OK, let's get one thing sorted first: What even is a mushroom?
1. Well, it’s not actually a fruit OR a vegetable. It’s a fungi. Crazy, right?
2. Mushrooms come from a mystical-sounding place known as the "Third Food Kingdom," and they have a completely different nutrient profile to fruits and vegetables.
3. They're naturally super low in fat and carbs and have loads of B vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals.
4. They have a unique "umami" flavour thanks to their natural glutamates.
5. Button, cup, and flat mushrooms are actually all the same variety, just picked at different stages of growth.
MIND. BLOWN.
6. And the same goes for big ol' portobella mushrooms. They're just cute lil' Swiss brown mushrooms all grown up!
7. The earthy and rich flavour of bigger mushrooms, such as flats and portobellas, make them a delicious substitute for meat.
8. Or you can even blitz them up and combine them with mince to give your meals a nutrient boost.
9. While they're usually grown in the dark, mushies are sometimes exposed to sunlight on purpose to trigger the production of Vitamin D.
10. Mushrooms keep best when stored in a loose paper bag in the bottom of the fridge.
11. There's no need to wash or peel mushrooms – a gentle wipe with a damp cloth will do the trick.
12. And since you can eat both the cap AND the stem, there's absolutely zero waste involved.
All facts provided by Australian Mushrooms.