Power Up Your Salads with Nutrient-Dense Greens and Healing Mushrooms – Marry Nutrient-Dense Greens with Healing Mushrooms
Salads provide an easy way to increase your daily vegetable intake. Start with a mix of superfood greens like kale and spinach as your base. Then take your salad to the next level with a boost from medicinal mushrooms!
Below we’ll cover the most nutritious salad greens, summarize research on the health benefits of certain mushrooms, and provide salad recipes combining greens and fungi.
The Most Nutrient-Dense Salad Greens
Greens form the foundation of a healthy salad. Here’s how common varieties compare on key nutrients per 100g:
| Salad Green | Vitamin K | Vitamin A | Vitamin C | Folate | Potassium | Phosphorous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romaine | 53 mg | 204 mg | 2.4 mg | 60 mg | 115 mg | 14 mg |
| Green Leaf | 62 mg | 2665 mg | 6.5 mg | 14 mg | 70 mg | 10 mg |
| Cabbage | 67 mg | 87 mg | 33 mg | 38 mg | 151 mg | 23 mg |
| Spinach | 145 mg | 2813 mg | 8.4 mg | 58 mg | 167 mg | 14 mg |
| Kale | 1062 mg | 885 mg | 53 mg | 16 mg | 296 mg | 36 mg |
Kale and spinach contain the most nutrients. Cabbage, romaine and lettuce also contribute variety.
Aim for a mix of all greens to get a spectrum of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Research-Backed Benefits of Medicinal Mushrooms
Studies reveal certain mushrooms offer unique healing properties:
- Reishi – Anti-inflammatory, immune balancing, heart protective
- Lion’s Mane – Brain, memory and nerve support
- Cordyceps – Physical stamina, exercise performance
- Turkey Tail – Immunity enhancement, gut health
- Shiitake – Cholesterol optimization, antimicrobial
Add mushrooms like reishi and cordyceps to your diet to harness their complementary benefits alongside nutrient-rich greens.
Salad Recipes with Greens and Mushrooms
Blend greens and fungi in these balanced salad ideas:
Immune-Boosting Spinach Salad
Baby spinach, turkey tail mushrooms, carrot ribbons, red bell pepper, hemp hearts, lemon thyme dressing
Brain-Power Kale Salad
Kale massaged with lemon juice, lion’s mane mushrooms, blueberries, pecan crumbles, avocado, citrus vinaigrette
Mushroom Caesar Salad
Romaine lettuce, reishi mushrooms, chickpeas, parmesan cheese, carrot croutons, creamy mushroom caesar dressing
Thai Crunch Salad
Napa cabbage, mixed greens, shiitake mushrooms, edamame, bell pepper, carrot, cilantro, Thai peanut dressing
Make mushrooms and greens the base of flavorful, nourishing salad bowls. Experiment with combinations to boost wellness in new ways with every salad!
