If you are a fan of mushrooms, it is certain that you love champignons – even those who only occasionally eat mushrooms, choose champignons because they have a special taste, are so easy to prepare and go with all kinds of dishes.
You can make different types of toppings, salads, but also main dishes and appetizers from champignons.
Champignons have been part of the human diet since ancient times, and they are highly valued because they are considered divine food. They are extremely nutritionally rich, contain few calories and are very nutritious. That’s why champignons are great allies for everyone who wants to bring their figure to perfection.
In addition, we should consume champignons because they are healthy and have a beneficial effect on our health. By using them regularly, in combination with other healthy foods, you will ensure a healthy life.
The biggest advantage is that they are available throughout the year, so you can use them often. They are an excellent substitute for meat and are recommended for vegans and vegetarians, i.e. people who do not consume animal products, because they are rich in proteins and necessary nutrients for the normal development of the body.
In the text, learn more about champignons, where they come from and what their nutritional value is, and how to use them in your diet.
Champignons in food
For 7000 years, mushrooms have been highly valued in Chinese culture, as well as among the Romans. Mushrooms, especially champignons, are used very often in Asian countries even today, both in food and in medicine.
An interesting story says that the mushrooms originated from lightning, because they were formed after a stormy night. That is why they are called the food of the gods…
Champignons are certainly the most famous kind of edible mushrooms, they have a special smell and taste, and they are more and more common in the human diet.
You are probably already familiar with their appearance, and you can find them in the woods, pastures or meadows from May to October. Champignons are also artificially cultivated, and for that reason they are available on the market throughout the year. You can find them on sale fresh, but also canned.
There are several types of champignons, and you will recognize them by their different properties:
–Closed champignons they represent the youngest type of mushroom, they are white in color and are harvested in their early stage of development. They have a neutral taste, precisely because they do not fully ripen, but are harvested very early. They do not differ too much from real champignons in appearance, only their taste is different, and that is how they are recognized.
-Half-open champignons they are harvested at a slightly more advanced stage, and you will recognize them by their open or closed caps.
-Open champignons they are harvested only when they are fully ripe, and they have time to develop a somewhat stronger taste, which is what makes them recognizable. Although, at first glance, they seem unusable, because they have wilted pods and brown leaves, they look as if they have wilted. It’s just a trick, because they are fully ripe, and just like that they are very useful in nutrition – they are rich in nutrients, and their taste is fully developed.
There are also brown champignons, with the so-called loose cap, and they have a very pleasant taste.
Nutritional value of mushrooms
Whether you eat them fresh or cooked, mushrooms will have a beneficial effect on the health of your body. According to their composition, they belong neither to plant nor animal species – but to a special type of organism.
They are a rich source of nutrients, i.e. nutrients that our body needs in order to function normally.
To be more precise, 100 grams of champignons contain:
- 3 grams of carbohydrates (1% of total daily intake)
- 1 gram of fiber (4% of total daily intake)
- 3 grams of protein (6% of total daily intake)
We conclude that champignons are a food that is rich in protein, and since they do not belong to foods of animal origin, they have a really high percentage of protein. That is why they are recommended in the diet of vegans and vegetarians, who have a reduced protein intake by avoiding meat.
In addition to protein, they contain a fine amount of carbohydrates, which our body needs as “fuel”. They give us energy and enable our brain to work.
Mushrooms are also rich in fiber, which is extremely important for our digestive tract – they help digestion and maintain normal metabolism. This is very important, because many diseases are caused by digestive disorders, so that the nutrients we enter into the body do not go to the right place.
Cooked champignons per 100 grams contain:
- 5 grams of carbohydrates (2% of total daily intake)
- 2 grams of fiber (9% of total daily intake)
- 2 grams of protein (4% of total daily intake)
We guarantee that cooked champignons are also good for our body, and that their thermal processing does not lose their important properties. Moreover, we get a little more carbohydrates and fiber. Long heat treatment is not recommended, but only short cooking in hot water.
If we fry or bake champignons, in that case their properties are lost more than just by cooking. That’s why we recommend that you cook the mushrooms, then add them to the dish as such – sometimes you can use them for a delicious sauce, or fill them, use them for pizza.
