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In scorching summer, the season itself is suitable for bacterial growth and reproduction, coupled with people’s preference for cold drinks and air conditioning, which significantly increases the chances of infection. Carelessness can easily lead to colds, headaches, and diarrhea.
At this time, besides paying special attention to food hygiene, it is usually recommended to eat more foods that are helpful in killing bacteria and reducing inflammation.
Whenever people talk about vegetables that can “kill bacteria and reduce inflammation”, many people’s first reaction is garlic. However, garlic is quite stimulating, eating too much can cause heartburn, and it’s not suitable for everyone. Onions also have a pungent smell, and can easily make you tear up. Today, the editor introduces a more mainstream, more widely accepted antibacterial vegetable—shiitake mushrooms.
Summer eating shiitake mushrooms comes with benefits
As the saying goes, “mushrooms often accompany, surpassing the gods”, mushrooms are rich in nutrients and are an indispensable food on our table.
And in this season, the most suitable for eating is the most common shiitake mushrooms, compared to other mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms are more cost-effective, mild in taste, and also come with “natural antibiotics”.
Chinese medicine also believes that shiitake mushrooms have the efficacy of relaxing tendons, activating collaterals, invigorating the spleen, and nourishing the stomach.
1. Lower cholesterol
Shiitake mushrooms contain ingredients like taurine, which help dissolve cholesterol, reduce the body’s absorption of lipids, and have a certain effect on lowering blood cholesterol and preventing uric acid stones.
Components such as cellulose and lignin also help eliminate cholesterol, improve the body’s metabolism, enhance physical fitness, regulate plant nervous function, and can be used as a nutritional supplement for weak patients.
2. Inhibit tumor cells
Shiitake mushrooms also contain elements such as β-glucan and selenium, which can enhance the body’s immunity, have a strong inhibitory effect on tumor cells, and exhibit immune properties.
Moreover, shiitake mushrooms are almost fat-free, with a protein content of around 20%, 2.6 times that of eggs, 4 times that of pork, and 15 times that of spinach. Shiitake mushrooms are rich in amino acids, with up to 18 kinds, more than milk, lean meat, and fish, making it more beneficial than eating beef.
3. Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties
Shiitake mushrooms are known as the “natural anti-inflammatory drug” on the dining table. This is mainly due to their content of lentinan, mushroom ribonucleic acid, and eritadenine.
Lentinan is a special glycoprotein that has inhibitory effects on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as mycobacterium, and can help to a certain extent in the prevention and treatment of hepatitis.
Mushroom ribonucleic acid can stimulate the body to release interferon, help inhibit virus proliferation, strengthen resistance to influenza virus, and play an essential role in assisting respiratory and cardiovascular health.
4. Regulate blood pressure, protect the stomach and intestines
Each 100 grams of shiitake mushrooms contains 2 grams of dietary fiber and 258 milligrams of potassium.
Dietary fiber can promote intestinal peristalsis, accelerate the excretion of waste, thereby preventing constipation and caring for our intestines and stomach. Polysaccharides and selenium in shiitake mushrooms can also protect the gastric mucosa and nourish the stomach.
The potassium in them also plays a role in assisting in regulating blood pressure and protecting blood vessels.
5. Promote brain development
Shiitake mushrooms contain many amino acids, hence they are also known as “brain-boosting mushrooms.” They have a unique effect on protecting brain cells, which is crucial for the health of infants and the elderly.
6. Supplement calcium and promote blood circulation
Chinese medicine believes that shiitake mushrooms have the effects of dispersing wind and cold, relaxing tendons, and activating collaterals. They have good effects on relieving lumbar and leg pain, numbness in hands and feet, and poor circulation in the middle-aged and elderly.
Don’t forget the golden match
Shiitake Mushroom Winter Melon Soup
Ingredients: Shiitake mushrooms, winter melon, spare ribs, ginger slices, seasoning
Method:
1. Wash the spare ribs, blanch in boiling water to remove blood, remove, and drain.
2. Wash the ginger, cut the winter melon into thick slices, put them in a casserole with water, and add spare ribs and ginger.
3. Bring to a boil, simmer over low heat for 40 minutes, add winter melon slices and shiitake mushrooms after the spare ribs are cooked through.
