. People who have a history of kidney stones and gout need to ensure that they exercise caution when eating mushrooms, as they contain purines. This is a precursor to uric acid which can be harmful in large amounts to these individuals.

You can get more information from below web sites

Sources:

 http://www.wisegeek.com

http://www.associatedcontent.com

http://www.organicfacts.net

http://www.vegetarian-nutrition.info