Mushrooms:
The Ultimate Longevity Food Posted Tue,
Jan 08, 2008, 4:27 pm PST
94% of users found this article helpful.
In
Asia , mushrooms are favored for their earthy flavor and
their therapeutic properties. Ancient Chinese lore is filled with legends of
mortals that stumbled upon a 1,000-year-old mushroom and attained immortality.
Not too
long ago, I was in Kunming ,
China , and in an
underground stalactite cave, I discovered a reishi mushroom that
measured four feet in diameter and was carbon dated to be 800 years old!
There are over 100,000 varieties of mushrooms in existence, about 700 of which
are edible. Some of the excellent anti-aging
mushroom varieties include: maitake, reishi, shiitake, and tree ear. Mushrooms
have been discovered to contain a wealth of nutrients.
Depending
on the type of mushroom, they may
contain amino acids, antioxidants,
coumarin, polysaccharides, sterols,
as well as many other vitamins and minerals that
boost your immunity, lower bad cholesterol, balance blood sugar, and
protect your body from cancer and virus.
The next time you are in the mood to search for an elixir, you don't have to
dig for mushrooms in the mountains; you can readily find them in your local
health food stores. Try oyster mushrooms, chanterelle, Portobello, or even
truffles, and the star of the recipe below: porcini mushrooms.
Dr. Mao's Immune Boost Borscht with
Porcini Mushrooms
Here is a recipe from one of my patient's mother, a woman who recently passed
away at age 100. She came from Poland
and traditionally celebrated Christmas dinner with a clear broth borscht soup.
I have modified the recipe slightly by including the whole mushroom instead of
just the broth because porcini mushrooms are such a wonderful healing food,
both tasty and good for your immune
system.
Also, beets, the colorful vegetable that Russian centenarians have in common,
contain powerful antioxidants and nutrients that help protect against heart
disease, birth defects and
cancer, especially colon cancer. And don't forget about the greens
that are attached to the root! Beet greens are delicious and also rich in
vitamins and minerals.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 medium-sized bunches of beets with leaves
2 medium onions
3 medium carrots
3 stalks celery
2 to 3 garlic cloves
8 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 tbsp powdered chicken bouillon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
1. Peel beets and
push through a juicer along with the leaves, onions, carrots, celery and
garlic; reserve. Remove pulp from juicer, transfer to a skillet and fill with
enough water to cover; simmer 20 minutes. Strain liquid into a bowl and discard
pulp. Combine with reserved juice. Set aside.
2. Place mushrooms
in a skillet and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium
heat and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer
mushrooms to a cutting board, let cool and finely chop; return to skillet. Add
liquid beet mixture, tomato sauce and bouillon to skillet; bring to a boil,
then simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste. Ladle
into bowls and serve.
I hope you make room for mushrooms and enjoy the longevity benefits! I invite
you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with
me.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
-Dr. Mao
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YUNIANTO
Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology
Jl. Boulevard Jend. Sudirman No. 1688
Lippo Karawaci-Tangerang, Banten
INDONESIA 15810
Phone : +62-21-54210123
Fax
: +62-21-54210110
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