What are shiitake mushroom benefits and side effects every ethical consumer must know? Here are shiitake mushroom pros and cons and how buying them will impact your health, the environment, animals and laborers.
Food is something we consume every day and if you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on shiitake mushroom benefits and side effects.
You are going to learn all about shiitake mushroom benefits and side effects. This will include shiitake mushroom benefits for your health and potential risks, shiitake mushroom water footprint and carbon footprint, sustainability, if shiitake mushrooms are vegan or impact animals in other ways, and much more.
After learning if shiitake mushrooms are good or bad for you, the environment, animals and human rights, you will be able to make the best choices you can the next time you buy food.
This post is all about shiitake mushroom benefits and side effects that every ethical consumer should know.
Must-Know Shiitake Mushroom Benefits And Side Effects
Health
Shiitake mushroom health benefits may include:
- hydration
- digestive health
- boosted energy
- detoxification
- cardiovascular health
- boosted immunity
- heart health
- weight loss
Shiitake mushrooms are…
★★★★★
- Easy cooking.
- Delicious results.
- Reduce your oil intake.
- Best of pressure cooking and air frying all in one pot!
- Nesting Broil Rack, 5 Quart, Stainless Steel
- We love it!
Environment
Water footprint: low, it takes 322 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of vegetables / 39 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of vegetables
Carbon footprint: low, 1.6 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of vegetables, a car driving equivalent of 3.75 miles or 6 kilometers
Destruction: low, there is no known significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as pesticides have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc.
Shiitake mushrooms are…
- Sustainable
Animals
Kills: none, shiitake mushroom production does not require any animals to be killed
Harms: none, shiitake mushroom production does require any animals to be used
Indirectly kills or harms: none, no animals are indirectly killed or harmed from shiitake mushroom production as long as toxic chemicals have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as pesticides harm and kill wildlife and ecosystems by contaminating soil, water, air and plants that animals eat
Shiitake mushrooms are…
- Vegan
- Harmful to wildlife and ecosystems unless organic
★★★★★
- Perfect for children ages 2-8.
- Available in paperback, ebook, audio formats.
- Suitable for vegan kids and vegan families (does not include farm animals, animal food products or byproducts).
- Written + Illustrated by HEALabel's Adriane Marie.
Laborers
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Shiitake mushrooms…
- May involve worker exploitation, laborer issues, human rights concerns
Where do most shiitake mushrooms come from?
The world’s top shiitake mushroom exporter is Poland, followed by China and Lithuania, Russia, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belarus, South Korea and Canada.
shiitake mushrooms are alkaline.
Are shiitake mushrooms alkaline or acidic?
Shiitake mushrooms are alkaline.
What is the pH level of shiitake mushrooms?
Shiitake mushrooms have an 8.0 pH level when fresh, once digested.
When you eat food, it breaks down to an ash residue that can be neutral, acidic or alkaline. Minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper and iron produce an alkaline ash; whereas sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and iodine, which are in meat, coffee, dairy and alcohol, leave an acid ash.
Going alkaline easier than ever with this: Acidic and Alkaline Foods List
shiitake mushrooms are gluten free.
Are shiitake mushrooms gluten free?
Yes, shiitake mushrooms are gluten free. Shiitake mushrooms do not contain gluten when unseasoned. Shiitake mushrooms are a type of fungi, therefore making it a naturally gluten free food.
Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include:
- recurring abdominal pain
- chronic diarrhea
- constipation
- tingling
- numbness in hands and feet
- chronic fatigue
- joint pain
- unexplained infertility
- low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
There are hundreds of potential symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of other conditions.
Going gluten free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten Free Foods List
shiitake mushrooms are not a common food allergen.
Are shiitake mushrooms a common food allergen?
No, shiitake mushrooms are not a common food allergen. Some people may experience allergic reactions to shiitake mushrooms but it is relatively rare by comparison.
