A study brings new insights into how mushrooms can be processed correctly and healthily in the kitchen. So as a heads up: frying in the pan is taboo!
Frying, boiling, deep-frying – there are countless ways to prepare mushrooms. A team of scientists has now determined which cooking method is the healthiest. Spoiler: mushrooms shouldn’t be a pan-fried dish.
Expert Tips From The Kitchen
The study in the ‘International Journal of Food Science’ showed the best ways to use mushrooms in the kitchen. The researchers wanted to ensure that as many nutrients as possible were retained.
For their attempts at cooking, they used shiitake, oyster mushrooms, white button mushrooms and brown king oyster mushrooms, as these are the most commonly eaten around the world. The mushrooms were cooked through cooking, preparation in the microwave, grilling and deep-frying and then checked for their nutritional value.
Microwave And Grilling As Favorites
Compared to fresh mushrooms, the mushrooms from the grill and from the microwave showed the highest nutrient retention. Using other cooking techniques, the health-promoting, antioxidant effect that the plants actually have was almost completely canceled out.
The researchers particularly advised against frying: protein chains and valuable carbohydrates are lost in the process, while the fat content increased due to the frying oil. The proportion of protein that the body can absorb is also reduced when boiling in water, emphasized Irene Roncero, one of the authors of the study.
That Is Why Mushrooms Are Awesome For A Healthy Diet
Shiitake mushrooms in particular are beneficial to health. They are high in vitamins B12 and D as well as the ability to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. In traditional Chinese medicine, they are also used for loss of appetite and weakness, as well as to loosen phlegm.
So the upshot is that the mushroom is a great choice for a super healthy dish but it is important how you prepare that dish. With vitamins B1 and B2, calcium and potassium, it also has so many advantages for a vital healthy body. As an added bonus, its high water content makes it a great option for those wanting to limit the calories: 100 grams have only 21 kcal.