The Importance of Mushrooms
Do we say that most people would never give mushrooms a second thought? The importance of mushrooms cannot be overstated. They are our planet’s herbivores, seeking dead organic material, or ‘biomass’, to break down and decompose into nutrients for growing plants. A process that is fundamental for forests and agricultural areas which often face soil loss and degradation.
However, mushrooms are not only noteworthy because of the role they play within an ecosystem. For a start, protein, vitamins, and minerals can be found in many edible species. Others possess medicinal use, often in folklore healing practices or Ayurveda. They too are grown for consumption and even industry, so yes, mushrooms add economic value to trade.
In sum, mushrooms are tasty and have several uses which allow them to come in handy daily while being important for the balance and equilibrium of nature. They encompass anthropogenic, nutritional, and therapeutic values that are embedded in the very core of mankind.
