Wood ear mushrooms are easy to identify in their raw form. They grow on wood, and they're shaped like ears.
Chances are you'll find them dried, though, because these mushrooms aren't often available as fresh products in supermarkets.
Wood ear mushrooms, which are full of B vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, are commonly used in different Asian dishes.
Certain compounds in wood ear mushrooms have even been associated with medicinal benefits.
Wood ear mushrooms are known by many names. They're often called black, jelly, or wood ear fungus, and may also be known as cloud ear, Judas's ear, jelly ear, or kikurage mushrooms.
Wood ear mushrooms are known for being low in fat and calories but rich in protein and other nutrients.
A wood ear mushroom is a particularly good source of the B vitamins. One hundred grams of raw wood ear mushroom has:
- 7 percent of your daily value (DV) for vitamin B1 (thiamin)
- 16 percent of your DV for vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
- 40 percent of your DV for vitamin B5
- 6 percent of your DV for vitamin B6
- 5 percent of your DV for vitamin B9 (folate)
