Mushroom is a popular food all over the world from ancient time. Wild mushrooms has used as a food by ancient people as well as the modern world. Since wild mushroom grows in a certain period, gathering them is an exciting hobby among the people. But you should have a sound knowledge about wild mushroom types. Even though they look nice, some of them can be poisonous while some types are rich with nutritious and delicious. Experience is the most crucial thing when consuming the wild mushroom to differentiate the edible and poisonous one.
Following are some edible mushroom types.
Hen-of-the-Woods
Grifola frondosa or maitake is one of the favourite edible mushrooms among the mushroom hunters. This is a fungi type that has small pores in the underside. Mainly, they grow on the base of trees, mostly hardwoods like oak. The name hen-of-the-wood name comes since the clusters resemble the tail feathers of a sitting hen.
This mushroom is greyish-brown colour and underside of the caps, as well as branch-like stalks, are white. Hen-of-the-wood is native to China and also grows in Japan and North America. This type is quite large, and usually, it weighs around 1.5kg-7kg. The identical thing to this type is that this as no gills.
Nutrition
This is high in B vitamins like, folate, riboflavin and niacin, which helps in cellular growth and energy metabolism. And also this contains complex carbohydrates, namely glucans, which consider as a powerful health-promoting compound. Glucan also has immune-boosting properties. Further, this mushroom has cholesterol-reducing, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties.
Sulphur Shelf Mushrooms
Laetiporus sulphureus, also known as chicken-of-the-woods or chicken mushroom. It has a unique meaty flavour and bright orange or yellow. These mushrooms grow in hardwood trees in North America and Europe. They can found mainly in Oak trees and grow like shelf-like clusters. chicken-of-the-woods which grows in conifer trees should avoid since they may cause severe allergic to some people.
This is a fan-like mushroom with 2-12 inches across and up to 8 inches deep. This does not have gills, and there is tiny pores underside of the cap. This is usually yellow-orange, and it gets fade with maturity. Further, this has a smooth, suede-like texture.
Sulphur mushroom should not eat in raw form. It would help if you consumed after cooking.
Nutrition
Sulphur Shelf Mushroom is less in calories and rich in right nutrients like potassium, fibre, vitamin C, phosphorus, magnesium, and Zinc. Since this enrich with plant compounds like cinnamic acids and polysaccharides, it has tumour-inhibiting, antioxidant and antifungal properties.
Oyster Mushroom
The scientific name of this is Pleurotus ostreatus, and this has an oyster shape. Oyster mushroom grows in dead or dying hardwood trees. And also they can even find on fallen branches and dead stumps. The tops of oyster shaped caps are ranging from white to brownish-grey. When considering the size, these are typically 2-8 inches.
There are tightly spaced gills under the caps, and they are white or tan. Oyster mushroom grows in large numbers, and we can find many different clusters on the same tree.
Nutrition
This is rich on vitamin B including niacin and riboflavin. And also it includes copper, ion, potassium, and Zinc. This contains anti-inflammatory plant-compounds like glycoproteins, lectins, and triterpenoids which protects from chronic diseases. Oyster mushroom also enables with properties which can act against, colon, breast, and prostate cancers.
