Do Mushrooms Help You Lose Weight?

Adding some mushrooms to your diet and wellness routine can have a majorly positive impact on your wellness journey. Mushrooms have been shown to leave you feeling more full than meat does. This means less calorie intake. Substituting red meat for mushrooms or adding some mushrooms to your meat blend can be a great way to aid weight loss. We will go over this and other benefits of adding mushrooms to your diet. We will also discuss different types of mushrooms, some delicious recipes you can easily make yourself, and where to find high-quality mushrooms either at the store, in nature, or in your own grow set up!

If you are still wondering, "do mushrooms help you lose weight?", let's dive into how they can help!...

How Do Mushrooms Aid Weight Loss?

Obesity can be caused by a number of factors including high food ingestion, a lack of physical activity, and your family genetics.It can lead to health issues such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary diseases, and more. The imbalance between energy intake and expenditure create metabolic issues that lead to obesity.^* This is a global issue. It is estimated that 40$ of men and women over the age of 18 are overweight. These numbers are increasing every year. 

Adding mushrooms to your diet can have some excellent weight loss benefits. In addition to physical activity, eating well can help you both mentally and physically. Good mental health can aid your weightloss journey. Mushrooms are a delicious and healthy option to aid weight loss. They are low on calories and contain protein, fiber, and important nutrients. Consuming mushrooms can decrease obesity because of these bioactive compounds.^* You may be wondering, “are mushrooms a fruit or vegetable”? They are neither! Technically, mushrooms are fungi. Delicious fungi.

One of the main issues with diets is that the dieter becomes bored with the meals. Maybe they do not even enjoy the taste of diet meals. Mushrooms can be cooked in many ways and used in a wide variety of dishes. Substituting meat for mushrooms, even just one or two times a week, can have major weight loss benefits. Mushrooms can bring the umami flavor to a dish that ensures it is delicious.^* 

Maybe the worst part of a diet is the feeling of not being full after a meal. It makes the diet hard to follow through to its completion. Mushrooms have been shown to not only make you feel more full, but they can also help with appetite suppression.^*,* This means that less food can make you feel full and keep you feeling full for longer.

Do Mushrooms Help You Lose Weight? If so, Which Mushrooms Are Best for Weight Loss*

Shiitake Mushrooms

White Button

Oyster Mushrooms

Portobello

Porcini

Chanterelle

Lion’s Mane

Maitake

Recipes to Cook with Mushrooms

Potato, Spinach, & Wild Mushroom Ragu^*

Ingredients

• 12  red bliss potato cleaned & large diced
• 2 pounds spinach
• 2 cups shiitake
• 2 cups oyster mushrooms
• 2 cups domestic mushrooms
• 1 cup shallots
• 1 cup roasted garlic puree
• 1 bunch thyme picked & chopped
• 1 bunch basil chiffonade
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns ground
• 2 cups red wine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Recipe

1. Steam potatoes and cool
2. In a large pan on high heat, saute shallots, garlic puree, mushrooms, and thyme
3. When the mushrooms have browned, add potatoes, red wine, black pepper, and salt
4. Reduce the liquid by half then add spinach and basil
5. Serve in a bowl immediately

Stuffed Mushrooms^*

Ingredients

• 15 large mushrooms (white button)
• 1 box tofu (silken)
• 5 tablespoons pita bread crumbs (whole-wheat)
• 1/2 teaspoons garlic
• 1 tablespoons parsley chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Grey Poupon mustard (low-sodium)
• 1 bushel spinach fresh
• 1 tablespoon onion chopped
• 2 tablespoon red bell pepper chopped

Recipe

1. Take the cap off the mushrooms
2. Saute onion, garlic, and pepper until browned
3. Add spinach and wilt them
4. Blend this mixture in a blender
5. Mash tofu, add the rest of the ingredients, mix well
6. Fill the mushroom tops with mixture
7. Bake at 350℉ for 30 minutes

Mushroom Capsules

        If you do not like the taste or texture of mushrooms in your food but you still want the benefits, you can easily buy or make mushroom capsules. Take these capsules like you would pills. There are many mushroom capsule/pill options available at your local health store. 

You can also make your own mushroom capsules pretty easily. To do this, you just need some dry mushrooms, something to grind them up like a mortar and pestle, and a capsule filling kit. First, get some quality mushrooms. Read about where to find high quality mushrooms in the section below. Second, make sure your mushrooms are dry. It can be helpful to use a dehydrator for this step. Third, use a mortar and pestle or other grinder to grinder the mushrooms into a fine powder. Lastly, use a capsule filling kit to fill capsules with your freshly ground mushroom powder.

Where to Find High Quality Mushrooms

Buy Them 

You can find quality mushrooms at your local grocery store or farmers market. Many chefs prefer loose mushrooms rather than packaged groups. In this way you can inspect each mushroom for freshness and bruising. 

Forage

Mushrooms certainly grow in nature and you can find them all around! The trick is knowing which mushroom is which and being careful not to pick poisonous ones. There are many good mushroom guides available online which can help you identify different species. When in doubt, get someone with specific mushroom knowledge’s advice before consuming any unknown mushrooms. It could be deadly. 

Grow Yourself 

Growing mushrooms in your own home is not as hard as you may think! There are many blogs available on MycologyMen.com that can guide you on your journey. Mycology Men also can provide you with the equipment necessary.