CHANTERELLES
measure of antioxidant potency) of any superfood. In addition, various studies have shown that chaga can help with diabetes, cardiovascular health, immune health, DNA damage protection, and cholesterol.
There is nothing quite like the feeling of foraging for your own food, and chanterelle mushrooms are an easy place to start. With many distinguishing features, they are easy to identify. If you’re looking to explore your “wild side,” try these fungi! Chanterelles are abundant here on the Island, and can be found in mossy evergreen forests, growing right on the forest floor. They are most often found in clusters, and have a distinct orange colour and unique gill pattern. So, while you’re not likely to see these at your local grocery store, you may come across them on your morning hike. These little treasures are not only delicious, but also incredibly nutritious too. Chanterelles have among the highest- known natural concentrations of B vitamins, which are essential for converting food into energy and keeping the nervous system healthy. They have antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, and are high in vitamin C, vitamin D, and potassium. They tend to taste best cooked, and offer a dense, meaty texture and mildly spicy flavour. Use them as you would any culinary mushroom, fresh or dried, or sauté them in butter and freeze the mixture into an ice cube tray for later use.
LION’S MANE
Lion’s mane is quite an odd-looking mushroom, with a bright white colour, round shape, and covering of long, shaggy spines. These mushrooms can be bought fresh locally through several organic produce suppliers, such as Heart Beet Organics at the Farmers’ Market in Charlottetown, and Green Fork at Founders’ Food Hall & Market, also in Charlottetown. Lion’s mane can also be purchased in capsule form through most local health food stores. Touted for its positive neurological properties, such as protection against dementia and repairing nerve damage, this mushroom is steadily increasing in popularity. A double-blind trial was conducted in Japan with men and women diagnosed with mild cognitive impairments to test the effectiveness of lion’s mane for improving cognitive deficiencies. The subjects in the group took four tablets, containing the mushroom in powder form, three times a day for sixteen weeks. Cognitive function scale scores increased during the duration of the trial, and lab tests showed no adverse effects to the subjects—and this study is just one of many. These three mushrooms are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fungi with health benefits, but it’s important to be careful when finding your own mushrooms in the wild. Only eat foraged mushrooms that have been verified by someone with a large knowledge-base of fungi identification, because remember, not all wild mushrooms are safe to eat. So, next time you’re at the grocery store, give the selection of gourmet mushrooms a second look. From oyster to lobster, you’ll be surprised at what these tasty little morsels can do for you.
CHAGA
Chaga mushrooms are large, woody, black fungi that can be found growing on the sides of birch trees all across the Island. It’s best to harvest these hefty fungi late in the fall, when the trees have gone dormant. This is when the chaga will be highest in nutrients. Chaga mushrooms are extremely hard, and processing them can be difficult without the right tools, so be aware. Most often ground into powder, the finished product can be made into tea, or added to coffee blends, shakes, or greens powders. With the popularity of chaga increasing in recent years, it is quickly becoming easier to find on market shelves. Check with your local health food store, herbalist, or forager for availability. A nutritional powerhouse, chaga has the highest ORAC score (the
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