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Button Mushrooms

Button Mushrooms
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Button Mushroom

The button mushroom, better known as a white mushroom or sometimes Agaricus bisporus is the most widely cultivated, harvested, and distributed mushroom in the world. The mildly flavored, hardy fungus can be found fresh, dried, and canned in grocery stores all over the world. It has two color states while immature—white and brown—both of which have various names. When mature, the same mushroom is known as Portobello mushroom.

When immature and brown this mushroom may be known variously as Swiss brown mushroom, Roman brown mushroom, Italian brown, Italian mushroom, cremini or crimini mushroom, brown cap mushroom, or chestnut mushroom.

The button mushroom has a classic mushroom like appearance, with a short thick stalk and a white cap. The mushroom is gilled beneath the smooth cap, and a small ring of flesh surrounds the stem where it meets the cap. When young, this ring of flesh forms a veil over the gills of the mushroom. This mushroom can be found growing almost anywhere, including lawns, compost piles, leaf mold, wood chips, dead trees, and well fertilized soil. They are easy to identify and to pick, making them a popular choice for mushroom hunters.

The brown variety of the button mushroom is often found marketed as a crimini mushroom. Crimini mushrooms have a darker and more earthy flavor which some consumers like because it adds complexity to food. Allowed to grow to a large size, this mushroom is also packed and sold under the portobello mushroom label. Portobello mushrooms are usually quite large, and also have a rich flavor which pairs with a meaty texture. All varieties of button mushroom pack and ship well, and tend to be very stable if kept in dry, cool conditions.

When selecting button mushrooms for eating, look for specimens which still have tightly closed veils covering the gills. Also try to pick out firm dry specimens without a slimy texture or cracks. Store the mushrooms in a paper bag in a cool part of the fridge, and try to use them within one week. When you are ready to use mushrooms, brush them lightly to remove dirt and leaf mold or wash them if the mushrooms are being used immediately. Mushrooms are extremely porous and soak up water like a sponge.

Culinary uses

The button mushroom is a delicious edible mushroom, and can be used in a wide array of dishes. Fresh, button mushrooms are excellent on pizzas ( Also see ), salads ( Also see 1, 2, 3 ), stir fries, and stews. Dried, they can be used to lend a deep, earthy flavor to stews and stuffings. The myriad uses for this flexible fungus are limited only by the imagination of the cook.

Mushroom powder can easily be made by grinding dried button mushrooms in a spice or coffee grinder, food processor, or heavy-duty blender. Use to flavor soups ( Also see ), stews, stocks, dips, and sauces ( Also see), Sauteed , roasted.

Trim and freeze them to use in soups and stocks.

Tips 

1. Because they are mostly water, never soak fresh mushrooms and also be aware that salt releases the water in mushrooms, so judge the salt usage accordingly for your particular recipe.
 
2. An egg-slicer makes quick work of slicing mushrooms into uniform pieces. Cut edges of mushrooms will turn dark when exposed to air. When they will be served raw, cut just before serving or wipe the cut edges with lemon juice in order to protect color.

3. For easy marinated mushrooms, cover cleaned button mushrooms with your favorite vinaigrette, cover and refrigerate for 2 days.

4. Avoid aluminum pans when cooking light-colored mushrooms. The aluminum will discolor the mushrooms.

5. Since mushrooms contain so much water, no additional liquid is needed when cooking them in a microwave. Do not cover.

Health Benefits of Button Mushroom

White mushrooms are a very good source of copper, selenium, riboflavin, niacin, and panothenic acid, and a good source of potassium. They also have been found to have high levels of some antioxidant compounds that may help prevent some cancers.

While Agaricus bisporus only contains 16 IU of vitamin D as ergocalciferol (vitamin D2), since they also contain high amounts of ergosterol, by temporary exposure to UV light, the ergocalciferol contents increase.

White button mushrooms, the popular ones you see in all the grocery stores, have a surprising amount of nutrients including: Niacin, Riboflavin, Folate, Phosphorus, Iron, Panthothenic Acid, Zinc, Potassium, Copper, Magnesium, Vitamin B6, Selenium, Thiamin.

In addition, white button mushroom extract has been found to reduce the size of some cancer tumors and slow down the production of some cancer cells. It is most prominently linked to reducing the risk of breast and prostate cancer.

A great Weight Loss Food, an Excellent Source of Potassium. Shitake mushrooms in particular are also high in the beta-glucan Lentinan. Lentinan has been linked with strengthening the immune system and helping combat illnesses that attack the immune system like AIDS.   

