Mushrooms are, arguably, the unsung heroes of the food world. Well, technically, they belong to the fungus world. Anyway, they are great because they're high in Vitamin D and can complement a variety of different meals, from salads to pasta. And, according to a new studypublished in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, microwaving or grilling them is the best way to maintain their nutritional value after cooking them.
The study, which was carried out by scientists at the Mushroom Technological Research Center in Spain (yep, that's a place), tested four types of fungi to measure their antioxidant activity. The results suggested that cooking the fungi via microwave was the best way to enable them to maintain their high levels of essential amino acids and vitamins, which help to produce energy, metabolise fats and proteins and keep blood cells healthy. Microwaving the mushrooms also increases the content of antioxidants while frying or boiling causes antioxidant levels to decrease, and results in losses to protein, ash and carbohydrates content.
Study author Irene Roncero said: 'Frying and boiling treatments produced more severe losses in proteins and antioxidants compounds, probably due to the leaching of soluble substances in the water or in the oil, which may significantly influence the nutritional value of the final product. Conversely, when the mushrooms were grilled or [microwaved], the content of polyphenol and antioxidant activity increased significantly.'
And good news for those of you who love to dress your food: you can also add a little drizzling of olive oil for flavour while grilling mushrooms, without it causing nutrient losses. According to Roncero, 'the antioxidant capacity can even be improved. If olive oil is used, the fatty acid profile of the final preparation is enhanced...'
So, now you can make the most of your mushrooms in the microwave.
Like this? You might also be interested in:
Follow Arianna on Instagram @ariannachatz
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.