Bay Weekly

Magic Mushrooms

By Maria Price

      A bowl of creamy mushroom soup is a great soother in winter’s cold. Mushrooms are good for your immune system as well as for flavor. They help to strengthen your body against colds, flu and more.

     Mushroom phytochemicals are thought to inhibit tumor growth and viral infection by stimulating the immune system. Commonly eaten mushrooms such as white, cremini and Portobello also contain a special protein that can recognize cancer cells. Mushroom compounds may also be helpful for autoimmune diseases because of their anti-inflammatory and immune modulating effects.

      Eating mushrooms regularly decreases the risk of breast, stomach and colorectal cancers, according to Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Immunity Solution. In some recent studies, eating as little as one mushroom per day reduced the risk of breast cancer. All types of mushrooms have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, stimulate the immune system, prevent DNA damage, slow cancer-cell growth and cause programmed cancer cell death. In addition, mushrooms are unique because they contain aromatase inhibitors, compounds that block the production of estrogen.

      Shitake, the wonderful Asian mushroom, contains a compound called lentinan that has anti-viral, immune-stimulating and anti-tumor properties. Its extract has helped protect mice against viral encephalitis. Shitake is also soothing for bronchial inflammation and reducing high 

cholesterol.

      You can grow shitake mushrooms on a log in your basement or purchase them at most grocery stores.

      Maitake mushrooms — commonly known as hen of the woods in North America because it grows at the base of trees or stumps in big clusters resembling a hen’s tail feathers — has also been shown to have immune-boosting properties.

     For soup, I like to use a blend of white, cremini, baby bellas and shitake mushrooms. Pour a little extra-virgin olive oil in a soup pot and stir in two chopped onions and three or four crushed garlic cloves. Sauté until translucent.       Add four tablespoons of butter and one and one-half pounds of mixed sliced mushrooms. Cook until soft. Add one-third cup flour or cornstarch and stir. Add a quart of chicken bouillon and cook until tender. Add a quart of milk or half-and-half and cook till hot through.

      Add two tablespoons of sweet marjoram and one tablespoon of rosemary. Use a stick blender in the pot to pureé the soup. Enjoy!