6 Weird Health Benefits of Mushrooms That Might Surprise You
Mushrooms have been a tasty addition to meals for hundreds of years. The first known use was in ancient Egypt, where pharaohs declared them “royal” and decreed them off-limits to commoners. But given that many of the nearly 2,000 varieties of mushrooms are poisonous, maybe that rule made good sense.
Today, almost 900 million pounds of mushrooms are grown every year, so it has definitely become a food for the people.
It’s strange to think of a fungus as food, and even weirder to realize that these fungi are actually super nutritious. Stay with us to learn the benefits of eating mushrooms. We guarantee you’ll be surprised.
1. Delayed Aging
Eating foods high in antioxidants is great for keeping the body young, but it turns out that eating two particular types of antioxidant together has an even stronger effect. When it comes to mushrooms, you get a powerful combination of ergothioneine and glutathione. In fact, mushrooms offer a higher concentration of these antioxidants than any other food.
When you include mushrooms in your diet on a regular basis, you may find that you delay the appearance of wrinkles and age spots – plus you’ll feel better inside and out. To get the absolute biggest bang for your buck, choose wild porcini mushrooms.
2. Improved Brain Power
Not only will the powerhouse combo of ergothioneine and glutathione keep you looking young, but it will also help maintain the health of your brain as you age. Experts recommend eating at least 5 button mushrooms each day to get the most benefit.
Interestingly, cooking the mushrooms preserves their antioxidant content and makes them easier to digest. Microwaving and grilling are the best methods if you’re concerned with preserving the nutritional content.
A study in 2019 determined that senior citizens who eat more than 300 grams of cooked mushrooms each week reduce their chances of developing cognitive impairment. The study followed more than 600 seniors in Singapore over six years to reach this conclusion.
3. Heart Protection
Did you know that including mushrooms in a dish reduces the need for salt? The reason is that they contain compounds called glutamate ribonucleotides that add a pleasing umami flavor. The taste of certain mushrooms also leans toward meaty, making them a fantastic and filling substitute for steak.
The result of incorporating mushrooms into more dishes is less salt and less red meat, both choices that can benefit your heart health. Too much salt is associated with high blood pressure, while red meat is high in saturated fat. Fatty plaque buildup in the arteries combined with excess pressure on the artery walls is a recipe for a heart attack.
4. Stronger Bones
Contrary to popular assumption, not all mushrooms are grown in the dark. In fact, there is a method of growth that deliberately exposes mushrooms to a light source. This process causes a compound called ergosterol to convert to vitamin D.
Vitamin D is critical for many of the body’s processes, including helping it absorb calcium to build strong bones. This vitamin also boosts the immune system and relieves symptoms of depression. To get even more benefits from eating mushrooms, choose packages that are labeled “UVB.” This means that they have been exposed to light and contain vitamin D.
5. Disease Prevention
Antioxidants are great for lowering your risk of developing all kinds of diseases, and we know that mushrooms have particularly powerful antioxidants called ergothioneine and glutathione. Some mushrooms, notably shiitake, also contain something called lentinan, which further boosts the immune system.
Studies have shown that eating mushrooms just three times per week can reduce your risk of developing cancer by 17%. It can also lower your bad cholesterol level by helping the liver to process and pull cholesterol from the blood stream. Overall, a stronger immune system means that you are less likely to be troubled by seasonal illnesses, or spend less time ill if you do succumb.
6. More Energy
Balanced nutrition is a key part of maintaining your energy throughout the day, but B vitamins play a special role. B vitamins – folate, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, and pantothenic acid – are tasked with helping the body use the energy gathered from food. They also help produce the red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body.
Mushrooms are particularly rich in B vitamins. They also contain enough fiber to regulate the level at which their nutrients hit the blood stream, which means sustained energy rather than a spike and a crash.
If you like mushrooms, you now have more reasons than ever to enjoy them. To get the most benefit, eat them cooked. There is a huge variety of kinds with which to experiment, but never eat wild mushrooms unless you are absolutely sure they’re safe. If they came from the store, go wild with your culinary creativity!
