Mushrooms, or macrofungi, are the fleshy fruiting and spore-bearing body of a fungus and are members of the Basidiomycota and Ascomycota phyla. Approximately 14,000 species exist and can be classified as psychedelic, poisonous and edible mushrooms.
Psychedelic Mushrooms
Psychedelic, or magic, mushrooms include the Copelandia, Gymnopilus, Inocybe, Panaeolus, Pholiotina, Pluteus, and Psilocybe genera. Psilocybe cubensis is the most widespread species of the Psilocybe genus. Their main component is psilocybin, a compound that causes mind-altering effects. Psilocybin has historically been used as a psychedelic agent in religious and spiritual ceremonies. Ever since the counterculture movement of the 1960s, there’s been a negative stigma associated with psychedelics. As a result, the U.S. government rescheduled psychedelics as Schedule 1 drugs, delaying scientific research on the therapeutic uses of psilocybin.
But things have changed. Reignited interest has heralded a new age in psilocybin research. Advances have been made in understanding its chemical properties as well as its potential uses in mental health therapy and addiction.
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Poisonous
Poisonous mushrooms can cause mild gastrointestinal discomfort or even death. Some resemble edible varieties so it’s important to correctly identify mushrooms harvested in the wild before consuming them.
Some highly poisonous varieties include:
- death cap (Amanita phalloides), which are among the most poisonous of all mushrooms and responsible for the majority of mushroom-related deaths worldwide.
- fly agaric (Amanita muscaria).
- Conocybe filaris, which contains the same toxins as death caps.
- poison fire coral (Podostroma Cornue-Damae).
- fool’s mushroom (Amanita verna).
- autumn skullcap (Galerina marginata), also known as the “deadly galerina,” among the most poisonous of mushrooms.
- death angel (Amanita ocreata), which can cause severe illness and death.
- deadly dapperling (Lepiota family).
- false morels (Gyromitra esculenta and Gyromitra infula).
- deadly webcap (Cortinarius rubellus).
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Edible mushrooms
There are approximately 2000 edible mushrooms. They don’t produce psychological changes or harm to the body. Most are too bitter, tough, or slimy to be used in cooking and are only edible during certain life stages. They are nutritious, low in calories, cholesterol-free and contain:
- surplus protein
- dietary fiber
- vitamins C, B and ergosterol, a vitamin D precursor.
- minerals such as potassium, sodium, phosphorous, copper, zinc and magnesium.
- essential amino acids such as phenylalanine, lysine, isoleucine, leucine, valine, histidine, threonine, methionine, glutamic acids, and aspartic.
- Fatty acids linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acids.
Besides their nutritional value, edible mushrooms are increasingly valued as functional foods. Functional mushrooms can be adaptogenic or medicinal.
Adaptogenic mushrooms are stress-response modifiers that increase resistance to various stressors (physical, chemical, and biological), thereby promoting adaptation and survival. Cordyceps, lion’s mane and reishi mushrooms have adaptogenic effects.
Medicinal mushrooms contain bioactive compounds that have health benefits and are usually used in the form of extracts or whole mushroom powder.
.Below are the various edible mushrooms that are currently available:
- the bay bolete mushroom (Boletus badius)
- black trumpet mushroom (Craterullus cornocopioides)
- button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus)
- Caesar’s mushroom (Amanita caesarea)
- cauliflower mushroom (Sparassis)
- chanterelle mushrooms (Cantharellus cibarius)
- charcoal burner mushroom (Russula cyanoxantha)
- chicken of the woods mushroom (Laetiporus sulphureus)
- common ink cap mushroom (Coprinopsis atramentaria)
- crab brittlegill mushroom (Russula xerampelina)
- cremini mushroom (Agaricus bisporus)
- dryad’s saddle (Cerioporus squamosus)
- enoki mushroom (Flammulina velutipes)
- false morel mushroom (Verpa bohemica)
- field mushroom (Agaricus campestris)
- giant puffball mushroom (Calvatia gigantea)
- green cracking russula (Russula virescens)
- gypsy mushroom (Cortinarius caperatus)
- hedgehog mushroom (Hydnum umbilicatum)
- honey fungus mushroom (Armillaria ostoyae)
- king bolete mushroom (Boletus edulis)
- king oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii)
- oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)
- lion’s mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus)
- maitake mushroom (Grifola frondosa)
- morel mushrooms (Morchella)
- matsutake mushrooms (Tricholoma matsutake)
- parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera)
- portobello mushroom (Agaricus bisporus)
- red pine mushroom (Lactarius deliciosus)
- red-capped scaber stalk (Leccinum aurantiacum)
- reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lingzhi)
- buma shimeji mushrooms (Hypsizygus tessellatus)
- shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes)
- slippery Jack mushrooms (Suillus luteus)
- straw mushrooms (Volvariella volvacea)
- wood blewit (Clitocybe nuda)
- wood ear mushrooms (Auricularia auricula-judae)
- yellow knight mushroom (Tricholoma equestre)
- reshi/lingzhi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum).
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Source:
Gopal J, Sivanesan I, Muthu M, Oh JW. Scrutinizing the Nutritional Aspects of Asian Mushrooms, Its Commercialization and Scope for Value-Added Products. Nutrients. 2022;14(18):3700. Published 2022 Sep 7. doi: 10.3390/nu14183700
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