This document provides information about mushrooms, including what they are, different types of edible and non-edible mushrooms, nutritional value, and medicinal uses. It defines mushrooms as neither plant nor animal, and places them in their own kingdom of fungi. It describes several edible mushrooms like oyster fungus, button fungi, morels and shiitake. It also lists several poisonous mushrooms like death caps, destroying angels, and fly agaric. Finally, it discusses nutritional value and medicinal properties of some mushrooms in treating cancer, boosting immunity, and reducing inflammation.
4. What are mushrooms?
Mushrooms are unique. They
are neither animal or plant.
Some people consider them
plants for various reasons, but
they differ from plants in that
they lack the green chlorophyll
that plants use to manufacture
their own food and energy. For
this reason they are placed in a
Kingdom of their own," The
Kingdom of Fungi".
5.
6. What are mushrooms?
A mushroom (or toadstool) is
the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting
body of a fungus, typically
produced above ground on soil
or on its food source.
13. Species of Mushrooms
There are about 10,000 different species of which at
least 1,290 are reported to the edible. Mushrooms are
used as food as well as medicine.
16. Edible mushrooms
Edible mushrooms occupy a pivotal
position among the lower organisms.
In the developed countries, mushrooms
have become one of the most important
of all the horticultural crops.
17. Edible mushrooms
The production of mushrooms is increasing everywhere in the
world, and nowadays these are available all the year round and are
used in enormous quantities to serve with all kinds of table dishes.
Mushrooms are used extensively in cooking, in
many cuisines (notably Chinese, Korean, European,
and Japanese). Though neither meat nor vegetable, mushrooms are
known as the "meat" of the vegetable world.
18. Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 94 kJ (22 kcal)
Carbohydrates 4.3 g
Fat 0.1 g
Protein 2.5 g
Vitamins
Thiamine (B1) (9%) 0.1 mg
Riboflavin (B2) (42%) 0.5 mg
Niacin (B3) (25%) 3.8 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5) (30%) 1.5 mg
Vitamin C (0%) 0 mg
Trace minerals
Calcium (2%) 18 mg
Phosphorus (17%) 120 mg
Potassium (10%) 448 mg
Sodium (0%) 6 mg
Zinc (12%) 1.1 mg
28. Non-edible toxic (poisonous)
mushrooms
Many mushroom species produce secondary
metabolites that can be toxic, mind-altering, antibiotic,
antiviral, or bioluminescent.
Although there are only a small number of deadly species,
several others can cause particularly severe and unpleasant
symptoms.
29. Mushroom and Toxins
Cellular toxins
Extremely serious. Species include Destroying Angel, Death
Cap, poisonous Cortinarius species (Webcaps), Deadly
Skullcap. Among other things, the liver and kidneys are
affected.
Neurotoxins: Serious. Species include Fly Agaric and
Inocybe species (Fiber Caps). Nerve system affected.
Gastro-intestinal toxins: Unpleasant, sometimes serious.
Many different mushrooms. Digestive tract affected. Those
poisonous with alcohol.
30. Medicinal value
Anti-tumor (tumor reduction and control)
Immune response (boost bodies ability to fight disease)
Anti-inflammatory (relief tension due to muscle
inflammation)
Antiviral (as an immune response)
Antibiotics (as an immune response)
Lower cholestrol and triglycerol levels as well as very low-
density lipoprotein (VLDL) in blood plasma
31. Medicinal value
Chemotherapy for cancer (e.g maitake).
It is also used for HIV/AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome
(CFS), hepatitis, hay fever, diabetes, high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, weight loss or control,
and infertility due to a condition called polycystic
ovary syndrome (e.g. maitake).
32. Lingzhi/Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma
lucidum)
1. Boosting immune system
2. Effective in viral infection
(influenza, swine flu and avian flu).
3. Effective against lungs allergies,
asthma, bronchitis, heart diseases,
4. Improve liver functions and cure
hepatitis, HIV/AIDS
5. Effective in anxiety treatment, high
blood pressure and high cholesterol
6. Insomnia
7. Stomach ulcers and chronic fatigue
syndrome and cancer therapy.