Why Chanterelle Mushroom Identification is Good For You

Chanterelle mushroom identification for a new mushroom forager would be wise to learn.

We’re all accustomed to eating grocery store mushrooms, but there are many reasons to add chanterelle mushrooms to your diet. And finding them in nature only adds to the joy of eating them.

Chanterelles are easy foraging if you live in an environment where they flourish, once you learn how to identify them. They’re tasty and hearty. And, they have health benefits that make them a definite bonus.

Let’s look at 7 reasons that make it worth learning chanterelle mushroom identification.

1. They’re Anti-Inflammatory

Studies show that the chanterelle, or Cantharellus cibarius, has anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties.

In one study using non-human subjects, the activity of C. cibarius included repair of the epidermal layer of skin and increased collagen production. These wound-healing and anti-inflammatory effects are part of the scientific rationale for the medicinal use of the golden chanterelle mushroom in treating wounds.

2. They’re Anti-Oxidant

Studies have shown that the chanterelle species has what’s called “good radical scavenging activity” that gives it strong antioxidant potential as well as anti-bactericidal effects.

“Radical scavenging” refers to the fact that antioxidants may protect cells against free radicals, which can play a role in cancer, heart disease, and other diseases.

Chanterelle mushrooms are believed to provide an optimal supply of antioxidants.

3. They May Be “Antihypoxic”

Hypoxia is a deficiency in the amount of oxygen that reaches the body’s tissues. Some studies on non-human subjects have shown that chanterelle extract helped prolong hypoxia-induced lethality.

While further study is needed, certainly it can’t hurt to add a food that supports getting oxygen to you tissues.

4. They’re High in Vitamins

Chanterelles support good health by providing high levels of vitamins B and C. They also contain carbohydrates and proteins and a low amount of fat, phenolic compounds and organic acids.

5. They’re Good for the Environment

Like most mushrooms, chanterelles hold a special place in the ecosystem. They are parasitic, digesting their hosts and then supporting the environment by adding nutrients to the surrounding soil. Because chanterelles form a symbiotic, beneficial relationship with plant or tree roots, you can often find them on the ground in different types of hardwood forests.

6. They Taste Good

Perhaps most importantly, the chanterelle is a favorite species due to its aroma and taste. As a wild, edible mushroom, you’ll appreciate learning to identify it.

7. They Aren’t That Hard to Identify

So, you’re probably asking, how do I learn chanterelle mushroom identification? While they can be somewhat similar to the poisonous Jack O’Lantern mushrooms, once you learn to spot chanterelles, you won’t forget.

Jack O’Lanterns, which are orange, grow in clusters and have gills that crumble and break. Chanterelles grow only near trees, not alone in fields, and don’t grow in big clumps – each should have its own stem.

Instead of gills, chanterelles have folds on their undersides and the ridges run down the stem a bit, rather than terminating at the cap. The texture of chanterelles is also firmer and less crumbly than Jack O’Lanterns. You can’t separate the false gills of a chanterelle from its cap.

Final Thoughts

Chanterelles usually appear in summer and fall, and once you find a patch, keep returning to enjoy them.

Then you too can take advantage of the 7 reasons that make it worth learning chanterelle mushroom identification.

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