Mushrooms come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. Those that are not toxic they turn out to be quite healthy and tasty too.
For many years they have been used for their unique ability to add flavor in many different cultural cuisines. Although they are actually mushrooms, mushrooms are grouped under the category of cooking vegetables. Mushrooms allow you to add extra flavor without sodium or fat.
Let’s start by examining the nutritional profile of mushrooms.
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It’s easier to sayr what types of vitamins and minerals mushrooms containrather than trying to prove what kinds of conditions they can prevent or cure.
White mushrooms are the exception to the rule about white foods, as they contain more nutrients than even some fruits and vegetables.
One cup of raw white mushrooms:
- 20 calories
- 0 grams of fat
- 3 grams of protein
- 1 gram of fiber
- 23% of the daily value of vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
- 17% of the daily value of vitamin B3 (niacin)
- 14% of the daily value of vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- 13% daily value for selenium
- 13% daily value of copper
- 9% daily value for potassium
- 8% Daily Value for Phosphorus
Mushrooms are naturally low in sodium, fat, and cholesterol.
There are many other varieties of mushrooms available besides mushrooms. But most provide a similar nutrient profile, regardless of size, shape, or color.
Mushrooms also contain antioxidants, which can help you live a healthier and longer life. That’s because antioxidants protect cells from free radicals and oxidative stress.
The importance of B vitamins
The wide range of B vitamins that mushrooms contain help form red blood cells and also help your body better absorb energy from other foods.
B vitamins are also important for brain health and pregnant women are advised to take folic acid. Something that mushrooms also contain.
Vitamin D
Interestingly, mushrooms increase in vitamin D concentration when placed in sunlight, just like humans do. In fact, mushrooms are the only vegan source of vitamin D aside from fortified foods.
Dairy products often contain vitamin D and can be a good source for vegetarians, but vegans do not consume any animal products. For this reason, mushrooms can be a good way to add some vitamin D to a vegan diet.
Selenium
Selenium is not found in most fruits and vegetables. Mushrooms are the second best food source of selenium after Brazil nuts. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that prevents damage to tissues and cells and helps support the immune system. It also strengthens hair, nails, teeth, and bones.
Fiber
Insoluble fiber is necessary for human digestion. Soluble fiber helps your body regulate blood sugar and helps prevent an insulin spike after a large meal. It can also help moderate cholesterol and blood pressure.
In short, mushrooms are low in calories but packed with nutritional value. They are an excellent plant-based source of protein and fiber, as well as a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
The health benefits of mushrooms range from simply improving overall health to treating and preventing serious conditions.
So far, scientific research has identified over 100 beneficial effects that mushrooms can have on the body and 200 different conditions that can benefit from mushroom consumption. Here are some of the most important.
For a full overview, check out this article: Medicinal Mushrooms: The Complete Guide.
Fight against cancer
One of the things that medicinal mushrooms are best known for is their supposed ability to fight cancer.
Until now, no type of fungus has been shown to be effective in preventing or completely curing cancer on its own.
That’s not to say that mushrooms don’t contain bioactive compounds that can help with cancer treatment in a number of ways.
Antitumor
Several species of fungi have been identified that contain antitumor compounds. Especially turkey tail mushrooms (trametes versicolor) and lion’s mane mushrooms.
Boosting the immune system in cancer patients
Mushrooms have been shown to stimulate the human immune system of patients suffering from certain types of cancer.
Mushrooms also contain a type of protein called lectins that can bind to cancer cells and act as a signal to our immune system that they must be destroyed.
breast cancer
In a study from the University of Western Australia, women who consumed 1/3 ounce of fresh mushrooms and green tea every day were 64% less likely to develop breast cancer.
Leukemia
A compound called lentinan produced by shiitake mushrooms is known to suppress the growth and spread of leukemia cells.
control diabetes
Eating mushrooms can help people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
People with type 1 diabetes may benefit from mushrooms’ high fiber content, which can help lower their blood glucose levels.
People with type 2 diabetes get more stable blood sugar, insulin, and lipid levels from eating mushrooms.
