King trumpet mushrooms, also known as eryngii or king oyster mushrooms, are packed with amazing flavors and contain a great nutrition profile. The health benefits of king trumpet mushrooms are impressive and a fantastic addition to your diet.
These superfoods have an excellent source of protein, magnesium, and vitamin B6 and contain very low levels of saturated fat and cholesterol.
If you want to know more about the health benefits of king trumpets and ways to integrate them into your healthy diet, this article will provide you with all the information you need.
What are King Trumpet Mushrooms?
The king trumpet mushroom, also called the French horn, king oyster, king brown mushroom, or Pleurotus eryngii, is the largest mushroom species in the oyster mushroom genus and native to Mediterranean regions of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. However, it is also grown in parts of Asia.
The impressive mushroom can be between 10-15cm in length. It has a thick and meaty white stem with a small and flattened cap. But unlike other mushrooms, the king trumpet’s stem is dense and chewy and therefore very pleasant to eat.
King trumpets are also weak parasites that grow on the roots of herbaceous plants. When raw, these mushrooms have very little favour and aroma. However, once cooked, the king trumpet mushrooms are packed with many flavors that are described as umami.
What are the Health Benefits of King Trumpet Mushrooms?
Looking at the nutrition profile of king trumpet mushrooms, the species contain an excellent source of riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, copper, and dietary fibre, as well as a great level of protein, thiamin, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, and zinc. Moreover, they are very low in saturated fat and cholesterol which makes them a fantastic addition to your healthy diet.
Due to the king trumpet’s high source of protein, these superfoods are great to include in a vegan or vegetarian diet. King trumpet mushrooms are also considered to be a low-carb species.
As king trumpets have an extremely low source of cholesterol, triglycerides and “bad” cholesterol can be strongly reduced with these types of superfoods in your meals.
Additional animal studies have proven that king trumpet mushrooms contain a decent source of antioxidants and can thereby aid the maintenance of healthy body cells. They also include benefits of improving the immune system and preventing sicknesses.
How to Integrate King Trumpet Mushrooms into Your Diet
King trumpet mushrooms are full of nutritional benefits. However, not only do they improve many aspects of your health, but they are also very delicious and can be implemented in a variety of dishes that fit your personal diet!
At the market, select king trumpet mushrooms that have firm and clean stems. Their caps are very delicate so look for unbroken ones.
As mentioned before, king trumpet mushrooms have very little flavor when raw. Nonetheless, you may eat them uncooked but be sure to finely slice them. A tiny hint: For raw use, select smaller king trumpets as they have a slightly stronger flavor.
Trim off only the very end of the long and thick stem and wash the king trumpets and remove dirt. King trumpet mushrooms are great for sautéing in some low-fat butter or margarine until golden brown. They are also amazing for stir-fry dishes with vegetables.
King trumpet mushrooms contain high properties of protein and are therefore suitable for vegan or vegetarian dishes. However, it is important to note that these superfoods are not a complete source of protein, so it is advised to include an additional protein to your dish.
There are many amazing facts about king trumpet mushrooms and its fantastic health benefits. These aromatic and nutritious superfoods are a great addition to your diet and there are many recipes that include these delicious king trumpet mushrooms!
