Shiitake mushrooms, or why it is worth cultivating Shiitake mushrooms
Sawdust is a great mulch for shiitake mushrooms
How and when is the best time to sow Shiitake mushrooms?
How to ensure favorable conditions for the Japanese shinfish?
Is it worth eating them?
Nutritional properties
Why is it worth eating shiitake mushrooms in dried form?
Preparation of shiitake mushrooms
Who shouldn’t eat Japanese squid?
Storage
Where to buy shiitake mushrooms?
Sawdust is a great mulch for shiitake mushrooms
An excellent substrate for mushroom growth is sawdust, including shiitake mushrooms. A machine for the production of sawdust is necessary to obtain such valuable bedding, but it allows you to obtain good crops, even shiitake mushrooms. Below we present a recipe for a wholesome foundation for the development of our mushrooms. Preparing a suitable foundation is an indisputable recipe for this. So we need: 78% sawdust, 20% rice bran or wheat bran, 1% gypsum powder, 1% sugar. All ingredients should be mixed well. The water content in such a crop is 60% ~ 62%. We then bottle these materials by sealing them tightly and wrapping the bottle with cotton. We sterilize or pasteurize the substrate and inoculate the original fungus in this way as soon as it cools down.
How and when is the best time to sow Shiitake mushrooms?
A bottle of original seeds should be inoculated with 30 bottles, from mid-late July to early August. After 3 days of inoculation, white hyphae can be seen in the bottle, and it takes 45 to 60 days to reach the bottom of the bottle; after 90 days, the hypha will age.
How to ensure favorable conditions for the Japanese shinfish?
If we care about the good growth of mushrooms, we must first of all take care of favorable conditions, i.e. the temperature in the room for growing bacteria should be kept at 17 ~ 25 ℃. The highest temperature should not exceed 28℃. When pressing the mycelium into pieces, we should use an active wooden frame with an area of 0.11 square meters and a side height of 5 cm. Then we take 10-12 pieces of mycelium from the bottle and spread it out and flatten it and press it firmly. We cover the bottom of the frame with foil, which, after placing, we also cover on top and welded on all four sides.
Is it worth eating them?
Until recently, biology textbooks held us in the belief that we eat mushrooms solely because of their taste, with little nutritional value at the same time. Today it turns out that this is a myth that has been quite bluntly debunked. Shiitake mushrooms, also known in Poland as Japanese twardnik. We have been using them in the medicine and cuisine of the Far East for many years. In Japan, however, these mushrooms took the customary name “elixir of life” because of their salutary and healing effect on our body. Vitamins and minerals are the advantage of the product in question.
Nutritional properties
Japanese squid has a lot of valuable properties, which are primarily anti-cancer. Scientists have been conducting research on the effects of shiitake mushrooms for several decades and have proven that especially the lentinan compound found in them actually has a beneficial effect on humans. Lentinan mobilizes the immune system and activates cells and proteins responsible for fighting cancer cells. However, the substance does not work on all types of cancer, e.g. prostate cancer – many months of tests unfortunately do not show any improvement when used during the treatment of this type of cancer. More research is needed to see how effective cancer fighting with shiitake mushrooms is.
In addition to the anti-cancer effect, Japanese sclera also has other advantages. Already one small portion of shiitake mushrooms a day significantly strengthens immunity and is involved in fighting the disease developing in the body.
These mushrooms contain a large amount of vitamin B3 (niacin), which is why they strengthen the nervous system. Even in dried shiitake mushrooms there is 100% of the daily requirement for this vitamin. Niacin – as we know – has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, and therefore calms down and reduces stress, and also makes it easier to fall asleep.
Japanese squid also has other properties and effects. It has a beneficial effect on the circulatory system and lowers cholesterol levels. Eritadenine is a chemical compound that is responsible for this. Frequent eating of these mushrooms prevents atherosclerosis, as well as many diseases derived from it, e.g. heart attack or stroke.
Few people would probably think that shiitake mushrooms also have a beneficial effect on the structure of bones and teeth. A large content of vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus makes them harder and more durable.
Why is it worth eating shiitake mushrooms in dried form?
It might seem unlikely, but Japanese shiitake is also valuable in dried form, not only in terms of taste, but also health.
Nutritional values per 100 g:
- Energy value – 96 kcal,
- Protein – 9.6 g,
- Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) – 0.97 mg,
- Riboflavin (vitamin B2) – 1.27 mg,
- Fat – 0.99 g,
- Carbohydrates – 75.4 g (including simple sugars 2.2 g),
- Fiber – 11.5 g,
- Vitamin C – 3.5 mg
- Thiamin (vitamin B1) – 0.30 mg
- Niacin (vitamin B3) – 14.1 mg
- Folic acid (vitamin B9) – 163 µg
- Vitamin D – 154 IU
- Mineral content per 100 g:
- Sodium – 13 mg
- Calcium -11 mg
- Phosphorus – 294 mg
- Iron – 1.7 mg
- Magnesium – 132 mg
- Potassium – 1534 mg
- Zinc – 7.66 mg
Data source: information from the USDA National Nutrient Databa.
Preparation of shiitake mushrooms
Interestingly and conveniently, shiitake mushrooms can be easily eaten raw, so you can confidently prepare salads and salads from them. In Poland, however, it is not so simple, because in stores you can usually find Japanese shinbog only in dried form.
Feel free to add dried mushrooms to soups, sauces, salads, as well as oriental-style dishes. They also perfectly match with pasta and rice.
They can also be added to many other dishes, but you must remember that they should not be subjected to long thermal processing. Cooking or frying should be short, considering the fact that they harden quickly under the influence of temperature. It’s also a good idea to soak them before cooking.
Japanese squid can be successfully consumed by vegetarians and vegans, and its nutritional values perfectly compensate for any potential vitamin deficiencies that meat foods contain.
Who shouldn't eat Japanese squid?
Shiitake mushrooms can cause diarrhea and bloating when consumed in excess. They should also not be eaten by people suffering from gout and kidney stones. We should also not give them to children under 12 years of age. In addition, it is worth remembering that these mushrooms can also be an allergen, so you should react immediately in the event of shortness of breath or other side effects after their consumption.
Storage
Dried shiitake mushrooms should be kept in a sealed package, in a dry and shaded place. Fresh mushrooms are best kept in the fridge, in a sealed package. They will stay fresh for about a week if we do not allow moisture to enter them.
Where to buy shiitake mushrooms?
Japanese shiitake is worth buying in valuable, branded, ecological stores. The free market also gives us the opportunity to buy these mushrooms online, but then we are not sure whether our product is fully valuable and produced using an environmentally friendly method.
