CARLA OATES
is the CEO of
The Beauty Chef,
a natural beauty expert
and the author of
Feeding Your Skin
and The Beauty
Chef Cookbook.
W: thebeautychef.comMushrooms
continue to be used
widely in Western
medicine and
can be found in
penicillin and anti-
cholesterol drugs.Magic medicinal mushrooms
A
lthough you can almost smell the scent of
spring in the air, it’s important to bolster
your immunity as the change of season
draws closer.
One way to do this is by focusing on gut health,
where it’s estimated 70 per cent of your immune
system is housed. While there are many ways to
support your gut, eating a varied diet full of immune-
boosting, nutrient-rich wholefoods undoubtedly has
the most profound impact.
Turmeric, ginger, citrus and homemade chicken
soup are well-known immune-boosting foods, but
one food you may not have considered in your quest
for immune health is medicinal mushrooms such as
shiitake, maitake, lion’s mane, reishi and porcini.What are medicinal mushrooms?
In many ways, you could consider medicinal
mushrooms to be the original superfood as they’ve
been around for thousands of years to support health,
immunity and wellbeing.
Many ancient cultures and traditions embraced
mushrooms for their myriad benefits. The ancient
Greeks called them the “food of the gods”, the Chinese
believed they were the “elixir of life” and Japanese
emperors used them as aphrodisiacs.
Today, mushrooms continue to be used widely in
Western medicine and can be found in penicillin and
in anti-cholesterol drugs.Mushrooms and your health
They support immunity. Although research into how
mushrooms are able to both bolster and modulate
the immune system is ongoing, evidence suggests
the compounds found in mushrooms — known as
polysaccharides — are responsible for stimulating
the immune system.
One group of polysaccharides found in mushrooms
is called beta-glucans. These compounds exhibit a
wide range of benefits such as reducing inflammation,
activating immune cells and regulating blood sugar.Research into reishi mushrooms, for example,
found they help boost the immune system and
increase natural killer cells, which work to detect and
dismantle cancer cells and cells affected by viruses.
Other medicinal mushrooms that may help to support
immunity include shiitake, cordyceps and maitake.
They help fight free radicals. Free radicals are
unstable compounds that can cause damage to cells
and lead to oxidative stress and premature ageing. One
way to help neutralise free radicals and reduce their
damage is by consuming dietary antioxidants.
While antioxidants are found in abundance in
colourful fruits and vegetables, some medicinal
mushrooms are said to increase antioxidant activity.
Reishi, for example, helps reduce free radical activity
while shiitake, maitake, oyster and porcini contain
high levels of antioxidants including ergothioneine and
glutathione, your body’s master antioxidant.
Medicinal mushrooms contain vitamin D. Vitamin
D is anti-inflammatory and is known to be important
for bone health and cardiovascular health. Vitamin
D is also vital for helping support and regulate your
immune system as well as for weight maintenance
and metabolism and cognitive function. Shiitake
mushrooms are a wonderful source of vitamin D, so
try adding a handful to your next batch of chicken or
vegetable soup for extra immune-boosting goodness.
They support gut health. The polysaccharides found
in mushrooms are a good source of prebiotic fibre
which is great for keeping your gut healthy. Research
suggests that mushrooms may even help to bolster
levels of beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium
and Lactobacillus in the gut, further supporting
microbial health and helping reduce inflammation.How to add mushrooms into your diet
You’ve likely noticed that medicinal mushrooms have
become a bit of a trend in the wellness world with
mushroom powders added to almost everything. An
even simpler and more affordable way to integrate
mushrooms into your diet is by cooking with them.Photography^ GettyImagesGolden Turmeric & Ginger Broth with Buckwheat Noodles, Chicken & Vegetables
Serves: 41 (400–450g) organic skinless
chicken breast
10 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 leek (white part only)
1 medium carrot
1 stalk celery
2 spring onions (green part only)
1.5L homemade chicken broth or
store-bought stock
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
1 tbsp finely grated turmeric
2 cloves garlic, sliced
200g dried buckwheat noodles
Salt & black pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges, to serveBring small saucepan of water to
simmer over medium heat. Addchicken breast and gently simmer
for 6 mins. Remove from heat and
leave chicken in water for 15 mins
to finish cooking. Once cool enough
to handle, shred chicken into strips.
Soak mushrooms in bowl of
warm water for 10 mins or until
softened. Drain. Remove and
discard tough stalk. Thinly slice cap
and set aside.
Cut leek, carrot, celery and
spring onions into 10cm lengths.
Thinly slice lengthways and julienne
into thin strips.
Pour stock into saucepan. Add
ginger, turmeric and garlic. Bring to
boil over high heat. Decrease heat
and simmer for 5 mins.Line colander or large sieve
with muslin cloth and set over large
bowl. Strain golden broth and return
to pan. Season with salt and pepper.
Set aside.
Bring large saucepan of water to
boil over high heat. Cook buckwheat
noodles for 4 mins or according to
packet instructions. Strain and rinse
under cold running water. Set aside.
Set broth over low heat and
bring to simmer. Add leek, carrot
and celery and cook for 2 mins.
To serve, divide noodles among
four serving bowls. Top with
shredded chicken. Pour in broth and
divide vegetables. Top with spring
onion and serve with lemon wedge.column
NATURAL BEAUTY142 | wellbeing.com.au