The Fascinating World of Mycology: Discovering the Wonders of Mushrooms

Here's a little bit about mushrooms, the magic of mycology and how my career evolved into writing about mushrooms.

What is a mushroom?

The word'mushroom' describes a range of fungi (also known as 'fungi') with spores that grow above ground and produce fruiting bodies, which are mushrooms. Fruiting bodies usually consist of spore-producing organs such as a stalk or stem and a head that contains reproductive structures (such as spores or pollen).


In this post, I want to introduce you to the fascinating world of mycology. What are some of the different types of mushrooms? How do they grow? Why do we love mushrooms so much? How did I start talking about mushrooms? Why do I talk about mushrooms all the time?

Mushrooms - A Brief Overview

There are many different kinds of mushrooms, some are edible while others are toxic. This is especially true for some varieties that are grown commercially.

Edible varieties include button, portobello and cremini mushrooms. These are most often used for cooking, and are fairly easy to identify.

Not every mushroom has a stipe. If you look under the cap, you may find a stipe which is attached directly to the bottom of the mushroom. If you don't find a stipe, just know that the mushroom is generally very meaty.

The edible group also includes shiitake and maitake mushrooms. There is actually a third genus called shimeji, but since these are rare and expensive, they won't be discussed here.

Toxic varieties include false morel, fly agaric, and death cap mushrooms. These varieties can be deadly even in small amounts. If you see any of these varieties, run away.

A quick Google search will give you plenty more information about mushrooms, but the short version is that mushrooms are fungi with a head that produces reproductive structures (such as spores or pollen). These reproductive structures are the reason they are often referred to as a fruiting body.

Why Are We Fascinated With Mushrooms?

If you think mushrooms are just plain gross, you might be surprised to know that there are many cultures where they are an important part of life. In fact, some mushrooms contain hallucinogenic properties.

Humans have been eating mushrooms for thousands of years, and the relationship between humans and mushrooms has been strong for many reasons.

Mushrooms can be delicious

One of the reasons we've been eating mushrooms is because they're delicious. A simple Google search will show you that people have been eating mushrooms since prehistoric times.

There are hundreds of varieties of mushrooms found worldwide. People around the world love their mushrooms, and there are tons of delicious varieties that grow locally in their area.

People around the world also eat them for the medicinal benefits. For example, shiitake mushrooms are eaten in China to reduce blood pressure. They're also consumed in Japan and Korea to prevent diseases such as cancer and diabetes.