Wood ear mushrooms

[1 pot hunter]

I call the oriental dried fungi wood ears and I think they are very nice in a stir fry, especially a vegetarian stir fry as they add a good texture.

Had mine in a hot n sour soup today

 

[TeeDee]

I've seen a few internet comments that Jelly/Judas Ear is that fondest of terms a Superfood - meaning I guess that rather than the tasteless piece of crackly shoe leather I've experienced it may actually contain some reasonable level of nutrients

Any one know if there have been a study of what micronutrients different Fungi offer?

 

[EdS]

Jew / Judas ear as Judy's Iscariot is supposed to have hung himself on an elder tree

 

[Broch]

Jew / Judas ear as Judy's Iscariot is supposed to have hung himself on an elder tree

Mmm... have you read the previous posts on this thread?

 

[Tantalus]

I've seen a few internet comments that Jelly/Judas Ear is that fondest of terms a Superfood - meaning I guess that rather than the tasteless piece of crackly shoe leather I've experienced it may actually contain some reasonable level of nutrients

Any one know if there have been a study of what micronutrients different Fungi offer?

There are many internet claims, not all of them turn out to be true.

 

[TeeDee]

There are many internet claims, not all of them turn out to be true.

Yep - I do agree. Always useful to do some due diligence research - of which this is part of.
It very popular in Asian cuisine and said to have medicinal benefits.

 

[Tantalus]

Yep - I do agree. Always useful to do some due diligence research - of which this is part of.
It very popular in Asian cuisine and said to have medicinal benefits.

They also claim powdered rhino horn has "medicinal benefits" in parts of Asia.

Genuinely though, it is wise to be wary of overdoing your intake of wild fungi from these islands, their vast (sometimes measured in square miles) network of mycelia is very good at absorbing all sorts of heavy metal and pollutants. The country was liberally drenched in radioactive fallout after Chernobyl and a lot of that still persists as well, even the remotest areas were affected.

A little every now and then is probably fine but if you are expecting health benefits you may get more than you appear to be bargaining for.

 

[Toddy]

Y'know ? I hadn't considered that @Tantalus

We know to be careful about where we gather reedmace because it accretes heavy metal in it's roots, but I don't think I'd ever heard that about fungi.....well apart from the arguement about eating chicken of the woods growing on Yew.

Interesting topic though, and I wonder how much of an issue it is ?

 

[Tantalus]

Why German wild boars have become radioactive

Wild boars containing radioactive isotopes are not safe to eat, with this radioactivity resulting from nuclear weapons testing and nuclear disasters.

www.newsweek.com

Much of this is suspected to be linked to the boars eating truffles that have concentrated the Caesium

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230830131130.htm

 

[Tantalus]

Not really trying to alarm, just suggesting that being sensible is wise.

A transatlantic flight for example gives a dose of radiation that a working radiographer would suit up for.

Once in a while is probably fine (just like the occasional x-ray) but don't go overdoing things.