What are the benefits and effects of the saprophytic fungus Agaricus blazei, and what is best to cook it in soup with?

Agaricus blazei, also known as the almond mushroom or Brazilian mushroom, is a saprophytic fungus that grows on livestock-manure grassland. Because of its high nutritional value and its richness in various amino acids, it is widely eaten for its benefits to the human body such as promoting blood production and enhancing immunity. So what are the benefits and effects of Agaricus blazei? And what is best to cook it in soup with?

1. What are the benefits and effects of Agaricus blazei?

1. Promotes blood production

Agaricus blazei can promote the blood-producing function of human bone marrow. By improving the suppression of bone marrow blood production caused by chemotherapy, it brings peripheral hemoglobin concentration, platelets and total white blood cells toward normal values. It also has an inhibitory effect on tumor cells, and long-term use can strengthen the body and keep it in good health. It has an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of leukemia cells. Its physiologically active polysaccharides are suitable for treating childhood leukemia.

2. Protects the liver and kidneys

Agaricus blazei has a protective effect on the liver and kidneys and can be taken long-term. Because of these effects, Agaricus blazei has drawn great attention in Japan's health care field. Thanks to its special health benefits of both activating immunity and strengthening the body's foundation, it is widely used among patients.

3. Enhances human immunity

Agaricus blazei contains active polysaccharides and has effects such as strengthening the body's foundation and enhancing human immunity. The polysaccharide content of Agaricus blazei is as high as 6.55g/100g, 5 times that of reishi. Its unique β-(1-6)-D-glucose structure acts directly on immunity, can rapidly raise the growth activity of natural immune cells, and helps improve treatment results.

4. Anti-cancer

The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that at present 1/3 of all tumor patients can be completely prevented, 1/3 can be completely diagnosed and treated early using modern medical technology, and another 1/3 can, through effective treatment, have their pain reduced, their quality of life improved, and their survival time extended. Improving immune capacity and promptly providing nutritional supplementation are precisely among the effective rehabilitation measures. Agaricus blazei is rich in selenium substances and anti-cancer substances and has a very good effect on enhancing human immunity and supplementing special nutritional needs.

2. What should Agaricus blazei not be eaten with?

1. Do not eat it with high-fat foods

Agaricus blazei itself already contains a relatively high amount of oily substances, mainly unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid and palmitic acid. If Agaricus blazei is eaten together with other oily foods, it will reduce the human body's absorption of the unsaturated fatty acids in Agaricus blazei and lower its nutritional value. Therefore, matsutake is best enjoyed lightly.

2. Do not eat it with high-calcium foods

Agaricus blazei contains a certain amount of oxalic acid and vitamin D. Once ingested, vitamin D promotes the absorption of the mineral calcium in food, while oxalic acid even more readily binds with minerals first, forming substances that are difficult to dissolve; eating too much of them together can even cause urinary tract stones.

3. Do not eat it with soft-shelled crustacean foods

Agaricus blazei contains a certain amount of vitamins, especially vitamin C and vitamin E. Vitamin C reacts with the arsenic substances in soft-shelled foods to form toxic arsenic trioxide, which causes great damage to the liver.

3. What is good to cook Agaricus blazei in soup with?

Agaricus blazei stewed with chicken

Ingredients: 500 grams of chicken, 200 grams of Agaricus blazei, a little salt, ginger, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, glutinous rice wine and white sugar.

Method:

1. Wash and cut into pieces, slice the ginger, soak the Agaricus blazei in warm water for half an hour, then wash and set aside. Bring water to a boil in a pot, add 1 small spoon of rice wine, blanch the chicken in the water, then remove and wash.

2. Put the drained chicken and ginger slices into an electric pressure cooker, pour in the Agaricus blazei and the water it was soaked in. Add an appropriate amount of rice wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, salt and sugar, mix well, then pressure cook for 20 minutes.

4. What is the difference between Agaricus blazei and matsutake?

1. Variety: matsutake belongs to the Tricholomataceae family; China's matsutake output accounts for 70% of the world's matsutake output, and to this day it still cannot be cultivated artificially anywhere in the world. Agaricus blazei, however, belongs to the Agaricaceae family and can be artificially cultivated, so its value is relatively lower than that of matsutake.

2. Environment: matsutake is distributed in Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet, Heilongjiang, Jilin and other places, and has very demanding requirements for its growing environment. Agaricus blazei, however, is a saprophytic fungus that grows on livestock-manure grassland in summer and autumn, living in a hot, humid and ventilated environment.

3. Appearance: matsutake has a well-proportioned stem and cap and bright colors; the cap is brown, the stem is white, and the flesh is white, tender and thick. Agaricus blazei, however, has a large cap and a small stem and is very disproportionate, with a black cap and a white stem; the cap is flat and spreading, the center of the cap top is flat, and the stem is white.

4. Aroma: matsutake has a unique fragrance; even the water it is soaked in is filled with this aroma, and it tastes very smooth and refreshing, leaving an unforgettable impression after just one taste. Agaricus blazei, however, carries the fragrance of almonds, and its texture is crisp and tender.

5. Nutrition: matsutake has a very high nutritional value, with multiple effects such as anti-cancer and cancer prevention, enhancing immunity, anti-aging and anti-radiation. Agaricus blazei, however, can lower blood sugar and cholesterol, improve arteriosclerosis, and has preventive and therapeutic effects on cardiovascular diseases and tumors.