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30 Amazing Mushroom Facts to Share with Your Friends and Family

There is always a way to have fun with family and friends whenever you get to have mushrooms. So, knowing some mushroom fun facts will do your mushroom experience some good.

mushroom fun facts

Mushrooms lovers can attest to the fact that mushrooms are quite delicious and fascinating and unique sometimes just strange.

However, no matter what your thoughts are about them, it is actually worth trying with friends and family.

There’s also no denying they play a very important role in our world and are vital for the ecosystem.

Moreover, they add new taste differences to your meals and offer a large amount of medicinal and nutritional benefits.

Here are some amazing mushroom fun facts to help you better understand this unique food.

30 Amazing Mushroom Facts

Being your own farmer can be very relaxing, so, when you grow mushrooms alone, it can be very rewarding. 

Here are some mushroom-growing facts to help you with your friends and family:

1. Mushrooms Use Cell Enlargement to Grow

Mushrooms grow so fast that sometimes it looks like they come from nowhere. However, some types of these mushrooms can grow and will take less than a day or two to spring up.

But, most mushrooms will require some additional days to grow properly. This then calls for patience from anyone planting it. 

If it must interest you, mushrooms can grow so fast compares to some plants and animals.

This is because, plants and animals use some kind of cell division to grow, and this is a slow process that requires time and energy.

In the early stages, these mushrooms use cell division to yield their growth. But, at some certain stage, they develop the capacity to grow independently to maturity. 

Like plants, they require some level of nurturing, like a sprinkling of water and enough nutrients to help the growth process. 

2. You can Grow Mushrooms on Recycled Cardboard

Does this sound strange or untrue to you? It shouldn’t, this is because growing these mushrooms on cardboard is environmental as you tend to add more importance to its life cycle.  

If a mushroom can grow properly on logs or even trees like oyster mushrooms, then it can comfortably grow on cardboard.

Although, cardboard doesn’t have nutrients that are enough to make them grow properly it still wouldn’t affect its growth as you will be using some substrates. 

Interestingly, mushrooms will also grow on paper and you wouldn’t want to imagine how healthy they will look when you do see them in their full maturity. 

3. Mushrooms Don’t Need a Lot of Space to Grow

You can almost not liken mushrooms to other plants because it doesn’t require the number of resources needed for their growth. 

This is because it generally will require just a small amount of energy, water, and space to be able to produce a large amount of food. 

Moreover, you must know that the number of mushrooms you want to produce will only be dependent on the way they go about it and the type of mushroom you seek to produce. 

Lower-yielding mushrooms will only take 0.03m2 to produce one kilogram of mushrooms, compared to most foods or plants. 

You can grow 7 – 25 pounds of mushrooms per square foot or 35 – 125 kilograms per square meter in a year, depending on the kind of mushroom.

Oyster mushrooms produce 100 – 125 kg (220 – 276lb) in a year and they are high-yield mushrooms, and on our farm, we get 

4. Mushrooms Don’t Need an Expensive Sterile Environment

Most people will think that growing mushrooms need some kind of expensive sterile environment as well as a heated substrate. 

Fortunately for you, this is not untrue, and if you wish to start growing mushrooms, you can start up without having to break the bank to get expensive equipment.

However, we will suggest that anyone who wishes to start up a mushroom farm can settle with fast-growing oyster mushrooms and they should be grown on pasteurized coffee grounds.

If you settle for this, you will find it quickly to see your results, and also will serve you some energy. It is somewhat easier to learn.  

If you wish to make use of a straw, then you can use it as a substrate, you can also pasteurize it using cold-water techniques which is very simple.

Historical Mushroom Facts

Historical Mushroom Facts

5. There Were Giant Mushrooms on Earth

Giant mushrooms were 24 feet (7.3 meters) tall and 3 feet (90 cm) wide and were all over the earth more than 350 million years ago, when all other plants could only reach a few feet in height.

A fossil discovered in Saudi Arabia that was chemically analyzed reveals that the 20 feet (6 meters) tall organism was a fungus that went extinct more than 350 million years ago.

John William Dawson, a Canadian, made the initial discovery of these organisms’ fossils, known as phototaxis, in 1859. 

Up until 2007, when a study came to the conclusion that the spires were actually some kind of enormous mushroom.

However, not everyone is convinced because it is still impossible for scientists to picture such a huge mushroom.

6. People Used Mushrooms 5300 Years Ago

In a melting glacier in the Italian Alps, hikers discovered an old body in 1991 that was 5,300 years old.

The iceman was given the name Otzi by researchers, and he has helped us understand how people lived.

He had two distinct kinds of mushrooms with him, which is interesting since it shows that people had been using mushrooms for thousands of years

On separate leather thongs, he held two pieces of birch polypore (Piptoporus betulinus).

Additionally, a leather pouch contains many pieces of tinder polypore (Fomes fomentarius).

