Ĭommercially grown shimeji mushrooms are generally kept quite clean when growing. You have the very best chance of locating them at an Asian supermarket, although with the increasing popularity of mushrooms in general, stores such as Whole Foods might also carry them. Readily available year-round now, shimeji mushrooms are commonly sold in a cluster in a sealed cellophane bag. I explain more about umami in this article Umami Flavor: Your Guide To Making Your Own With Mushrooms. Lastly, shimeji mushrooms contain glutamic acid, guanylic acid, and aspartic acid, which are the sources of their umami flavors. They also contain beta-glucans which boost immunity and may help fight cancer.Ī study conducted in Japan concluded that beech mushrooms (along with maitake and king trumpet) help lower plaque deposits in the arteries. They’re cholesterol-free and sodium-free. They are low in calories and fat, and are high in dietary fiber and protein. Shimeji mushrooms are a superb source of nutrients but must be cooked in order for us to be able to access their nutrients.īuna-shimeji or the brown beech mushroom provides a significant source of B vitamins (pantothenic Acid, riboflavin, and thiamin), as well as potassium, zinc, and copper. What Are The Health Benefits of Shimeji Mushrooms Check out the article The Best Way To Cook Pioppino Mushrooms on this site for links to recipes with an Italian twist. They are also found growing in northern Europe where they are referred to as pioppino mushrooms. The buna shimeji mushroom is known as the brown beech or brown clamshell mushroom, whereas the bunapi shimeji is called the white beech or white clamshell mushroom. You may know shimeji mushrooms by their more common name “beech mushrooms” – referred to in this way due to the fact that they typically grow on fallen beech trees.

Hon-shimeji is challenging to grow but the other two are currently cultivated extensively in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe. The three most common types used in Japanese food are bunapi-shimeji, buna-shimeji, and hon-shimeji. They have long stems and tiny round caps. Native to eastern Asia, shimeji mushrooms are in fact not one type of mushroom but a group of edible mushrooms with more than 20 varieties. Their deep umami flavor and wide versatility in cooking make up for the initial challenge of trying to pronounce the name of these wonderful mushrooms. Shimeji mushrooms … difficult to pronounce but delicious to eat.

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