They’re the visible proof of a sophisticated, living-giving network underground, and a vital part of healthy human eating above it.
Next time you eat a mushroom, remember to thank these remarkable plant creatures, which are responsible for life on earth. Yes, that sounds over the top, but without fungi, aquatic plants never could have survived on land when they took their first tentative steps out of the swamp half a billion years ago. Fungi provided them with root systems for millions of years before they evolved their own. Today, 90 percent of plants still depend on “mycorrhizal fungi” to link them to a steady supply of nutrients underground. Mushrooms, the fruiting bodies of fungi, are visible proof of this intricate transit system, storing water, nutrients, and—important in the fight against climate change—carbon. Experts like American mycologist and author Paul Stamets believe mushrooms are an untapped source of food, medicine, and environmental restoration given their amazing ability to break down matter and return it to the soil. Those life-giving properties are reflected in the scientific literature. A good example is a 2021 Penn State study showing that people who consumed 18 grams of mushrooms daily (about ¼ cup) had a 45 percent lower risk of cancer than people who didn’t. Thousands of different edible mushroom species pop up on the planet daily and most of us have eaten only a handful of them. Many are delicious, others more nutritious, but all of them are good for you. Oyster These pale, exquisitely ruffled mushrooms grow on alder trees in B.C. and have a subtle flavour and meaty texture that enhances any dish, especially eggs. A great source of protein and fibre, they’re packed with vitamins (C, B, and niacin) and amino acids. That Penn State study credited the antioxidant ergothioneine with the reduction in cancer risk and cited oyster mushrooms in particular as having more than the ubiquitous button mushroom. Robin Jackson, a former Sooke Harbour House head chef, and his wildlife ecologist wife Dr. Melanie Clapham own West Coast Mycology, a mushroom farm in Metchosin. They grow Vancouver Island oyster mushroom strains and about a dozen unique gourmet mushroom varieties, including lion’s mane, chestnut, pioppino, and bear’s head, for restaurants and retail. Buy their fresh mushroom packages through The Local Food Box-Metchosin, and at Sooke Village Foods, Fairway Market (Langford, Westshore, Quadra, Shelbourne), and Red Barn (James Bay). Lion's Mane This popular medicinal mushroom is also delicious, with a rich, earthy, lobster-like flavour. Bonus: it boosts memory, cognitive function, and mental clarity as well as addresses nerve damage and stomach ulcers. A 2020 study of people with mild Alzheimer’s, published in the respected journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, found daily, one-gram doses of lion’s mane for 49 weeks significantly improved cognitive test scores when compared with a placebo. I like Big Mountain’s mushroom crumble for a meat-like addition to vegan bolognese. The North Vancouver health food innovator makes it with a trio of mushrooms—lion’s mane, portobello, and shiitake. Closer to home, and using the same blend, is Murder Bay Mushrooms' Mushroom Coffee. Jeff Robbins of East Sooke makes the coffee-like beverage powder with lion’s mane for cognitive health, reishi for boosted immunity, and shiitake for heart support. He’s online at murderbaymushrooms.ca (with an array of mushroom products and grow kits), and also regularly attends the Metchosin Farmer’s Market. Chaga Beloved herbalist and teacher Rosemary Gladstar swears by a rich, health-giving tea made from chai spices and chaga mushrooms, describing the mellow, calming brew as the preferred party drink of her herbalist community in the northeastern U.S. Chaga can easily be overlooked in the wild, resembling the charred remains of burnt wood on mature birches. It’s long been a stalwart of folk medicine in Eastern Europe and China for its ability to support the immune and gastrointestinal systems and as an overall tonic. In our house, the chaga delivery system of choice is Harmonic Arts Five Mushroom Chocolate, a blend of organic cacao, reishi, cordyceps, turkey tail, chaga, and lion’s mane. Run by clinical herbalists Yarrow and Angela Willard, the Cumberland-based plant medicine company has an extensive selection of medicinal mushroom products. Turkey Tail Turkey tail mushrooms aren’t what you want alongside your Saturday evening steak. They’re somewhat bitter in flavour, woody in texture (they grow on trees too), and are one of the most studied of the medicinal mushrooms. Turkey tails grow all over the world and have been used by indigenous people as medicine for millennia. The Chinese, in particular, revere its immune-supporting properties. They’re easy to cultivate in grow kits. Grow Mushrooms Canada in Sayward sells supplies to grow more than a dozen different mushrooms at growmushroomscanada.ca as well as dried foraged mushrooms from Port Alberni company Forest for Dinner. Make a slowly simmered medicinal tea from pieces of turkey tail, or dry, grind, and add a little powder to soups and stews. Fall is traditional mushroom picking season in BC as the rains return and the temperatures drop. It’s tempting to get out there and start picking, but foraging for mushrooms is best left to the experts—or until you become one yourself. A great place to start is the South Vancouver Island Mycological Society (svims.club).
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