7. Ancient Egyptians Reserved Mushrooms for Royalty

Ancient Egyptians referred to mushrooms as plants of immortality and thought they were a gift from God that date back more than 4600 years.

Because they were so valued, only royalty could eat the mushrooms, and commoners were forbidden from touching them.

Mushroom Foraging Facts

When foraging for mushrooms, there are several excellent mushroom identification apps that help with mushroom identification. But always err on the side of caution.

Don’t risk it if you are unsure about a mushroom. This is why. One percent of all known mushrooms can kill you, 20% can make you sick, and approximately 50% are inedible but safe.

Foragers should note these facts about mushrooms:

8. Mushroom has One of the Deadliest Organisms on Earth

Death cap mushrooms contain amatoxins that can tolerate cooking temperatures and, when consumed, immediately harm cells throughout the body.

The amatoxins produce severe abdominal discomfort, vomiting, diarrhea, and thirst within 12 hours. And within 72 hours, there is serious liver damage, which may result in death or a coma.

9. Mushrooms Create Fairy Rings

Fairy rings are circles of mushrooms that grow naturally and recur every year in woodlands and grassy areas.

More so, fairy rings have captivated people from all over the world for thousands of years, and they are the focus of numerous stories and folktales. However, there is a scientific justification.

10. Mushrooms and Toadstools are the Same

A toadstool and a mushroom are the same things, scientifically speaking. Toadstools aren’t a particular species or group of fungi, thus there isn’t a way to distinguish them specifically.

However, people typically refer to edible, poisonous, or colorful mushrooms as toadstools. Toadstools typically come to mind as vividly colored mushrooms with distinct caps and stalks.

Edible Mushroom Facts

Edible Mushroom Facts

11. Mushrooms Can Turn Plastic Into Food

In 2011 and 2017, scientists identified the first fungus capable of breaking down polyurethane plastic.

Since then, more than 50 distinct varieties of mushrooms have been shown to be capable of digesting and dissolving various kinds of plastics.

12. Button, Cremini, and Portobello Mushrooms are the Same Mushroom

The Agaricus bisporus mushroom is the same species as all the others. Their age is the sole distinction.

Baby Agaricus bisporus are picked when the mushrooms are still quite young and are completely white.

Button mushrooms are a little younger than cremini mushrooms, which have brown caps and no discernible gills.

Additionally, mature Agaricus bisporus is seen in portobellos, which are much larger, have flat brown crowns, and have visible gills.

13. Mushrooms Have the Fifth Primary Taste

We refer to unique tastes that cannot be produced by combining other tastes as basic or primary tastes.

  • a light, delicate flavor
  • a flavor that lingers on the tongue
  • An enduring, lingering flavor
  • a delicious sensation

14. Yartsa Gunbu is the Most Expensive Edible Mushroom in the World

The parasitic fungus known as Yartsa Gunbu, also known as the caterpillar fungus, kills its host caterpillar and uses it to grow a mushroom from the caterpillar’s head.

They are the priciest mushrooms in the world, costing $50,000 per pound (£80,500 per kilogram) or $2,000 for one ounce, and eating them is regarded as a status symbol.

15. Scientists Have Classified 2,189 Mushrooms as Edible

A safe and suitable mushroom for eating is one that is considered to be edible.

However, it’s not always simple to determine whether a mushroom is edible, and there is frequently disagreement regarding which species are suitable for consumption.

The concern arises from conflicting accounts of reactions to mushrooms and from individuals who are more allergic than others, therefore it is always preferable to be away from it. 

Mushroom Nutrition Facts

16. Mushrooms are a Low-Energy-Density Food

Foods with low energy density have fewer calories per gram than other types of food. Food density is determined by its composition.

Given that they contain 80–90% water, have a low-calorie count, are fat–free, cholesterol–free, and gluten-free, and are low energy-dense, mushrooms are a great option for persons who are controlling their weight.

17. Mushrooms Help Fight Age-Related Diseases

Researchers discovered that mushrooms are rich in glutathione and ergothioneine, two vital antioxidants that help prevent age-related disorders.

These antioxidants are less prevalent in common mushrooms like buttons or white mushrooms. However, they still contain more than most other foods do.

18. Mushrooms Produce Vitamin D

The only food in the fresh produce area that naturally produces vitamin D is mushrooms.

Nearly all edible mushrooms create considerable levels of Vitamin D when exposed to ultraviolet light from sunshine or an ultraviolet lamp.

Some produce almost as much vitamin D as over-the-counter pills.

Mushroom Fun Facts

Mushroom Fun Facts

19. Some Mushrooms Glow in the Dark

The natives refer to these mushrooms as “electric mushrooms” and use them as natural torches since they glow so brightly.

In order to glow and draw insects, bioluminescent mushrooms require substances known as luciferins, which create light.

In order to help the species thrive, they use these insects to disperse their spores to other areas.

20. Mushrooms Make Colorful Natural Dyes

Beautiful natural colors can be created using either mushrooms alone or in combination with other materials.