 Read More at Wikipedia.
Recipes using Button Mushroom see Here and Here.

Nutrition Data for Mushrooms, white, raw (11260)

Proximates
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 cup, pieces or slices1 cup, whole1 large1 medium1 slice1 small0.5 cup pieces
Water92.45 g64.715 g88.752 g21.2635 g16.641 g5.547 g9.245 g32.3575 g
Energy22 kcal15.4 kcal21.12 kcal5.06 kcal3.96 kcal1.32 kcal2.2 kcal7.7 kcal
Protein3.09 g2.163 g2.9664 g0.7107 g0.5562 g0.1854 g0.309 g1.0815 g
Total lipid (fat)0.34 g0.238 g0.3264 g0.0782 g0.0612 g0.0204 g0.034 g0.119 g
Carbohydrate, by difference3.26 g2.282 g3.1296 g0.7498 g0.5868 g0.1956 g0.326 g1.141 g
Fiber, total dietary1 g0.7 g0.96 g0.23 g0.18 g0.06 g0.1 g0.35 g
Sugars, total1.98 g1.386 g1.9008 g0.4554 g0.3564 g0.1188 g0.198 g0.693 g
Minerals
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 cup, pieces or slices1 cup, whole1 large1 medium1 slice1 small0.5 cup pieces
Calcium, Ca3 mg2.1 mg2.88 mg0.69 mg0.54 mg0.18 mg0.3 mg1.05 mg
Iron, Fe0.5 mg0.35 mg0.48 mg0.115 mg0.09 mg0.03 mg0.05 mg0.175 mg
Magnesium, Mg9 mg6.3 mg8.64 mg2.07 mg1.62 mg0.54 mg0.9 mg3.15 mg
Phosphorus, P86 mg60.2 mg82.56 mg19.78 mg15.48 mg5.16 mg8.6 mg30.1 mg
Potassium, K318 mg222.6 mg305.28 mg73.14 mg57.24 mg19.08 mg31.8 mg111.3 mg
Sodium, Na5 mg3.5 mg4.8 mg1.15 mg0.9 mg0.3 mg0.5 mg1.75 mg
Zinc, Zn0.52 mg0.364 mg0.4992 mg0.1196 mg0.0936 mg0.0312 mg0.052 mg0.182 mg
Vitamins
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 cup, pieces or slices1 cup, whole1 large1 medium1 slice1 small0.5 cup pieces
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid2.1 mg1.47 mg2.016 mg0.483 mg0.378 mg0.126 mg0.21 mg0.735 mg
Thiamin0.081 mg0.0567 mg0.07776 mg0.01863 mg0.01458 mg0.00486 mg0.0081 mg0.02835 mg
Riboflavin0.402 mg0.2814 mg0.38592 mg0.09246 mg0.07236 mg0.02412 mg0.0402 mg0.1407 mg
Niacin3.607 mg2.5249 mg3.46272 mg0.82961 mg0.64926 mg0.21642 mg0.3607 mg1.26245 mg
Vitamin B-60.104 mg0.0728 mg0.09984 mg0.02392 mg0.01872 mg0.00624 mg0.0104 mg0.0364 mg
Folate, DFE17 µg11.9 µg16.32 µg3.91 µg3.06 µg1.02 µg1.7 µg5.95 µg
Vitamin B-120.04 µg0.028 µg0.0384 µg0.0092 µg0.0072 µg0.0024 µg0.004 µg0.014 µg
Vitamin A, RAE0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg
Vitamin A, IU0 IU0 IU0 IU0 IU0 IU0 IU0 IU0 IU
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)0.01 mg0.007 mg0.0096 mg0.0023 mg0.0018 mg0.0006 mg0.001 mg0.0035 mg
Vitamin D (D2 + D3)0.2 µg0.14 µg0.192 µg0.046 µg0.036 µg0.012 µg0.02 µg0.07 µg
Vitamin D7 IU4.9 IU6.72 IU1.61 IU1.26 IU0.42 IU0.7 IU2.45 IU
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg
Lipids
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 cup, pieces or slices1 cup, whole1 large1 medium1 slice1 small0.5 cup pieces
Fatty acids, total saturated0.05 g0.035 g0.048 g0.0115 g0.009 g0.003 g0.005 g0.0175 g
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated0.16 g0.112 g0.1536 g0.0368 g0.0288 g0.0096 g0.016 g0.056 g
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg
Others
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 cup, pieces or slices1 cup, whole1 large1 medium1 slice1 small0.5 cup pieces
Caffeine0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2013. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 26. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page
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