King Oyster Mushrooms

King Oyster mushrooms - Pleurotus enrygii - are beautiful giants. They stand tall and wide, and they boast a large white stem with a small brown-grey cap. These mushrooms are true kings in the kitchen, with similar qualities to tofu - they absorb all flavor they encounter and are appreciated in all types of dishes. Their flavor profile is on par with that of Portobella mushrooms, however their sheer size allows for many more options. King Oyster mushrooms have a rather firm texture, but once cooked it is excellently chewy and incredible to bite into.

The King oyster mushroom has antioxidants that help to keep disease away. The antioxidant in this mushroom comes in the form of an amino acid known as ergothioneine which cleanses sensitive areas of the body such as the eyes, kidneys and the liver. This mushroom also carries statins, which are disease fighting compounds. The particular compound found in the King Oyster mushroom is called Lovastatin, which helps to clean cholesterol from the circulatory system.

King Oyster mushrooms originated from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and is found in the Middle East and northern Africa. Today they are a commercially cultivated mushroom, most commonly found in Asia, but making its way into North America.