How mushroom can serve as alternative to protein

With the growing rate of food insecurity and poor purchasing power, Nigerians are switching to the consumption of mushroom as alternatives to meat, fish and other forms of proteins in their meals.

Mushroom is a good source of protein, low in calorie and contains essential vitamins and minerals including antioxidants such as selenium and ergotheinine that are cancer cell fighters. It also contains high quality protein as found in animals.

Mushrooms are rich sources of potassium, which is known for reducing the negative impact of sodium in the body. Potassium also lessens the tension in blood vessels, potentially helping to lower blood pressure. Mushrooms offer flavours that reduces the need for added salt to keep the blood pressure low. Using them in recipes that call for saltier ingredients can reduce sodium intake

Aside from its health benefits, mushrooms, through polysaccharides present in them, help to hydrate the skin, making it soft. With the presence of vitamin D in mushrooms, when applied topically, they help shrink breakouts and threat acne.

Skincare products made with mushrooms extract are often used in the treatment of acne. Also, when added to your diet, they improve your body’s healing capacity to recover from acne damages.

Studies have shown that eating edible mushrooms can lower the risk of cancer because it’s a powerful source of engothuoneine, an amino acid and antioxidants that prevents or slows cellular damage.

Despite the existence of notable mushrooms farmers in the country, there is lack awareness of its benefits owing to myths surrounding its intake. Irrespective of the innovative farming methods of growing edible mushrooms, it is not readily available in some parts of the country, despite its increasing potential and demand in the global market.

Mushroom can be grown on a small scale, using sawdust, coco peat, log of wood, among others. A lover of this produce, Adetoso Ismail, who attested to its health and nutritional benefits, said: “I am from Ondo State; I grew up enjoying the unique taste of mushrooms in our meals. The Yorubas call it olu, we usually add it to our egusi soup and stew.

“It is just like meat, and most times, we don’t feel it if there’s no meat in the soup, as the mushroom serves as substitute to meat. You just have to be careful with the amount of water you add to the soup as mushrooms provide its own water when added.”

However, the major problem facing the consumption of the produce is the myth surrounding the presence of toxic mushrooms.Over the years, there have been misconceptions that all mushrooms are poisonous. This has made majority of Nigerians to consider mushrooms as weeds, with only few people recognising the nutritional benefits of edible mushrooms.

A couple of farmers,.who spoke on the produce, said the common reason for the misidentification of toxic mushrooms is because of close semblance in terms of colour and general morphology to edible mushrooms.

They said the best way to cultivate mushrooms is to take small steps at a time. Start by going through training on how to effectively cultivate edible mushrooms.

They also noted that mushroom can be dried and grounded into powder. The Chief Executive Officer of Mushroom Planner Integrated Farm Limited, Mrs Adenike Durodola Wahab, said: “Not all mushrooms are poisonous, most especially, the domesticated mushrooms. Though some mushroom can be toxic if consumed, but such mushrooms can only be found in the wild, this is the reason farmers always caution people from buying mushroom picked in the wild.

“You are 100 per cent safe if you buy from mushroom farmers, because they grow and sell edible mushrooms. Some of the edible mushrooms grown by mushroom farmers are pleurotus ostreatus popularly known as oyster mushroom, calocybe indica known as milki mushroom and others. So, buying mushroom from mushroom growers is 100 per cent safe. “