People who are prone to obesity can eat mushrooms on a diet. These gifts of the forest are low in calories. But their porous body absorbs all the fats like a sponge. As a result, the dishes are high in calories.
However, there are certain varieties of mushrooms and dishes based on them that will not harm your figure.
Moreover, they should even be consumed as an alternative to meat or fish.
Myths and truth about the product
There are common myths:
- Myth No. 1 : Mushrooms are difficult to digest, so they need to be chopped finer when cooking. Truth: they contain fiber that is indigestible by our body - chitin-like polysaccharides. Even if you chop the mushrooms, this will only partially help. They must be chewed thoroughly.
- Myth No. 2 : Mushrooms, like meat, are rich in protein. Truth: This product contains only 3% protein.
- Myth #3 : Mushrooms help fight cancer. Truth: such a strong opinion exists, but it is not supported by scientific evidence, and so far no medicine against cancer has been created based on mushrooms.
- Myth No. 4 : porcini mushroom is the most valuable in nutritional value. Truth: all forest gifts are beneficial if they are not poisonous. They are approximately the same in composition, but different in taste.
- Myth No. 5 : There is nothing healthy in mushrooms. Truth: they contain vitamins B, C, PP. But they die when heat treated during cooking. But pickled mushrooms have an abundance of vitamin C.
- Myth No. 6 : The most useful thing is the cap, the stem should be thrown away. Truth: both the caps and the stems have the same composition of vitamins and minerals. Preference is given to caps only because they are more tender, easier to digest, and there is more chitin in the stem.
- Myth No. 7 : If you cook mushrooms with onions for a long time, even poisonous ones become beneficial. Truth: it is not possible to destroy poison from inedible specimens by cooking.
There are many other common misconceptions. You need to trust specialists and the results of laboratory tests.
Important! When processing forest products, the top layer must be removed. The skin and stem contain the highest percentage of chitin, which is difficult for the stomach to digest.
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Benefits, harms, nutritional value
Mushrooms cannot boast of a serious set of vitamins and minerals. They are loved because they are delicious. However, the benefits are obvious:
- they contain 18 of the 20 existing amino acids important for the construction of body cells;
- the carbohydrate composition is similar to vegetables;
- the composition contains potassium, calcium, copper, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, which are important for the smooth functioning of the body;
- There are also antioxidants that help improve immunity.
It is worth knowing about the dangers:
- mushrooms slow down the production of gastric juice and contain chitin, which is difficult to digest;
- they absorb everything harmful from the environment, so they may contain salts of heavy metals, radioactive particles (it all depends on where they are collected);
- There are very toxic specimens; there is a risk of not recognizing them when cooking.
Forest products are low-calorie, as you can see by looking at the table.
| Name of the mushroom | Energy value (kcal) |
| White | 34 |
| Gruzd | 18,5 |
| Champignon | 27 |
| Chanterelles | 19 |
| Butter | 19,2 |
| Honey mushrooms | 22 |
| Russula | 19 |
| boletus | 20 |
| Ryzhik | 22,3 |
| Truffles | 24 |
| Chernushka | 9,1 |
If mushrooms are processed correctly, dishes made from them will also be low in calories. There are even diets based on these products.
Should I use it while losing weight?
Mushrooms are quite suitable for those losing weight. And that's why:
- hunger is satisfied for a long time;
- with low calorie content they have high nutritional value, which means there is less risk of hunger pangs;
- the presence of zinc reduces cravings for sweets;
- The content of vitamins and minerals helps saturate the body with the necessary building materials.
All mushrooms are tasty and healthy in their own way. For those losing weight, it also matters which ones are preferable, which ones have fewer calories and more nutrients.
Champignon
These forest gifts were often produced in artificial myceliums. Moreover, nutritionists advise giving preference to them. They are the most useful. Champignons have less chitin, so they are digested faster. They can also be eaten raw, retaining all the beneficial vitamins .
Honey mushrooms
Honey mushrooms have low calorie content. More often they use pickled ones. But for those losing weight, it is better to eat them boiled with a light sauce, since pickled ones stimulate the appetite.
Shiitake
This species is considered very useful; it comes from China. It is eaten boiled, dried and raw.
It lowers cholesterol and has choleretic properties. Ancient books write about many healing properties of shiitake.
Maitake
This Japanese mushroom normalizes hormonal levels.
Very useful for those who are overweight due to hormonal imbalances. This product has long been used to normalize weight.
Polypores
They grow on a tree. The price is budget. They have various medicinal properties - diuretic, choleretic, and increase immunity.
Chanterelles
These sunny mushrooms contain a lot of protein, which means they are perfectly filling and give you a feeling of fullness for the whole day. And at the same time, they are low in calories. There are only 25 kcal in 100 g of boiled chanterelles, and 37 kcal in stewed chanterelles.