However, try to eat them most often in the form that provides the most nutrients.
Minerals and vitamins
When we talk about nutrients, we must mention that mushrooms are also very rich in certain vitamins and minerals, which are also important for our body.
100 grams of champignons contain the following vitamins:
- 4% vitamin C
- 5% vitamin D
- 5% vitamin B1 (thiamine)
- 24% vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
- 18% vitamin B3 (niacin)
- 5% vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
- 1% vitamin B12
- 4% folate
- 15% pantothenic acid
Champions are therefore extremely rich in vitamins, as you can see. Per 100 grams, they contain a large percentage of vitamin C, much more than lettuce, for example, and we know that vitamin C is very important when it comes to our immune system. And when our immunity is strong, viruses and flu avoid us, and we feel generally stronger and better.
So, if you want to preserve your health in the long term, eat champignons. 🙂
In addition to vitamin C, mushrooms are rich in group B vitamins, especially riboflavin and niacin, which also protect our immune system, and in addition affect the health of the digestive tract, cardiovascular and brain systems. They actually protect the general health of the body. Group B vitamins are involved in every process in the body, and as such are very important – we must take them regularly through food.
Furthermore, pantothenic acid and folates regulate the work of the liver and participate in the production of hormones, and as such are also important.
100 grams of champignons contain the following minerals:
- 3% iron
- 2% magnesium
- 9% phosphorus
- 9% potassium
- 3% zinc
- 16% copper
- 2% manganese
- 13% selenium
And, we also see that champignons are rich in numerous minerals, which are essential and as such very important for the development of the organism.
Iron protects our blood, i.e. it helps create healthy erythrocytes and transports oxygen throughout the body. That is why it is very important that we have sufficient amounts of iron in the body, in order for it to function normally. When less oxygen reaches the organs, their work slows down, which can lead to damage and general weakness of the body.
People who do not consume foods of animal origin should eat mushrooms for iron as well as protein.
Magnesium protects our heart, helps maintain the elasticity of the arteries, and prevents their clogging. In this way, it regulates cholesterol, which can be the main cause of heart attacks and strokes. Magnesium, therefore, protects our nerves and helps the normal function of our most important organ.
Phosphorus helps build bone mass, while potassium affects the building of our muscles. They also affect the normal functioning of the heart and brain, and provide the body with the energy it needs.
Copper and zinc protect our immunity, they also affect the blood count, as well as the work of the thyroid gland. Manganese has a positive effect on our nervous system, while selenium is one of the strongest antioxidants. As such, it helps our body to deal with toxins and free radicals, which are the main causes of many diseases.
How many calories do champignons have?
Champignons are definitely not high-calorie food, because they contain only 22 calories per 100 grams. This is the number of calories when it comes to raw mushrooms, while cooked mushrooms contain 28 calories, and canned 25 calories.
Although low in calories, champignons are very suitable in the diet, because they create a feeling of long-term satiety. Is there a better food for those who want to lose a few kilos? You will not take in many calories with one portion, and in return you will feel full and energetic.
Few calories and a lot of nutritional values, which feed our body in the right way. Chapignons are really a real food, and you should include them in your diet as soon as possible.
To conclude..
From the attached text it is clear that champignons are desirable in the diet. Due to the abundance of nutrients and few calories, they have a beneficial effect on our body, and here are the functions in the body that they affect the most:
Nervous system – by reducing tension and nervousness, encouraging the proper functioning of the nerves, improving concentration and memory.
Cardiovascular system – they clean the arteries and make them bloodier, which results in a healthy heart. Blood pressure is regulated, cholesterol is reduced, thus preventing the onset of heart disease.
Skeletal system – they strengthen bones and joints and help their faster recovery due to injuries. For this reason, champignons are recommended for people who are physically active and are exposed to frequent stress on their bones and joints.
Digestive tract – by regulating the metabolism, helping better digestion, thus reducing flatulence and gas. In the long term, digestive problems can cause other organs to malfunction.
Champignons also improve eyesight, strengthen hair, teeth and nails, and help in the process of losing weight and expelling harmful toxins and fats from the body. They also help the reproductive organs by stimulating fertility.
And, I guess that’s enough reason to prepare delicious and healthy champignons today!
