Drying mushrooms ... ?

[Diana Cda]

Well, bummer. I started out as a Hygienist and, yes, lots of things are "taboo" in Natural Hygiene and mushrooms is an item that is. I've relaxed my boundaries somewhat over the years since I never managed to stay raw until recently (for various reason I won't go into here), but mushrooms was the one thing that has me bummed out right now.

Although I couldn't take them long, financial concerns had me buying a bag of dried mushrooms in my local Chinatown because they were an incredibly good deal at a large bag for $2.99. I'd re-hydrate two of them and add them to my new favourite salad of half romaine/half kale with just oil and spices. I'd round that all out with half and avocado and that meal was the best for me and very filling.

Well, the Chinese mushrooms were not good for me as after a couple weeks of this no matter how good everything tasted, I noticed some side effects getting worse which I eventually could attribute 100% to the mushrooms. Stomach pains for one and another which I won't go into <g>.

I figured it might just be that since they were made from a product from China it could be in the processing or had an ingredient I was unaccustomed to. I've eaten a few mushrooms in last 10 years and didn't notice any side effects unlike these Chinese ones. Granted, yes, I'm aware that just because one doesn't feel anything, that doesn't make it a good thing. I'd been lactose intolerant most of my life and then found out most people are, they just don't feel it (we _all_ lose ability to metabolize lactic acid apparently quite early). It's just that I felt it and most other people didn't.

So pooh, after dehydrating a batch of mushrooms last night, I found out about the mushrooms controversy by all the posts that I've just read through here. Darn, I hate it when it seems Hygienists are right <g>. That lifestyle was much more difficult to follow than my current one <g>.

Does anyone yet know if it's definitive yet re mushrooms? It doesn't yet seem to be a resolved issue, one way or the other.

Also in the meantime, just in case I fare better with my own dried mushrooms vs. the Chinese ones, has anyone dehydrated them before? I know that Alissa has some cut up Portabella in a dehydrator in her book, but I'm not sure if raw fooders widely dehydrate them.

Some "recipes" said to wash, others not. Some said they'd be dry in 3 hours, others in 12. I've had mine drying for that amount of time and they're not bone dry. But knowing that mushrooms are grown in some kind of compost, I just can't _not_ wash them. I'm wondering if that extra moisture might be what is making them take so long to dry.

I'd like to know one way or the other re how safe they really are to eat, yet at the same time would like to know re preparation (just in case), but also - until then - well, I'll have a few days of salads with dried shrooms since I can't let them go to waste! <g>

[DebB]

I don't know if they're "safe" or not. I remember reading posts here with varied opinions.

I eat mushrooms and don't have any problems. I love Alissa's pesto stuffed mushrooms, as does my family. I really enjoy them, always have.

Yes, I've dehydrated mushrooms and keep them on hand for a chili recipe I have, but haven't tried it yet. They wait patiently in a jar in the cupboard - ha! *Ü*

[levamssg]

If you continually try to live by what other people say, you'll go nuts. How do YOU feel about mushroom?

If you like them, and they like you, then eat them. It sounds like you are good at listening to body signals ... so let that be your guide.

I eat mushrooms when I'm hungry for them. I always eat what I'm hungry for at the time. I do have dehydrated ones on hand to throw in soups when I'm in the mood.

When I dehydrate them, I slice them, but not very thin. Put them on the mesh sheets and let the dehydrator run until they are light as a feather. Could be a day, could be two -- depends on time of year, the moisture in the mushroom, etc. About washing? A personal preference. Sometimes I just wipe them with a damp paper towel, sometimes I wash them under running water .. again, depends on how the mushrooms look. Just do what feels right to you at the time.