They contain quinomannose. It has a detrimental effect on worms and other parasites, but does not interfere with the functioning of the liver at all.
Butter
The proteins in boletus are 85% absorbed by the body. In terms of the composition of nutrients and elements, they are the most balanced, reduce cholesterol, remove uric acid, and help with gout and migraines.
100 g of fresh butter contains only 19 kcal. After cooking, the calorie content does not increase too much.
White
They are also called boletus mushrooms. Any dish with them is satisfying, despite the fact that there are few calories.
A large amount of chitin interferes with the process of protein absorption, and this is good for weight loss.
It is better to eat them boiled; fried they are too heavy. But even if you cook it, you need to add as many vegetables as possible. There are boletus diets. You can eat up to 250 g of these forest products per day.
Beneficial properties of porcini mushroom
Porcini mushrooms contain vitamin A (in the form of carotene), B1, C and especially a lot of vitamin D.
Porcini mushrooms contain more riboflavin than others, a substance responsible for the health and growth of nails, hair, skin and the health of the body as a whole. Riboflavin is especially important for maintaining normal thyroid function.
Porcini mushrooms have a number of useful qualities. In addition to its taste, porcini mushroom is famous for its ability to stimulate the secretion of digestive juices, surpassing meat broths in this regard.
Due to the content of large amounts of sulfur and polysaccharides, porcini mushrooms help fight cancer. It also has anti-infective, wound-healing, antitumor and tonic properties.
Lecithin ester, which is part of porcini mushrooms, prevents cholesterol deposits on the walls of blood vessels, which makes it useful for atherosclerosis and anemia. And the amino acid ergothioneine contained in mushrooms supports cell renewal processes and is therefore especially useful for the eyes, kidneys, liver and bone marrow.
Porcini mushrooms also contain a lot of β-glucan. This indigestible carbohydrate is a strong antioxidant and has a powerful effect on the immune system, creating protection against viruses, bacteria, fungi and carcinogens. In addition, porcini mushrooms contain a number of enzymes that promote the breakdown of fiber, fats and glycogen.
Mushrooms are an excellent source of healthy proteins, but the chitin contained in freshly prepared mushrooms significantly complicates the process of their absorption. Therefore, it is recommended to use pre-dried mushrooms as food, in which case up to 80% of the proteins they contain are absorbed.
Mushrooms are heavy food, especially when fried. You need to eat them little by little, carefully, with plenty of juicy vegetables, both raw and boiled. Thick mushroom soups, with more vegetables and fewer mushrooms, are easier to digest and usually do not lead to complications.
Porcini mushroom is used as a medicine for tuberculosis, loss of strength, and to improve metabolism.
Dried porcini mushrooms contain the alkaloid hercedine, which is used in the treatment of angina pectoris. Water extracts from porcini mushrooms are used to treat ulcers and frostbite.
Dried porcini mushrooms retain their taste and nutritional properties in the best way; they can be eaten as crackers without additional processing.
In addition, porcini mushroom contains many useful substances, some of which have antitumor properties.
Dried porcini mushrooms have been successfully used to prevent cancer.
Contraindications
Despite all the usefulness of mushrooms, they are not recommended for those who have:
- problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
- kidney and liver diseases;
- hypertension;
- allergy to mushrooms.
It is not recommended to give forest products to children, elderly people, pregnant women, as poor digestion may cause digestive problems.
Important! Mushrooms help lower bad cholesterol levels. They contain natural insulin, which normalizes sugar, and melanin, which has antitumor properties.
Dangerous properties of porcini mushroom
It is known that mushrooms, including porcini mushrooms, are the most powerful natural sorbents, absorbing huge amounts of toxic substances, including radioactive cesium, strontium, cadmium, mercury and lead. Therefore, mushrooms collected near busy highways or in industrial areas will bring no benefit, but only harm to your health.
It is not recommended for young children to eat mushrooms. Until the age of 12-14 years, the child’s digestive system is practically unable to cope with the chitinous shell of the fungus, since his body does not produce in sufficient quantities all the enzymes necessary for digestion.
Do you love porcini mushrooms, but don’t always have time to go looking for them in the forest? Then try growing them at home! The technology is presented in the video.
Which form is best to eat?
Mushrooms have a porous structure, so they absorb what they are cooked in. This changes the calorie content of the finished dish. This should be taken into account by those who are watching their figure. Steamed ones are considered the most dietary. But fried, baked, canned are tastier.
Fried
If the mushrooms are intended for frying, it is better not to soak them in water. There is no need to boil boletus, boletus, aspen mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, chanterelles and greenhouse oyster mushrooms, and champignons before frying. Other varieties need to be boiled first.
The calorie content of fried mushrooms increases due to oil. You can fry with butter or vegetable. After adding onions and potatoes, the calorie content of the dish increases to 270 kcal per 100 g.
