If you’re new to foraging mushrooms, you may have heard that black trumpets are a good one to start with. You may have also heard that they’re delicious and healthy, so now you want specifics. What are black trumpet mushrooms good for? Are they really healthy for you, do they have any medicinal uses, and are they psychedelic?
Keep reading! In this article, we’ll answer all of these questions and more.
What You'll Learn Today
Are Black Trumpet Mushrooms Good for You?
Black trumpets are known for being tasty, but are they as healthy as they are delicious?
There are many highly nutritious mushrooms, and black trumpets have many properties that make them a healthy food choice. Some of these properties are as follows:
- They are Keto friendly because they are relatively low in carbohydrates. A cup of chopped black trumpets contains less than 5 grams of carbs, part of which is in the form of fiber.
- They are naturally low in calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium.
- They are a good source of vitamins B12 and C, both of which are beneficial and necessary for overall health.
- They contain some antioxidants, which reduce inflammation in the body.
It’s important that you get good quality mushrooms in order to take advantage of their nutritional value. If you know how to forage them, collect your own supply of black trumpets; if not, buy them fresh or dehydrated from a local market or supplier.
Keep in mind that, as with any other mushroom, old or spoiling black trumpets can make you sick. Fresh mushrooms should be inspected for signs of decay before eating and should only be kept in the fridge for up to a week.
What Are Black Trumpet Mushrooms Used For?
Black trumpets are primarily used in cooking. They are a choice edible favored by foragers and chefs alike.
In fact, many people claim that black trumpets are the tastiest of all mushrooms. They have a deep, earthy and mildly smoky flavor unmatched by most other edible mushrooms.
Black trumpets can be used in just about any savory dish. They make a great addition to all sorts of soups, stews, sauces, stir-fries, and many other recipes.
Sometimes they are used whole or in pieces, while other times, they are dried, ground up, and used as a seasoning. They can be eaten both raw and cooked.
Check out this recipe for chicken with black trumpets and cream:
Black Trumpet Mushroom Health Benefits
Black trumpets are good for general health, but they have no known medicinal uses.
Because they are a good source of vitamin C and antioxidants, they may help to boost immune function. However, they are not one of the best natural sources of either vitamin C or other antioxidants, so you won’t want to depend on them alone to keep you healthy–especially during cold and flu season.
Black trumpets are a great addition to the diet for anyone needing a plant-based source of vitamin B12. Vegetarians and vegans are often deficient in this critical nutrient because they aren’t getting it from meat, which is the primary food source.
In a more general sense, black trumpets are a healthy food choice because they don’t add the “bad stuff” to your diet. They are naturally low in sugar, sodium, fat, and cholesterol, and they don’t add too many calories to your diet.
Chinese Medicinal Uses
Black trumpet mushrooms are most commonly found in Europe and North America; they are rarely, if ever found in China. For this reason, they are not used in traditional Chinese medicine.
Again, black trumpets are not often used medicinally. While they do have some health benefits, these benefits are most often enjoyed by adding black trumpets to your favorite dishes.
Are Black Trumpet Mushrooms Psychedelic?
Psychedelic mushrooms, also known as “magic mushrooms,” are known for their ability to make people high. According to the National Library of Medicine, these mushrooms all contain a substance called psilocybin, which gives them hallucinogenic properties.
There are many magic mushrooms in the families Conocybe, Gymnopilus, Panaeolus, Pluteus, Psilocybe, and Stropharia. Black trumpets mushrooms are in the family Craterellus and do not contain psilocybin, so they are not psychedelic.
Conclusion
Black trumpets are delicious mushrooms. Though they are often used in cooking and make a great addition to many recipes, they are not used medicinally.
That said, they are a good source of vitamins B12 and C and some antioxidants. They may have some mild immune boosting effects, as well as health benefits for vegetarians and vegans who don’t get enough B12 in their diet.
While travelling in Asia, I noticed black trumpet mushrooms in many dishes. They are very delicious.
I think you might be thinking of wood ear mushrooms. They are very common in Asian cooking and look similar to black trumpets once cooked.
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