From spores to steak Around 39% of Americans are cutting back on meat, but that doesn’t necessitate losing out on protein. At the Texas Mushroom Conference, Dissaya Theerakaosal of Shroomeats and Marlon Rison of Community Vegan talked about mushrooms as a sustainable food source. It brought to mind the fact that mushrooms have a greenhouse gas footprint up to 93% smaller than beef burgers. How myco meat is made: Mycoprotein is made from continuously harvested mycelium — not from the mushroom fruiting bodies. Mycelium biomass is sterilized and partially dried before being shaped into chunks or mince to give it a more meat-like texture. Nutrition facts: Mycoprotein usually has 11 to 15 grams of protein per 100 grams, while lean meat ranges from 26 to 31 grams — which might not sound impressive until you consider that mycoprotein contains far less fat than meat and no cholesterol. Mushroom meat is also high in dietary fiber, which is great for blood sugar levels and that ever-important gut microbiota. Availability: Since mycoprotein is still relatively new, pricing and availability vary wildly. Quorn is the most established brand in the space, with newcomers like SHROOMEATS and Meati Foods are appearing on more and more grocery shelves. Read more here.