Mushrooms are considered prebiotics. They can create subtle changes in your gut microbiome that alter the way your liver handles glucose.
This can make it easier to manage diabetes and other metabolic diseases.
a healthier heart
The antioxidants found in medicinal mushrooms like chaga may help lower blood pressure, as well as the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular conditions.
The vitamin C, potassium, and fiber contained in mushrooms may help improve cardiovascular health.
Mushrooms are low in sodium but high in potassium. Your body uses potassium and sodium together to regulate blood pressure. In this way, mushrooms can help reduce high blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular disease.
Shiitake mushrooms are a good source of beta glucans. Taking 3 grams of beta glucans per day has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels by 5%.
Mushrooms are a leaner source of protein than meat. They contain no fat or cholesterol, and only have low amounts of carbohydrates. This helps balance LDL (bad) cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol, which is critical for preventing atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases.
Weight control
Dietary fiber has been shown to play an important role in satiety (how full you feel after a meal).
Mushrooms contain two types of dietary fiber that can help reduce appetite and act as a «bulking agent» in the digestive system.
After eating mushrooms, you will feel fuller for longer. This can help reduce your overall calorie intake.
Increases iron absorption
The fungus contains copper, which has beneficial effects on the body.
Copper is necessary for your body to absorb iron from food and use it. A copper deficiency can lead to neutropenia (a low white blood cell count) and anemia (a deficiency of red blood cells caused by low iron levels).
Since the mushroom also contains high levels of iron along with copper, the two metals can work together very easily since your stomach is getting both at the same time.
Increases nutrient absorption
Vitamin D helps the absorption of certain minerals, especially calcium and phosphorus.
Mushrooms also contain good levels of phosphorous and calcium in addition to vitamin D.
So, just as the copper in mushrooms allows for better absorption of iron, the same type of mechanism works with vitamin D.
General stimulation of the immune system
Mushrooms can help boost your immune system in a number of ways.
Studies have shown that even white button mushrooms have anti-inflammatory power, while other mushrooms like shiitake boost overall immunity. They can even help prevent respiratory infections.
Porcini, oyster, lion’s mane, and shiitake are rich in antioxidants that could help you live longer.
The selenium in mushrooms helps boost your immune system by increasing the production of T cells, a type of white blood cell that kills viruses and tumor cells in your body.
Mushrooms have natural antifungal and antibacterial properties. Therefore, they can act as natural antibiotics to stop fungal infections and microbial growth within your body. They can even heal ulcers and prevent them from becoming infected.
Medicinal benefits of mushrooms
Mushrooms already look very promising when it comes to helping prevent or cure various conditions and diseases.
Medicinal mushrooms have a long history in traditional medicine in Asian countries dating back thousands of years, and modern medicine is only now beginning to catch up.
Many mycologists (scientists who study fungi and mushrooms) believe that we still have a lot to learn about the health and nutritional benefits of consuming mushrooms.
In the coming years, as more research is devoted to studying the health benefits of mushrooms, expect even more information to come out.
You can expect mushrooms to play a larger role in anti-cancer and anti-tumor drugs and other medicinal applications in the future.
Mushrooms as a substitute for meat
Substituting mushrooms for meat has been a common practice of vegetarians and vegans for years.
A 2013 study instructed a group of obese people to eat less meat and substitute mushrooms in their diet instead. After one year, most subjects had lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, fewer incidents of diabetes, and weighed 7 pounds less on average.
While we often think of mushrooms as just another vegetable in the culinary world, they are not actually plants. Fungi are a completely different kingdom of life, and are actually closer to animals than plants in evolutionary terms.
Mushrooms are an interesting mix between the best of plants and animals in terms of nutrition.
They contain high levels of protein, iron, and B vitamins that fruits and vegetables often lack. However, mushrooms are also rich in antioxidants, as are bell peppers, tomatoes, and carrots.
Eating mushrooms will never be a complete nutritional substitute for meat. Meat still has higher amounts of protein, zinc, and other nutrients.
But mushrooms can add a meat-like texture as well as a meaty flavor called «umami.» That makes them a…