A group of the eight major allergenic foods, AKA the Big-8, include:
Persons may still be allergic to and have serious reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by the law.
Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List
shiitake mushrooms have a low water footprint.
Do shiitake mushroom have a high or low water footprint?
Shiitake mushroom have a relatively low water footprint compared to other foods.
What is the water footprint of shiitake mushrooms?
It takes 322 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of mushrooms / 39 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of mushrooms.
Did you know that water is a finite, non-renewable resource?
How much water does it take to produce an apple? A serving of rice? A steak dinner?
We need to be aware of “water footprints”. That is, the amount of fresh water utilized in the production or supply of goods we consume. As it turns out it takes significantly more water to yield foods that come from animals than foods that come from plants. Imagine how much water a cow needs to consume to generate a piece of beef. Not only how much water a single cow drinks, rather all the water that went into producing the crops that the cow ate.
Find out how much water your food consumes with this: Water Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
shiitake mushrooms have a low carbon footprint.
Do shiitake mushrooms have a high or low carbon footprint?
Shiitake mushrooms have a relatively low carbon footprint compared to other foods.
When calculating carbon emissions, some factors may include…
- farm equipment
- animal feed production
- hothouses (greenhouses)
- food processing
- packaging
- transport
- refrigeration
- freezing
- package waste and more
But that’s not all!
It’s best to keep the following in mind when grocery shopping:
- shopping locally reduces transportation emissions
- food without packaging reduces waste as well as the carbon footprint
- refrigerated and frozen foods increase carbon emissions
- seasonal foods reduce carbon emissions from hothouses (greenhouses)
- growing plant-based foods at home is the most environmentally sustainable method with zero carbon footprint
Find out how much carbon your food emits with this: Carbon Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
shiitake mushrooms are sustainable.
Overall, are shiitake mushrooms eco friendly? Are shiitake mushrooms sustainable?
Shiitake mushroom production is relatively sustainable. There is no known significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as pesticides have not been used. Be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc. when using regenerative practices.
A 2018 Oxford University study – which is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet – found that ‘avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on Earth’ as animal farming provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of our farmland.
Consuming animal products and byproducts is not environmentally friendly and is one of the worst things for the Earth. Not only is meat production wasteful, it causes enormous amounts of pollution. The industry is one of the biggest causes of climate change.
A 2010 United Nations report said that a global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world the worst impacts of climate change.
shiitake mushrooms are vegan.
Are shiitake mushrooms vegan?
Yes, shiitake mushrooms are vegan. Shiitake mushrooms are fungi and not an animal product or byproduct, therefore making it a vegan food.
Animals of factory farming are suffering. They live in horrific conditions that often include confinement, physical abuse and unnatural environments…so much so that they need to receive antibiotics to keep from getting ill or spreading disease. Growth hormones allow all kinds of animals to become fatter faster and live short lives.
Because we cannot see for ourselves how these animals live and what they endure does not mean it isn’t happening. The meat, poultry and dairy industries do everything they can to distance us from knowing how our food comes to be in order to keep us in the dark about what we support each time we buy animal derived products and byproducts.
Go vegan for animals!
It’s the best way to help animals and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Speak for animals with your actions, for they cannot speak at all.
Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non Vegan Foods List
shiitake mushrooms may or may not have labor issues.
Are shiitake mushrooms a product with laborer concerns?
At this time there have been no major concerns with shiitake mushroom production but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening!
It’s important to stay aware of human rights concerns and worker exploitation that may come with specific brands.
Did you know the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? The labor involved behind each and every product cannot go unrecognized.
Some known problems include workplace health and safety, child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence and unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death!
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
We can improve people’s lives with foods we eat every day simply by buying products that are certified fair trade.
Sources:
Mushrooms, shiitake, raw – FoodData Central – USDA
Shiitake Mushrooms: A Commercial Forest Farming Enterprise
Mushrooms Grades and Standards – Agricultural Marketing
