HealthyRetired · Food · With personal experience by Healthy Retired
I eat edible mushrooms almost every day. Living in Thailand makes that easy: fresh markets and supermarkets offer a wonderful choice, from familiar oyster mushrooms to tiny enoki and thick-stemmed king oysters.
I often use them in my curries. They bring texture and savoury flavour, and different kinds make the same dish feel different.
Mushrooms can be a nutritious part of a varied diet. They are fungi, rather than plants—and their contribution is worth appreciating without turning them into a miracle food.
What do mushrooms contribute?
Fresh mushrooms generally contain plenty of water, little fat and relatively few calories. Depending on the variety, they contribute fibre, B vitamins and minerals such as copper, potassium and selenium.
Their exact composition varies. A portion can contribute useful nutrients, but mushrooms are not a substitute for a substantial protein source such as tofu, tempeh or legumes. Nor should ordinary mushrooms be relied upon for vitamin B12.
Mushrooms also contain ergothioneine, a compound that humans obtain from food and that researchers are studying for possible roles in protecting cells. Dr Michael Greger's NutritionFacts.org discusses mushrooms as a concentrated dietary source. The nickname “longevity vitamin” is sometimes used for it, but it is not one of the 13 established vitamins and has no established daily intake requirement. [1]
Some observational research links mushroom consumption with better long-term outcomes, but findings are not uniform. A 2021 analysis found no statistically significant association with mortality after adjustment for other factors. These studies cannot prove that eating mushrooms extends life. [2]
For everyday eating, their nutritional contribution, variety and flavour are good enough reasons to enjoy them.
Mushrooms you can find in Thai markets and supermarkets
The Thai word for mushroom is เห็ด — het. Names and availability vary by vendor and region. Some supermarket varieties are imported; being sold in Thailand does not necessarily mean grown here. Thai agricultural listings and supermarket catalogues include many of the following types. [3, 4]
| Mushroom | Thai name | What to expect | Ways to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straw mushroom | เห็ดฟาง — het fang | Small rounded mushrooms, often sold before the cap opens | Halve larger ones for curries, tom yum or stir-fries |
| Oyster mushroom | เห็ดนางรม — het nang rom | Fan-shaped caps with a tender texture | Tear into pieces for curry, soup or a quick stir-fry |
| Nang fa oyster-type mushroom | เห็ดนางฟ้า — het nang fa | A familiar oyster-type mushroom in Thai markets; names can cover related cultivated varieties | Useful for everyday curries and mixed vegetables |
| Shiitake | เห็ดหอม — het hom | A pronounced savoury flavour; available fresh or dried | Fresh in curry; rehydrated dried mushrooms in soups and braises |
| King oyster | เห็ดออรินจิ — het orinji | Thick, firm stems and small caps | Slice or cube for curries; also good browned in a pan |
| Enoki | เห็ดเข็มทอง — het khem thong | Clusters of fine stems with tiny caps | Soups, hotpots and curries; cook thoroughly |
| Shimeji / beech mushrooms | เห็ดชิเมจิ — het shimeji | Small clustered caps, commonly brown or white | Separate the cluster for soups, curries or stir-fries |
| Wood ear | เห็ดหูหนู — het hu nu | Dark, ear-shaped mushrooms with a crisp, springy texture | Stir-fries, soups and cooked salads |
| White button / champignon | เห็ดแชมปิญอง — het champignon | Mild, round mushrooms familiar from Western cooking | Slice for sauces, omelettes, stir-fries or curry |
This table is a shopping guide, not a guide to identifying wild mushrooms. Similar-looking species can be poisonous. Buy known edible varieties from a reliable seller; photographs or cooking do not make an unidentified mushroom safe.
Are they grown in sterile conditions?
Mushroom cultivation often begins with carefully prepared cultures and sterilised or pasteurised growing material. Growers manage hygiene, moisture, temperature and ventilation to help the intended fungus grow rather than competing organisms. FAO's cultivation guidance describes these steps. [5]
However, a fruiting house is not necessarily sterile. Cultivation systems differ, and insects, mites and diseases can still cause problems. Thailand's Department of Agriculture has researched pest control in mushroom production. [6]
Many cultivated mushrooms do not need the weed-control approach used for an outdoor crop, but that does not establish that every producer uses no pesticides or that every packet has no residues. Clean indoor growing conditions are not a pesticide-free certification.