4. When the winter melon and shiitake mushrooms are cooked, add salt, monosodium glutamate, and sesame oil.
Efficacy: This dish can clear heat and reduce sugar, nourish deficiency and benefit water, suitable for consumption as a soup dish in summer.
Sautéed Tofu with Shiitake Mushrooms
Ingredients: Shiitake mushrooms, tofu, garlic
Method:
1. Wash the tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and garlic, drain.
2. Preheat the pan, add oil. After the oil is hot, add the tofu to the pan in small pieces. Fry for a while, then flip and fry the other side.
3. Once both sides are fried, add light soy sauce, water, salt, and then add shiitake mushrooms. Bring to a boil over high heat, simmer for a while, add garlic slices, stir-fry, and it’s ready.
Efficacy: Shiitake mushrooms are sweet and warm. Eating them frequently can enhance the body’s immune function. Tofu is rich in nutrients, containing essential trace elements such as iron, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium required by the human body, so this dish is very suitable for summer nourishment and heat-clearing health.
Stir-Fried Pork with Shiitake Mushrooms
Ingredients: Shiitake mushrooms, pork loin, bell pepper, seasoning
Method:
1. Cut the pork loin, bell pepper into strips. Clean the shiitake mushrooms, squeeze out excess moisture.
2. Heat a pan without oil, put the shiitake mushrooms on low heat to dry-fry until slightly scorched on the edges, then set aside.
3. Add oil to the pan, stir-fry the pork loin strips. When they change color, add the shiitake mushrooms.
4. Add cooking wine while stirring, add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and bell peppers, stir-fry evenly.
5. Thicken the sauce, stir well, and serve.
Efficacy: Shiitake mushrooms are known as “zero fat meat substitutes,” with low fat content but high protein content. Pairing them with meat can not only supplement high-quality protein but also help reduce the body’s absorption of lipids and assist in regulating blood lipids through components like dietary fiber and taurine in shiitake mushrooms.
Shiitake Mushroom Broccoli
Ingredients: Shiitake mushrooms, broccoli, garlic, ginger, seasoning
Method:
Clean and chop the broccoli and shiitake mushrooms, slice the garlic and ginger. Blanch the broccoli and shiitake mushrooms separately, drain. Heat the pan with oil, stir-fry garlic and ginger until fragrant, add broccoli, shiitake mushrooms, oyster sauce, and salt, stir-fry evenly, then thicken the sauce and serve.
Efficacy: Broccoli has twice the vitamin C content of oranges and is rich in calcium, selenium, vitamin K, and other components, earning it the title of “nutritional crown.” Combining broccoli and shiitake mushrooms, two foods with very high nutritional value, can enhance nutrition, boost immunity, and improve physical fitness.
When eating Shiitake mushrooms, pay attention to these points
1. Three points to help you choose
– Surface: High-quality shiitake mushrooms have a relatively clean surface and neat edges, without any cracking.
– Mushroom cap: Generally, the mushroom cap should slightly roll down at the edge, the underside should have prominent and dense wrinkles, and shiitake mushrooms with a diameter of about 5 cm are considered tender and fresh.
– Weight: Typically, good shiitake mushrooms should not contain too much water and will feel relatively light when picked up. Those that feel noticeably heavy are often high in moisture, of poor quality, and difficult to store.
2. How to store Shiitake mushrooms
– Shiitake mushrooms dislike dampness and to a lesser extent, heat, so do not put them directly in the refrigerator bag.
– You can first wrap them in a layer of paper, place them in a sealed bag, and store them in the refrigerator for refrigeration; or remove any impurities from their surface, put them in a sealed bag with a few holes poked in it, then store in the refrigerator.
3. How to wash Shiitake mushrooms
– There is a trick to washing shiitake mushrooms. First, clip off the roots of the shiitake, then soak them in flour-added water and stir in the same direction, pour out the flour water, rinse with running water, and they should be relatively clean.
4. Those who should eat less of Shiitake mushrooms
– Individuals with allergies to fungi should avoid consumption;
– People with diseases of the urinary system, infectious diseases, and neurological disorders should avoid consumption;
– Shiitake mushrooms are slippery in nature, so they are not suitable for individuals with loose stools.
