Mushrooms, loved for their versatility and delicious taste, rightly deserve the title of 'superfood'. Whether you prefer chanterelles, oyster mushrooms, shiitake or portobello, mushrooms offer a wealth of health benefits.

These nutritional powerhouses are not only tasty but also extremely healthy. With minimal calories, they provide an abundance of protein, fiber, potassium, B vitamins and selenium. These low-fat treats are not only beneficial for weight management, but also for the heart. Mushrooms also strengthen your resistance thanks to their dietary fiber content.

As a natural energy boost, mushrooms are rich in B vitamins. In addition, they play a crucial role in the production of vitamin D, which is important for strong bones, teeth, muscles and a well-functioning immune system.

Scientific research has shown that mushrooms also have neuroprotective effects. As such, they can play an important role in promoting brain health and even help prevent conditions such as Alzheimer's.

Mushrooms are therefore not just a superfood, but a true 'super... super... superfood'. By regularly adding mushrooms to your meals, you give a powerful boost to your overall health.

A lack of rain on Vancouver Island this summer and fall is making things difficult for mushroom pickers who are usually able to find a bounty this time of year.

Generally, this far into October, collecting mushrooms is literally a walk in the forest. But this year is proving more difficult.

"This is an exceptionally dry year," said Thom O'Dell, a fungi educator who has been collecting mushrooms for more than 40 years. O'Dell even has the honour of naming a new species he and some others first discovered.

"The Cantharellus cascadensis. We named it after the Cascade range where it was discovered," said the Vancouver Island man.

O'Dell says he's finding far fewer chanterelles than he'd expect at this time of year, though he does stumble across some lobster mushrooms.

"It's not the most photogenic," he said with a laugh. "But these are some of the early ones that would normally come up with the summer rain."

O'Dell's problem finding mushrooms is being felt up and down Vancouver Island.

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