Did you know?
Mushrooms are thought to be particularly effective against breast and other hormone-related cancers. The reason being is that they inhibit an enzyme called aromatase, which produces oestrogen.
Several types of mushrooms have indicated strong anti-aromatase activity.
So, can tossing some sliced mushrooms onto your salad help reduce your risk of breast cancer? “Yes,” says City of Hope’s Shiuan Chen, Ph.D. and Chair of the Department of Cancer Biology at City of Hope’s Beckman Research Institute. “Mushrooms contain compounds that prevent estrogen levels from getting too high. Since estrogen is a factor in 70 percent of all breast cancer cases, maintaining healthy levels of the hormone makes sense as a preventative measure.”
Mushrooms for a good cause…
For the entire month of October, pink punnets will ‘mushroom’ onto Pick n Pay’s fresh produce shelves nationally. R1 from each punnet of 250g whole white button mushrooms, 250g sliced white button mushrooms, the 250g budget line and the 400g whole white mushroom punnets sold, will be donated to Reach for Recovery’s Ditto project. A remarkable initiative that provides silicone prostheses to women who, after breast cancer followed by a mastectomy, cannot afford to purchase a prosthesis even less so undergo reconstructive surgery.
Try this recipe for beetroot hummus with warm sesame mushrooms
ALSO SEE: Breast Cancer: Why Mushrooms Are Good For You
Ingredients
- For the hummus:
- 1 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 medium beetroot, cooked (about 1 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 heaped Tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Sea salt flakes
- For the Mushrooms:
- 250g portabellini mushrooms
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Olive oil
- Sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds, mixed
- Salt & pepper
- Flatbread / pita to serve
Instructions
- To make the hummus: Put the chickpeas in a pot and cover with a few centimetres of water. Add the bicarbonate of soda and cook for 20 minutes until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice cold water if you don't have a strong blender and need more liquid.
- To make the mushrooms: Place a large frying pan on high heat. Drizzle a little olive oil and sesame oil into the pan. Fry the mushrooms until almost golden brown and then add the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a further 2 minutes until the garlic is golden brown. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the mushrooms with mixed sesame seeds.
- Top the hummus with the mushrooms and serve with toasted pita or flatbread.