Mushrooms accumulate more harmful substances. It is worth abandoning self-collection.
Baked
The mushrooms are baked after they are marinated. Marinade adds calories to the dish. Baked ones can be stuffed with meat or cheese. They can also be grilled and topped with sauce when serving.
Pickled
Mushrooms are great as a pickled appetizer. They stimulate the appetite and are included in some salads. However, they are contraindicated for those who are on a diet or who have high stomach acidity.
Canned
Canned and pickled ones differ only in that they are stored for a long time. They also add vinegar as a preservative. There is almost nothing left of the beneficial substances, since prolonged heat treatment destroys them. But such twists can be eaten all year round. But there is a danger of getting botulism.
Porcini
The porcini mushroom is the most valuable, tasty, aromatic and nutritious. The porcini mushroom has a large, fleshy cap and a thick, swollen white stalk. Moreover, the color of the caps - depending on the age and place of growth of the mushroom - can be light, yellowish or dark brown. Mushrooms growing in pine forests tend to have darker caps.
The porcini mushroom can reach quite impressive sizes - the cap is up to half a meter in diameter and up to 30 cm in height.
Sometimes the white mushroom is confused with the inedible gall mushroom. You need to know that the lower surface of the cap of the porcini mushroom is yellowish or greenish, while that of the gall mushroom is dirty. On the stalk of the gall fungus there is a dark mesh pattern. The flesh of this mushroom is bitter, light pink at the break (while the porcini mushroom is white). In damp forests there is a mushroom similar to a white satanic mushroom. It differs from white in the reddish color of the tubular layer and in that it quickly turns blue or red at the break.
Calorie content of porcini mushroom
The calorie content of raw porcini mushroom is very small - 22 kcal per 100 g. It is a dietary and low-calorie product. Pickled porcini mushrooms are also practically harmless to the figure, since they contain only 24 kcal per 100 g of product. The same applies to fried porcini mushrooms, since they contain 26 kcal per 100 g. And the calorie content of dried porcini mushrooms is 286 kcal per 100 g, it is very nutritious, since it has a high protein content. Eating it in large quantities can lead to obesity.
Nutritional value per 100 grams:
| Proteins, g | Fats, gr | Carbohydrates, g | Ash, gr | Water, g | Calorie content, kcal |
| 3,8 | 1,7 | 1,1 | 0,8 | 89,5 | 22 |
Dietary mushroom recipes
Based on the gifts of the forest, there are dozens of dishes whose calorie content is very low: from soups and salads to cutlets and sauces.
| Name | Ingredients | Cooking method |
| Fresh honey mushroom soup |
| We clean the honey mushrooms, cut them and put them in a cooking container, pour in 1.5 liters of water. While everything is cooking, peel and cut the vegetables into cubes. Fry the onions and carrots a little in vegetable oil until they become soft, add finely chopped garlic. Mix with the broth, then add the potatoes and eggplants cut into strips. Cook until soft. Finally, add beans, chopped herbs, bay leaves and spices. Calorie content – 114 kcal per serving (250 g). |
| Country style |
| Peel the mushrooms and cut them as thin as possible. Steam it. Then fry in oil, pour in sour cream, add garlic and pepper. Place in the oven at 180 degrees for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the finished casserole with cheese and chopped herbs. Calorie content – 187 kcal per 100 g. |
| Buckwheat with mushrooms |
| Mushrooms must be peeled and finely chopped. Chop the onion. Fry together in vegetable oil until half cooked. Cook crumbly buckwheat porridge in water. Mix porridge and mushrooms, add beaten egg and salt. Place the mixture in a greased form and place in the oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees. Calorie content – 134 kcal per 100 g. |
Menu (Power Mode)
Of all the diet options, the second one is balanced, including several dishes with mushrooms throughout the day, as well as cereals, vegetables, legumes, lean chicken, fish, cottage cheese, kefir or yogurt. Here is a menu option.
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Expert opinions
Experts have a contradictory attitude towards mushrooms. But they are united in one thing: when losing weight, they may well be included in the list of permitted products.
Ekaterina Fedorenko, head of the laboratory for studying the nutritional status of the population, Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Hygiene
This specialist believes that even canned mushrooms should be boiled for 15 minutes before use. Because there is a risk of getting botulism. It’s better to avoid canning altogether, and use salted and pickled ones, covered with a lid and stored in the refrigerator.
Lyudmila Zhurba, pediatrician and chief physician of the Beauty and Health Center Alean Family Resort & Spa Riviera 4*
This specialist believes that mushrooms are great for losing weight, as they contain valuable vitamins and minerals. And it is better to give them to children at least once a week. It is advisable to use only the caps for food.
Mikhail Vishnevsky, mycologist
This specialist advises to chop the mushrooms thoroughly when cooking, as they will be better absorbed. It’s even better to grind them in a blender, then there will be more useful results.
