In the absence of sunlight or supplements, eating mushrooms is a good way to up your vitamin D levels, and the only vegetarian food source of vitamin D (ergosterols in mushrooms convert to vitamin D when exposed to light). Vitamin D deficiency is thought to be quite widespread in Britain.They are also a good source of B vitamins, which help provide energy by breaking down proteins, fats and carbohydrates, and play a key role in the nervous system. Betaglucans in mushrooms appear to boost immunity and help resistance against allergies. The selenium and ergothioneine may help protect our cells from damage that causes chronic disease.
Advertisement
Mushrooms are lovely and cheap. Per kilo, you'll pay from £2.60 (standard whites), £4-5 for chestnuts, and £14-15 for speciality types (shitake/enoki).• Joanna Blythman is the author of What to Eat (Fourth Estate, £9.99). To order a copy for £7.99 with free UK p&p, go to guardianbookshop.co.uk
Baked mushrooms and eggs
This dish makes a wonderful supper, lunch or starter. I vary what kind of mushroom I use depending on the season or what I can find. At this time of year (weather dependent) a mixture of chestnut mushrooms and penny buns (cepes in french, porcini in Italian) would be my firm favourite. I have stipulated a higher weight of wild mushrooms since they tend to need more trimming and cleaning. If you can save any wild mushroom trimmings, wash them thoroughly and use to make a delicious stock or dry in a very low oven and whizz to a powder to add to soups, stews or gravies. Depending on which wild mushrooms I use I might also exchange tarragon for parsley. We have a version of this dish on our breakfast menu at Fitzbillies.Serves 41 tbsp olive oil
50g butter
2 shallots, peeled and finely sliced
6 flat mushrooms/450g chestnut or button mushrooms/550g wild mushrooms; cleaned, trimmed and chopped into bitesize pieces
3 sprigs tarragon, leaves chopped
4 tbsp creme fraiche
4 eggs
Salt and pepper
Advertisement
Advertisement
Mushrooms - an excellent source of B vitamins. Photograph: Jill Mead for the Guardian
Advertisement
For the latest food news, health tips and recipes, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and YouTube.
Advertisement