Using various amalgamations of mushrooms and solvents, you can create practically any color you can think of.

21. Lightening Boosts Mushroom Growth

According to recent research, Japanese farmers have long believed that lightning strikes increased the availability of mushrooms.

Many different varieties of mushrooms responded well to simulate lightning strikes that researchers used to blast them. However, shiitake mushrooms are the ones who are most impacted.

A shiitake crop can quadruple when exposed to indirect lightning strikes, which causes mushrooms to grow rapidly.

22. People Grow Mushroom Mycelium Packaging Material

The biotech company Ecovative uses mushroom mycelium and agricultural leftovers Design to manufacture robust, fully compostable packaging materials.

They create the mycelium package using agricultural leftovers as a substrate material.

These are incorporated with the mycelium before being put in a mold. After that, the mycelium expands and covers the entire substrate. 

23. You Can Use Mushrooms as a Natural Pesticide

Two organic, cordyceps-based insecticides with a natural mushroom foundation were patented by mycologist Paul Stamets in 2011.

The first insecticide targets termites, carpenter ants, and fire ants, while the second kills 200,000 additional insect species.

Mushroom spores typically keep insects away. However, Stamets found that when the mycelium is grown to postpone sporulation, insects eat it.

24. There’s a Mushroom That Devours Itself When Picked

When selected when they are still in the button stage with white gills, saggy ink cap mushrooms, also known as shaggy mane or attorneys wig, are delectable.

However, you’ll have to prepare them swiftly.

The gills of mature shaggy ink caps turn pink and fill with a spore-filled black liquid.

This black liquid disseminates the spores as it drips to the ground. The mushroom employs auto-digestion to eat itself after spreading the spores.

Mushroom Life Cycle Facts

Mushroom Life Cycle Facts

25. Mushrooms are the Fruit of a Fungus

The fruiting bodies or reproductive organs of a much bigger underground fungus are mushrooms.

The mushrooms you see are the tip of the iceberg and often only account for approximately 5% of the overall fungus, much like an apple is the fruit of a much bigger fruit tree.

26. Mushrooms Can Create Airflow to Disperse Spores

Mushrooms spread spores in two stages. First, they use surface tension catapults to aggressively discharge spores from the gill surface.

Following this phase, there comes what was once assumed to be a passive phase during which the spores were dispersed by whatever breezes were present beneath the mushroom top.

However, it turns out that the second phase of spore dissemination is not entirely passive and that mushrooms also contribute to this stage.

27. Mushrooms Can Stay Dormant for Years

The underground mycelium network, which is made up of millions of thread-like hyphae, is the biggest component of the fungus.

Mycelium’s main function is to procreate in order to preserve its species.

It needs to grow mushrooms, which require particular temperatures, and humidity levels, in order to reproduce.

Until the weather is favorable for producing mushrooms and dispersing spores, certain mushrooms can remain underground dormant for many years or even decades.

28. Fungi Allow Trees to Talk to Each Other

Symbiotic relationships exist between host plants and trees and mycorrhizal fungi. The fungi interact with the roots of the plant and give them nutrients in exchange for simple sugars.

However, the mycelial network of the fungi also makes it easier for many species of plants and trees to exchange information and nutrients.

29. Fungi are Genetically Closer to Humans Than Plants

Fungi were sometimes mistakenly thought of as plants by biologists, but this is no longer the case. 

Recent findings indicate that fungi are more closely linked to animals than to plants, including humans.

Here are some characteristics that distinguish fungi from animals:

  • Unlike plants, which make their sustenance through photosynthesis, they receive nutrients from organic materials.
  • Like vertebrates, fungi have a fibrous material called chitin in their cell walls. Plants do not.
  • Fungi require food, water, and oxygen to exist, much like humans. They discharge waste and CO2 while utilizing their hyphae to take up nutrients, water, and oxygen from their surroundings.

30. Fungi are the Largest Life Forms on Earth

As they travel in search of nourishment, fungi’s mycelium can grow and spread miles beneath the surface of the ground.

A solitary honey mushroom (Armillaria ostoyae) in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon, USA, is the biggest living thing on the earth.

Conclusion

Scientists frequently make astounding mushroom discoveries, despite the fact that they are still mostly unknown.

The distinct flavors and textures of mushrooms make them a wonderful and wholesome complement to our diets.

We can obtain a consistent supply of fresh mushrooms by growing our own, and many varieties are simple to do so.

Frequently Asked Questions

In 2013, grease was removed from College Avenue.

The Rutgers grease is in Parking Lot 8.

The RU Hungry created a fat sandwich.

David Littlefield owns RU hungry.

Unfortunately, Rutgers doesn’t have grease trucks.

This is a type of sandwich that has greasy food like french fries, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, and gyro meat in a pack.

This is done in order to protect and lubricate tools or equipment as well as prevent dirt and liquid from causing damage.

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