What effect does eating mushrooms have on our health?

First of all, before we even put the mushrooms into our food, the simple act of going outside to pick them is healthy in itself! Physical exercise, fresh air and social interactions; these are all good for your physical and mental health. If you enjoy mushroom picking, then go for it!

But what about on our plates?

In nutritional terms, mushrooms are fundamentally the same as vegetables;  they contain a lot of water and fibre, which benefits digestion. They  also contain vitamin D, in small quantities, some minerals such as  selenium (which is a natural antioxidant) and a tiny amount of protein.  The latter is slightly more present within mushrooms than most other  vegetables, but not by much.

Mushrooms also have the advantage of being preservable.  You can freeze them, dry them, pickle them and eat them later; no need  to stuff your face now when you can use them to stuff the Christmas  turkey later down the line!

Something to be wary of

As you probably know already, not all mushrooms are safe to eat. If you go out picking, make sure you know what you are doing or go accompanied by somebody who does.

Eating certain mushrooms can have devastating effects on your health, so always be cautious when collecting them yourself.