If production methods matter to you, ask the supplier or look for a credible certification and traceable producer. Even well-grown mushrooms still need careful handling after harvest.
How I use them in curries
Mushrooms fit easily into green curry, massaman curry and other dishes. I can change the variety according to what is fresh at the market.
For a curry for two people, about 150–250 grams of fresh mushrooms is a practical starting quantity, depending on how much other food is in the pot. This is a recipe suggestion, not a required health dose.
- Trim tough bases and remove visible debris. Rinse briefly if needed, then drain; avoid leaving fresh mushrooms soaking unnecessarily.
- Tear oyster mushrooms into pieces. Slice king oysters across the stem, halve larger straw mushrooms and trim tough shiitake stems.
- Add firm varieties early enough to become tender. Add delicate varieties later, while still allowing sufficient cooking.
- Pair them with tofu, tempeh, beans or another appropriate protein source rather than treating texture as proof of high protein content.
- Taste before adding more seasoning. Their savoury flavour can make a satisfying curry without relying on extra salt.
Their natural savouriness includes naturally occurring glutamate. Avoiding added MSG does not mean food must contain no naturally occurring glutamate.
Cooking and storage matter
Cook enoki thoroughly, rather than simply placing raw strands on a finished bowl. Food-safety agencies have documented Listeria contamination in enoki, with particular concern for older adults and people with weakened immunity. Refrigeration alone does not remove that risk. [7]
Cook other varieties appropriately too. Dried shiitake should be rehydrated and cooked; wood ear should be prepared according to packet instructions, with prolonged room-temperature soaking avoided.
Keep fresh mushrooms refrigerated, follow use-by instructions and avoid packs that are slimy, mouldy or smell spoiled. Wash hands and equipment after handling raw mushrooms, and keep them separate from ready-to-eat food.
What about vitamin D?
Some mushrooms provide vitamin D2, especially after ultraviolet exposure. The amount can differ greatly, so an ordinary packet should not automatically be counted as a reliable vitamin D supply. [8]
A study of mushrooms commonly eaten in Thailand found that controlled UVB treatment could increase vitamin D content. That does not establish a precise home sunlight recipe: variety, treatment and subsequent cooking affect the result. Check labels for UV-treated products and stated vitamin D amounts. [9]
Variety that fits everyday life
For me, mushrooms are an ordinary part of cooking—not an expensive health treatment. I enjoy them almost daily because they fit the food I like to make, and Thailand offers plenty of choice.
A handful of oyster mushrooms can soften into a curry. King oysters add a firmer bite. Shiitake brings a deeper savoury flavour. Mixing them gives another variation.
That is a useful kind of healthy eating: enjoyable food that earns its place in the kitchen as well as on a nutrition list.
Before changing your diet: Consult your doctor or another qualified health practitioner before making dietary changes based on this website, particularly if you have a medical condition or take medication. This article concerns edible culinary mushrooms, not medicinal extracts or supplements. If you have a mushroom allergy, avoid the relevant products.
Sources and further reading
- Dr Michael Greger's NutritionFacts.org: ergothioneine.
- Mushroom intake and mortality: prospective study and meta-analysis, 2021.
- Thailand's agricultural standards information: mushroom products.
- Tops: mushroom catalogue, and king oyster listing. Availability varies by branch and date.
- FAO: mushroom cultivation guide.
- Thai Department of Agriculture: research on mushroom pest control.
- FDA: enoki mushroom handling and thorough cooking advice. This is a completed historical outbreak investigation, cited for its food-handling guidance rather than as a claim of a current local outbreak.
- NIH: vitamin D and UV-treated mushrooms.
- Vitamin D, UV treatment and cooking in commonly consumed Thai mushrooms, 2023.
Sources checked on 13 October 2026. the author's near-daily mushroom consumption and use in curries are personal experience; preparation quantities are suggestions.