If you love the finer things in life, chances are you may have come across truffles. You may have to pay an arm or a leg to get a few grams of this prized mushroom. But the payout is amazing. A few shavings on pasta, pizzas and risottos are enough to flavour the whole dish.
Truffles are edible fungi that can either be black or white in colour. Inside, the flesh of the truffle mushrooms is white and spotty. They are one of the oldest forms of food and have been used as a meat substitute. It has an appetising, musky aroma and a unique taste.
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As amazing as they are, truffles are hard to come by. It takes specially trained dogs with a sharp sense of smell to dig out truffles. These expensive fungi are found in the temperate woodlands of Italy, France and the Pacific Northwest, growing on the roots of hazelnut, poplar oak and beech trees.
They also have a short shelf life and have to be consumed quickly.
Some farmers try to commercially grow truffles in orchards; however, these fungi are notoriously temperamental and growers cannot control their reproduction. Dwindling habitats have also led to a decrease in truffle yields.
To plug this shortage and to make the truffle flavour more accessible to consumers, gourmet brands have introduced truffle-infused oils and butter. They can be used to flavour the food and won't burn a big hole in the packet.
Truffles are regarded as a great delicacy not only for their unique flavour but also for their nutritive value. Here are some of the health benefits of truffles.
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Health benefits of truffles
Truffles are antioxidant-rich foods that contain many beneficial bioactive components like phenolics, terpenoids, polysaccharides and fatty acids.
It also has antitumour, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and liver-protective qualities. Here are some of its benefits.
1. Has antitumour qualities: Desert truffles like Terfezia boudieri is known to have antitumour properties. Extracts of this mushroom were found to kill cancer cells and prevent the formation of blood vessels on tumours.
2. Good for immune health: Truffles possess immunomodulatory compounds that help in stimulating the immune system to fight cancers and infections. These compounds can also calm down a raging immune system, preventing an inflammatory attack.
3. Is antimicrobial: The bioactive components in truffles also give them antibacterial properties, especially against harmful gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. In fact, a concoction made of desert truffle is used as a remedy for eye infections.
4. Is an aphrodisiac: Truffles are considered an aphrodisiac and have been used as a sexual enhancer. A derivative of androstenol, a steroidal pheromone, is found in truffles. This pheromone, also found in human perspiration, is said to increase sexual attractiveness.
Other benefits of truffles:
- Protects liver health
- Anti-depressant
- Immunostimulant
- Reduces cholesterol
- Anti-diabetic
- Antioxidant
A 100gm serving of black truffles offers the following nutrients.
| Nutrient | Measure (DV) |
| Calories | 284 |
| Total fat | 0.7 (1%) |
| Sodium | 35mg (1%) |
| Potassium | 754mg (21%) |
| Carbohydrates | 73mg (24%) |
| Dietary Fibre | 280% |
| Protein | 18% |
| Calcium | 15% |
| Iron | 32% |
| Vitamin B6 | 5% |
| Magnesium | 20% |
How to use truffles
Truffle is known as "underground gold" or "diamond of the kitchen" not only because it's expensive, but also because of its culinary uses.
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If you are lucky enough to get your hands on a few of them, you can add them to meats, pizzas, pasta, risottos and egg dishes. Truffles can be served raw and sliced thinly or sprinkled as a garnish.
- Truffles also have a short shelf life. This means they have to be consumed quickly or preserved in oil.
- "Truffle oils" that entrap the flavour of these mushrooms are also widely available. You can drizzle them on everything from pasta to fries.
- Truffles are also used as meat replacements in rice and vegetable dishes. They can also be added to sauces, ketchup, mustard, soups, purees, etc.
- Since truffles are expensive, use them wisely. Per dish, for a single person, 8-12 grams of the truffle is enough.
- Never use truffles in dishes where their taste can get overpowered by other strong-tasting ingredients. Always use them in neutral-tasting dishes when the truffle flavour gets complimented.
- Avoid exposing truffles to high heat. There will be a loss of flavour and texture.
- Use a slicer or a microplane to slice and grate your truffles.
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