By Jane Bauer—

7 Fascinating Facts About Mushrooms

In August, the rains transform the forests surrounding San Miguel de Allende into one of nature’s greatest spectacles. Seemingly overnight, mushrooms emerge from the forest floor, tree trunks, fallen logs, and even old pinecones. The season is so closely associated with the month that many affectionately call it Hongosto—a blend of hongo (mushroom) and agosto. For just a few weeks, wild fungi become one of the stars of the season, appearing in markets, restaurant menus, and forest trails before disappearing almost as quickly as they arrived.

1. Mushrooms aren’t plants.
They’re not animals either. Mushrooms belong to their own biological kingdom: Fungi, more closely related to animals than to plants.

2. Most of the mushroom is hidden.
The part we eat is simply the fruiting body. The real organism is an underground network of microscopic threads called mycelium, which can stretch for kilometres beneath the forest.

3. Every mushroom has a different job.
Some recycle dead trees, turning fallen wood back into soil. Others live in partnership with tree roots, helping forests absorb water and nutrients. A few even grow on insects or other fungi.

4. They can appear overnight.
After the right combination of rain, humidity, and temperature, mushrooms can grow from invisible to fully formed in just 24–48 hours.

5. They’re nutritional powerhouses.
Many edible mushrooms are rich in B vitamins, selenium, potassium, antioxidants, and fibre, while being naturally low in calories. Some varieties are also being studied for their potential immune-supporting and anti-inflammatory properties.

6. Mexico is one of the world’s great mushroom countries.
Scientists have documented thousands of fungal species in Mexico, with hundreds considered edible. New species are still being discovered.

7. Forests couldn’t survive without fungi.
Without mushrooms and other fungi breaking down dead plants and recycling nutrients, forests would eventually become buried under layers of undecomposed leaves and wood.

Wild mushrooms can be purchased at Simbiosis in Mercado Sano, San Miguel de Allende.
http://www.simbiosisboutique.com