Let's help the planet starting from our table!

The sustainability and nutritional richness of mushrooms.

Mushrooms are acquiring an increasingly relevant value in nutrition, so much so that they are recognized by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as essential components of the sustainable and nutritious diets of the future.

Their easy cultivation, with minimal requirements in terms of resources, soil consumption and high adaptability to climate changes, is the basis of their enormous potential.

Although they are available on the market all year round, traditions and customs significantly influence consumption, stimulating purchases in the autumn and winter period. In addition to unlimited availability in all seasons, cultivated mushrooms have many advantages compared to spontaneous varieties: unpolluted, often organic, with controlled and selected supply chains.

Mushrooms, although not vegetables, are similar to vegetables in terms of versatility and benefits: they contain approximately 90% water and 2-6% high quality proteins , making mycoproteins a valid alternative to meat.

Their rich nutritional profile includes essential minerals and vitamins, including those of group B and vitamin D , which is essential for bone health and the correct functioning of the immune system .

In addition to the typical species of Italian culinary art, Japanese mushrooms such as our Shiitake , but also maitake and reishi, widespread in traditional oriental medicine, are gaining popularity, above all thanks to their well-known properties of strengthening the immune system.

Numerous research suggests a correlation between mushroom consumption and a reduced risk of cancer and cognitive decline, attributed to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance called ergothioneine.

In addition to nutritional aspects, the importance of mushrooms in the diets of the future is confirmed by the numerous circular economy projects (such as the use of waste for the development of supplements and bioplastics) and environmental bioremediation.

Our company, in fact, is engaged on the front line in the monitoring and redevelopment of native Italian forests, thanks to biological control systems focused on the use of mushrooms, in collaboration with the University of Pavia.

In conclusion, mushrooms are not only precious nutraceutical ingredients, but also delicious allies in the kitchen, to be enjoyed at any time of the year.

If you are looking for some more ideas to expand your opportunities for consuming this natural ally of your well-being and the environment, browse our online catalog or consult our recipes section .

Bibliography:

Ishtiaq Ahmad, Maryum Arif, Mimi Xu, Jianyou Zhang, Yuting Ding, Fei Lyu. Therapeutic values ​​and nutraceutical properties of shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes): A review, Trends in Food Science & Technology, Volume 134, 2023, Pages 123-135, ISSN 0924-2244, https://doi.org/10.1016/j. tifs.2023.03.007 .

Lei Feng, Irwin Kee-Mun Cheah, Maisie Mei-Xi Ng, Jialiang Li, Sue Mei Chan, Su Lin Lim, Rathi Mahendran, Ee-Heok Kua, Barry Halliwell. The Association between Mushroom Consumption and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study in Singapore. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 2019; 1 DOI: 10.3233/JAD-180959