Why Eat Mushrooms Now?

Author: Victoria Aly Time for reading: ~2 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

Mushrooms are good for cardiovascular health, but their extra is that they allow us to maintain our brain function and more.

We know mushrooms as a delicacy or food ingredient. There is nothing tastier than a rich salad in which they have found a place and a few mushrooms, whether they are raw, marinated or canned.

However, mushrooms are a complete food that is worth rehabilitating. Indeed, a basic condition is required to know them well and to grow them in a safer way to prevent poisoning of the dish or batch. With regard to manufacturers, this is guaranteed and closely monitored.

Several studies coming from the eastern part of the world, where mushrooms are more common on the menu to this day, show the health and immunity benefits of this food.

A study published in the International Journal of Cancer found that men who ate mushrooms once or twice a week had an 8% lower risk of developing prostate cancer . The number jumped to 17% for those Japanese who ate them three or more times.

The benefits of mushrooms do not only apply to men's health , on the contrary. A long-term study of 6 years in Singapore found that consuming mushrooms have a 50% lower risk of cognitive decline , which, alas, is a phenomenon with age.

The Singapore study included people over the age of 60 who consumed at least two servings of 150 g of different varieties of cooked mushrooms. It is published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease .

Of interest to researchers is a special compound - ergothionein , which they consider a unique antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.

Mushrooms are also a suitable food for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases due to their low sodium content and lack of saturated fats harmful to the arteries, according to the International Journal of Microbiology.

According to a magazine publication, shiitake mushrooms help lower cholesterol due to the presence of beta-glucan in them. Beta-glucans are soluble fibers that help clear arteries of harmful lipids.

According to experts, all varieties of mushrooms are excellent sources of protein, B vitamins , fiber and selenium - an extremely valuable trace element that plays a supporting role in the immune system, is important for maintaining our cognitive functions.

Mushrooms shiitake mushrooms contain lentinan, which is an immunostimulant. Beta-glucans can be found in many varieties of mushrooms, as well as ergothionein.
There is even evidence of fungi that stimulate peripheral nerve regeneration after surgery. The study is Chinese, presented in a journal of integrative medicine and is in the animal model phase. The same fungus, known as lion's mane, has been shown to help relieve symptoms of anxiety, depression and PMS (premenstrual syndrome).

Of course, the nutrients in mushrooms are preserved more when they are raw, but experts emphasize that it is still better to eat them boiled. Cooking, in fact, unlocks the cells and releases the enzymes in them, which makes mushrooms digestible food for our body.

Why Eat Mushrooms Now?

Related Articles