The Mycocultural Revolution, Part 3: Fungi, Nutrition, and a Cutural Shift
The vast fungal kingdom occupies an unusual and important place in the evolutionary continuum between the botanical and animal kingdoms. Fungi have developed special and often underappreciated relationships with both plants and animals.
Mycorrhizal fungi coevolved with plants as life transitioned from ocean to land and eventually became dominant terrestrial organisms. In these mutually beneficial relationships, plants provide fungi with sugars as an energy source, while fungal mycelia extend deep into the soil to retrieve trace minerals and water that would otherwise be inaccessible. During periods of drought, these fungal networks can even help plants survive by supplying precious moisture.
Saprophytic fungi play a different but equally essential role. They feed on dead organic material, largely from the plant kingdom, breaking down complex lignocellulosic compounds that would otherwise accumulate and suffocate the earth. Through powerful digestive enzymes, fungi decompose lignin and cellulose and return simple carbon compounds and minerals to the soil. In this way, fungi quietly drive the carbon cycle and serve as nature’s ultimate recyclers.
Humans, too, are inseparable from the microbial world. Only about ten percent of the genes in our bodies are human; the remaining ninety percent belong to the bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that inhabit us. Our health depends on this internal ecosystem, supported by a balanced diet, regular physical activity, and a healthy environment.
Mushrooms can contribute meaningfully to human health. They are low in calories, rich in fiber, and provide important nutrients such as B vitamins, potassium, selenium, and bioactive compounds including beta-glucans. Mushrooms also offer deep, savory flavor, allowing them to complement or partially replace more resource-intensive animal proteins without sacrificing culinary satisfaction.
Mushroom consumption, however, is largely a cultural phenomenon. In regions where wild mushrooms are abundant—such as Eastern Europe and much of Asia—mushrooms are regularly incorporated into daily meals. In many other parts of the world, they remain absent from the diet. When we speak of a mycocultural revolution, we refer not only to increasing mushroom production, but also to encouraging a broader cultural shift toward including fungi as a normal and valued part of our food system.
In short, we should grow more mushrooms and eat them more regularly to support both a healthy world population and a healthy planet. Mycoculture alone will not feed nine billion people, but as a low-land-use, low-water-use, nutrient-dense food source, it can play an increasingly important role in meeting future food demands while preserving the biosphere that sustains us.
