The benefits and harms of oyster mushrooms for humans
These tasty, healthy mushrooms grow in natural conditions on trees, stumps, deadwood. In order to grow oyster mushrooms at home, mushroom pickers use blocks with a substrate of plant origin. It develops equally rapidly, the mycelium seems to hang from their places of growth, which is directly indicated by the name of the fungus itself. The benefits and harms of oyster mushrooms are a factor that must be paid attention to, because with all its positive characteristics, this fungus is a heavy product for the gastrointestinal tract.
Oyster mushroom caps can be of different shades: pinkish, brown, white, gray, yellow. They are very fragile, so harvesting, transporting the crop requires accuracy and attention. The color of the mushroom, its size directly depend on the place of growth, variety. For food, hats are mainly used, since the legs are more rigid, but they are also used in the manufacture of, for example, minced mushrooms for pies.
Let's digress a little from the topic. People often ask how to speak or write correctly - “oyster mushroom” or “oyster mushroom”
The word has different cases, it is inclined as you like. Speaking of the name: the correct spelling, pronunciation is exactly oyster mushroom, with the letter “Ё”. The common definition of “oyster mushroom” has become so firmly established in colloquial use in our post-Soviet space that today no one focuses on different letters. Thus, oyster mushroom and oyster mushroom are the same, the same designation of mushrooms of this variety.
Well, now about the benefits of these mushrooms.
It has much more pluses than the so-called minuses. Here we will try to highlight in detail all its qualities.
Oyster mushrooms - good for the body
Due to the high content of polysaccharides, oyster mushroom is a very strong anti-cancer food. The immunomodulatory properties of this fungus have a detrimental effect on the development of malignant or benign neoplasms. It is also useful, it is even recommended to use oyster mushroom after chemotherapy procedures, exposure to radiation - it helps to remove toxins from the human body. Today, based on oyster mushrooms, many medicines have been developed that suppress cancer cells.
The benefits for humans are as follows: they contain almost all B vitamins, nicotinic acid (vitamin PP), vitamins C, E, iron, iodine. The presence of easily digestible proteins, essential amino acids (tryptophan, threonine, phenylalanine, leucine, isoleucine), minerals, monounsaturated fats are beneficial for the human body. Also, these mushrooms contain potassium, calcium, cobalt, copper, iron, phosphorus, zinc, selenium - minerals necessary for the normal operation of all human vital functions.
From oyster mushrooms, the benefits for the body are truly wide:
Oyster mushroom is rich in chitin, manite (components of fiber), the high content of proteins in the composition of the fruiting body of the fungus equates it to the value of meat and dairy derivatives. Low fat content, high percentage of carbohydrates make these mushrooms an excellent dietary product.
Depending on the variety, its calorie content varies from 38 to 43 kcal per 100 g of product (fresh). For those who regularly consume oyster mushrooms, the benefits will be expressed in a long-term feeling of satiety. This mushroom is digested for a long time, providing an overwhelming effect on appetite. The feeling of fullness for a long time is a big plus for those who want to lose weight. 
Oyster mushrooms - harm
With its high taste, medicinal characteristics, the use of oyster mushrooms can still cause harm. More often it is an individual intolerance to mushrooms by the body, an allergic reaction to them. The use of this mushroom in large quantities causes a feeling of heaviness in the stomach, can provoke diarrhea, bloating.
Due to the difficult process of digestion, oyster mushrooms should be carefully taken by the elderly, young children. For the same reason, you should not use it too often, twice a week will be enough to enjoy oyster mushrooms without harm.
It should not be forgotten that oyster mushroom is a mushroom containing chitin, which is not digested by the body, so its heat treatment must be of high quality. Heat treatment is highly desirable before pickling, before salting. Separately, it is worth mentioning drugs based on this fungus (tinctures, powders, extracts) - they no longer contain chitin, so the range of their use is much wider.
If a person suffers from diseases of the liver or kidneys, digestive disorders, serious disorders of the pancreas, then the intake of oyster mushrooms should be limited or completely abandoned.
How to cook oyster mushrooms?
Skillfully cooked oyster mushroom is not inferior in taste to its forest counterparts - boletus, boletus, white. This mushroom is simply universal: it is stewed, fried, salted, boiled soups, marinated, added to sauces, salads. It perfectly sets off the individual taste of meat, combined with game or poultry.
It should be noted that oyster mushroom is not prone to long-term storage, but it cooks quickly, it does not need to be cleaned, like most mushrooms. As mentioned above, before cooking oyster mushrooms, they must be subjected to heat treatment, i.e. boil.
The hat is used for food. Legs - less often, as they are more rigid, fibrous. If you decide to use the legs for food, then you will have to chop them well before cooking. It is preferable to cut the hats into strips of medium length or width or tear them manually into small fragments.
If oyster mushroom is not an independent dish, but part of the recipe, then it must be added almost at the very end of cooking.
If the mushroom is cooked, then it is placed in already boiling salted water, pre-cut. The cooking process lasts approximately 15-20 minutes. It is not necessary to cook before stewing. If the mushrooms are pickled, then they are boiled with spicy spices, vinegar for at least 25 minutes.
Like any mushroom, oyster mushroom loves the company of onions, they are fried in butter or vegetable oil for 8-10 minutes. To prepare salads or snacks, mushrooms are pre-fried, boiled or removed from the marinade, added to other ingredients. Mushrooms harmoniously fit into traditional dishes, worthy of themselves in complex exotic recipes.
There is an opinion that oyster mushroom does not go well with fish.
Oyster mushrooms in batter - recipe
These delicious "chops" are prepared as follows: carefully cut off the largest hats from a bunch of mushrooms. Wash thoroughly. Beat gently with a wooden hammer, as if to align them.
Important: beat off from the side of the plates.
Salt.
Prepare batter. I took 2 eggs, 2 table. tablespoons of grated hard cheese, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of cream, 2 table. spoons of flour, salt. Beat the batter.
Carefully dip the oyster mushroom caps in batter, put in a preheated pan with vegetable oil, fry over low heat for 10 minutes, then increase the heat, fry until golden brown.
Oyster mushrooms bought or grown by one's own hands will not be sharpened by worms or slugs. It may not have the same flavor as its forest counterparts, but it will definitely be cleaner, safer. Before harvesting and use, the benefits and harms of oyster mushrooms must be taken into account, since health and well-being are the most important thing for a person.
