{"id":17972,"date":"2025-03-09T21:48:33","date_gmt":"2025-03-09T19:48:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/?p=17972"},"modified":"2025-03-26T14:35:01","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T12:35:01","slug":"some-mind-blowing-facts-for-brain-awareness-week-10-16-march-samfa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/some-mind-blowing-facts-for-brain-awareness-week-10-16-march-samfa\/","title":{"rendered":"Some Mind-Blowing Facts for Brain Awareness Week (10 &#8211; 16 March)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Think about it, your brain\u2019s important \u2013 from day-to-day function to your actual personality. It needs to run on premium fuel and under optimum conditions for maximum performance so that your life is the very best it can be.<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Your brain actually needs quite a lot of things to work properly: carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Enter the humble mushroom! It\u2019s brain food at its very best, containing carbs, protein \u2013 yes, protein \u2013 and a healthy array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>According to Harvard\u2019s The Nutrition Source, mushrooms are a source of B-vitamins, which help produce energy in the brain, as well as neurochemicals for brain signalling, and may even reduce rates of brain shrinkage in those with memory issues.<\/li>\n<li>Mushrooms are also the only significant plant source of vitamin D, which can help clear Alzheimer plaques from the brain, help to synthesise neurotransmitters and act to improve mood.<\/li>\n<li>There\u2019s also selenium, which\u00a0protects against the damages of oxidative stress; and copper, which plays a role in making feel-good dopamine, norepinephrine, and neuropeptides.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>There\u2019s a lot more, but it&#8217;s suffice to say that mushrooms are pro-brain with zero back-end mind games. They\u2019re good for you, good for your overall health, and good for your brain. Period!\u00a0 And science backs it up.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u201cResearchers continue to uncover how mushrooms can ward off chronic disease and improve your everyday health,\u201d notes UCLA Health.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In one Singapore study looking at the effects of eating mushrooms on mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which causes memory and language difficulties and is often a precursor to Alzheimer\u2019s disease, the data shows that \u201cparticipants who ate more than two cups of mushrooms a week had a 50 percent lower risk of developing MCI. Even those who ate only one cup saw some benefit. The mushrooms eaten by participants included golden, oyster, shiitake and white button mushrooms.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So into the trolley goes that punnet of white buttons as you zoom around the fresh produce aisle, right?<\/p>\n<p>Another incentive to include more fungi in your meals is a 2022 Spanish study that concluded: \u201cDiets supplemented with either white button or portobello mushrooms showed great potential in reducing oxidative stress markers in the brain, and they seem to do this through a modulation of the microbiota towards a healthier composition. The combination of physical activity and a healthy diet supplemented with Agaricus mushrooms may significantly contribute to the cognitive health of the general population.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Agaricus is the name for the strain of edible\u00a0mushrooms that includes white button, portabellini and portabello mushrooms \u2013 the types most easy to find on South African supermarket shelves.<\/p>\n<p>A further study by the University of Reading published last year in the National Library of Medicine found that \u201cmushroom consumers displayed better cognitive performance than non-consumers across multiple cognitive domains.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis relationship was observed to be dose-dependent, with those consuming one or more portions per week showing the highest cognitive scores. These findings suggest that regular mushroom consumption may be beneficial for cognitive function during ageing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This means eating more mushrooms is an easy, delicious and cost-effective addition to any anti-ageing regime, so you might as well add your fungi-of-choice to soups and stews, salads, sauces and side dishes. Go to <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/31Tza3V\">https:\/\/bit.ly\/31Tza3V<\/a> for a whole host of marvellous mushroom meals.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe choose something celebratory for Brain Awareness Week, which runs from 10 &#8211; 16 March this year, and is a global campaign to \u201cfoster public enthusiasm and support for brain science.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>We\u2019re all-in with the mindful mushrooms vibe. Cauli Rice &amp; Roasted Mushroom Dinner Bowls with Herb Vinaigrette are served!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Cauli Rice &amp; Roasted Mushroom Dinner Bowls\u00a0<\/strong><strong>with Herb Vinaigrette\u00a0<\/strong>(Vegan)<\/h3>\n<p>Serves 4<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ingredients:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Quick pickled red onions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00bd cup red wine vinegar<\/li>\n<li>\u00bd cup water<\/li>\n<li>1 Tbsp sugar<\/li>\n<li>1 tsp salt<\/li>\n<li>1 large red onion, thinly sliced<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Herb vinaigrette:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u2153 cup olive oil<\/li>\n<li>\u2153 cup red wine vinegar<\/li>\n<li>4 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, chives, coriander etc<\/li>\n<li>2 Tbsp fresh lime juice<\/li>\n<li>1 small clove garlic, finely grated<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Cauli rice:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1 large head cauliflower<\/li>\n<li>1 white onion, diced<\/li>\n<li>Zest and juice of \u00bd a lemon<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Mushrooms:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>250g white button mushrooms, whole or halved<\/li>\n<li>250g portabello mushrooms, quartered<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To serve:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>110g shelled edamame beans, cooked<\/li>\n<li>125g tenderstem broccoli, cooked<\/li>\n<li>100g asparagus spears, cooked<\/li>\n<li>1 whole avocado, quartered<\/li>\n<li>2 Tbsp black and white sesame seeds, lightly toasted<\/li>\n<li>Lime wedges, for serving<\/li>\n<li>Olive oil, for cooking<\/li>\n<li>Salt and pepper, to taste<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Method:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For the pickled onions:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Whisk the vinegar, water, sugar and salt together in a small bowl until sugar and salt dissolve.<\/li>\n<li>Place sliced onion in a glass jar.<\/li>\n<li>Pour vinegar mixture over and seal.<\/li>\n<li>Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>For the herb vinaigrette:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.<\/li>\n<li>Season well with salt and pepper.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>For the cauli rice:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Cut the head of cauliflower into chunks, stem included.<\/li>\n<li>Place cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until it forms a chunky rice-like texture.<\/li>\n<li><em>(You can also achieve this by grating the cauliflower on a large box grater) <\/em><\/li>\n<li>In a large frying pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil.<\/li>\n<li>Add the diced onion and cook until soft.<\/li>\n<li>Add the cauliflower rice and cook, stirring often, until the cauliflower softens but retains a nice bit of texture.<\/li>\n<li>Stir in the lemon juice and zest and season well with salt and pepper.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>For the mushrooms:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Preheat the oven to 200\u02daC, fan on.<\/li>\n<li>Arrange the mushrooms on a large baking tray in a single layer.<\/li>\n<li>Drizzle the mushrooms with some of the herb vinaigrette.<\/li>\n<li>Roast for about 7 minutes until tender.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>To assemble:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Divide the cauli rice amongst four bowls.<\/li>\n<li>Add a few spears of asparagus and a few stems of broccoli to each bowl.<\/li>\n<li>Dip each avocado quarter in sesame seeds and add to each bowl.<\/li>\n<li>Scatter with a little edamame and add a few generous spoonfuls of herby roasted mushrooms to each bowl.<\/li>\n<li>Finish with a little pile of pickled onions and fresh lime wedges.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>Serve with the remaining herb vinaigrette on the side and enjoy!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Think about it, your brain\u2019s important \u2013 from day-to-day function to your actual personality. It needs to run on premium fuel and under optimum conditions for maximum performance so that your life is the very best it can be. Your brain actually needs quite a lot of things to work properly: carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17973,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17972","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-recipes"],"wps_subtitle":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17972","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17972"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17972\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17974,"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17972\/revisions\/17974"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}