Shiitake, also known as fragrant mushroom, is a health food that is high in protein, low in fat, low in calories, and rich in vitamins and minerals. Soaking shiitake mushrooms in boiling water will affect their nutritional value.
Shiitake mushrooms contain the eight essential amino acids required by the human body, all of which are L-type amino acids with physiological activity that are easily absorbed and utilized by the body. Among the fatty acids in shiitake mushrooms, the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids is very high. The large amount of ergosterol they contain can be converted into vitamin D under ultraviolet light. In addition, shiitake mushrooms are high in calcium and have long been considered an excellent food for supplementing calcium and preventing rickets. However, they generate only 1/7 the calories of rice, 1/8 of soybeans, 1/4 of meat, and 1/3 of eggs, making them very suitable for people with high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high blood lipids.
Whether steamed, stir-fried, braised, or stewed, shiitake mushrooms can be paired with various meat and vegetarian foods to create many delicious dishes. However, it should be noted that improper cleaning can destroy their effective nutrients, so they should not be soaked or washed excessively. When soaking shiitake mushrooms, you can first rinse the surface dust off with water, then soak them in warm water for about an hour. Then, stir them in one direction with your fingers or shake them in the water with the stem side down to allow the sediment to settle to the bottom of the bowl. The water used to soak the shiitake mushrooms can be added to dishes as a seasoning after the settled impurities are removed. Some people use boiling water or add sugar to speed up the soaking process, but this instead causes water-soluble components, such as precious polysaccharides and excellent amino acids, to dissolve into the water in large quantities, destroying the nutritional value of the mushrooms.