Did you know that Mushrooms, with 92 per cent waterconent, known as the meat of the vegetable world, are a nutrient-rich edible fungi, a popular superfood which have their passionate followers as well as their aggressive critics?

Mushrooms, a terminology derived from the French word mousseron in reference to moss (mousse), are a macrofungus with a distinctive spore-bearing fruiting body. They grow either above ground (epigeous) or below ground (hypogeous), and are fruiting bodies large enough to be seen with the naked eye and to be picked by hand. They are termed ascomycetes or basidomycetes, edible or non edible, poisonous, and medicinal species, flesh or non-fleshy textures microfungi. Mushroom biology differs from Mushroom science, which is defined as the decipline that is concerned with the principles and practices of mushroom cultivation, in that it includes Mushroom biotechnolgy. Mushrooms entered the realm of haute cuisine after millennia of being picked from the wild for use in everyday cooking and medicine; reportedly there are over 2300 species of which only some (60 or 70) are edible and medicinal fungi.

Mushrooms have recorded use for consumption as food since more than 2,000 years beacuse of its pleasing flavour and texture, to start with. In some societies, it was a food item of the royalty. Some species have been used as medicinal and tonics. In the modern age, its cultivation is worldwide, on the raise with production of about 50 million tons valued at USD 16.7 billion in 2020, with China followed by USA leading in its production. 

The most common type of mushrooms grown, eaten or cooked are: the Button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) dominating the world scene; the Oyster mushroom; Shiitake mushroom; and Paddy straw mushroom. In India, apart from these, three more varieties are also popular such as Milky Mushrooms, Portobello Mushrooms, and Cremini Mushroom. 

Mushrooms are also called toadstool and in Indian vernacular languages it is known as Kukurmutta (कुकुरमुत्ता) Hindi, 

Naikode ನಾಯಿಕೊಡೆ in Kannada, Nayikoḍe fungus

நாய்க்குடை காளான் in Tamil, Puṭṭagoḍugulu పుట్టగొడుగులు in Telugu, Alambi आळंबे in Marathi, Koon in Malayalam, and Banger Chataa in Bengali.

Mushrooms appear surprisingly overnight, growing or expanding rapidly. This spectacle has led to the English language expressions such as "to mushroom" or "mushrooming" (expanding rapidly in size or scope) and "to pop up like a mushroom" (to appear unexpectedly and quickly). Mushrooms generally have a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae, sing. lamella) on the underside of the cap.

Mushrooms which are fleshy fungi are considered the premier recyclers on the planet. Old growth forests are getting denuded and lost to development which has resulted in decling mushroom diversity. However, genetic resources of new strains are still found in the wilderness habitats. As the medical community widely recgonises the health stimualting properties of mushrooms, a combined market for gourmet and medicinal foods has rapidly emerged, and there are also efforts to create medicinal mushroom gardens.

Scientists have grouped all fungi into a separate kingdom, apart from plants and animals. While plants make their own food, fungi and animals depend upon other organisms for food. Mushrooms as fungi have cell wall that is different from plants. Animals do not have cell wall. 

While modern identification of mushrooms is quickly becoming molecular, the standard methods for identification are still used by most and have developed into a fine art harking back to medieval times and the Victorian era, combined with microscopic examination. The presence of juices upon breaking, bruising reactions, odors, tastes, shades of color, habitat, habit, and season are all considered by both amateur and professional mycologists. Tasting and smelling mushrooms carries its own hazards because of poisons and allergens. Chemical tests are also used for some genera.

Mushrooms with 92 % water content with low calories, no cholesterol, no fat and gluten-free, low in sodium, rich in fiber and unsaturated fatty acids, are loaded with nutrients such as Vitamin B, selenium, copper, and potassium.

Mushrooms, which are loaded with a lot of essential nutrients, are a superfood, can immensely improve your health, Some tested benefits of including it as veggies in the diet are as: As antioxidants to help stay young & active; for heart health as an excellent low-calorie alternative for meat and other high fat, cholesterol food; its Vitamin D content, an essential vitamin responsible for strengthening bones and muscles; for treating breast cancer, prostate cancer, and diabetes; also known as weight loss friendly vegetable to help in increasing the strength of immune system. 

Toxic mushrooms though a small number of deadly species, which cause mushroom poisoning, are to be avoided. There are Psychoactive mushrooms which are popular in various native medicine traditions in cultures all around the world. They have been used as sacrament in rituals aimed at mental and physical healing, and to facilitate visionary states.

Mushrooms, as Fungi, are said to be the 2nd largest group of organisms after insects but only about 60 or 70 species are cultivated commercially and about 10 are cultivated on industrial

scale.

Narasipur Char