Nutritional Benefits of Mushrooms, Nature’s Superfood

Mushrooms are natural powerhouses of nutrition. They’re packed with vitamins and minerals, and they offer a range of unique health benefits that you can’t get from fruit or vegetables. What’s more, mushrooms are low in calories and they’re completely fat-, cholesterol-, and gluten-free. They’re also a great source of natural dietary fiber, protein, iron, folate, zinc, and manganese, along with a range of trace elements and other healthy compounds. Mushrooms are so densely packed with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, they can be classified as a natural superfood.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Research conducted at Arizona State University showed that button mushrooms were more effective than crimini, oyster, or shitake mushrooms for helping to suppress the level of inflammation that follows the build-up of cholesterol in the arteries. The studies found that mushrooms help to block the production of pro-inflammatory molecules.

Many edible mushrooms also contain lectins, polysaccharides, and phenolic compounds that suppress production of pro-inflammatory molecules. The compounds also have a wide range of therapeutic effects and act to boost the immune system.

Antioxidant Properties

Mushrooms contain selenium, zinc, and manganese, all of which are powerful antioxidants. Penn State researchers found that the antioxidants in white button mushrooms help cells within the body to ward off damage from free radicals. The same study also showed that mushrooms contain a higher antioxidant capacity than green beans, zucchini, carrots, green peppers, tomatoes, or pumpkins.

Common white button mushrooms also contain high levels of ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant found in few vegetables or fruit. Ergothioneine protects the artery linings from fatty deposits (atherosclerosis) and also helps to protect red blood cells.

Anti-Cancer Properties

Aside from providing valuable immune support, mushrooms have powerful anti-cancer properties. A study conducted by the University of Western Australia showed that women who ate just half a button mushroom per day (approximately 10 grams) had a 65 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer as compared to women who don’t eat mushrooms. There is also evidence that mushrooms have the potential to reduce the risk of prostate cancer too.

Vitamin D Powerhouse

A study conducted in 2010 by the Nutrition Journal found that approximately 42 percent of American adults were deficient in vitamin D, with considerably higher rates among African-Americans and Hispanics.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can include tiredness, fatigue, muscle or joint pain, bone aches, weakness, and depression. People who are deficient in vitamin D are also at risk of developing brittle bones (osteopenia).

Research also indicates that vitamin D plays a crucial role in helping to maintain cell growth and helping to fight cancer. Having sufficient vitamin D levels also helps to reduce high blood pressure, and reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack by up to 50 percent.

Getting out in the sunshine is the human body’s primary source of vitamin D. Those who are unable to get any exposure to sunlight during winter months may need to source it from the food they eat. Vitamin D is also available in small amounts in liver and fish oil. It’s also found in the yolk of chicken eggs.

Of course, simple button or cap mushrooms contain high levels of vitamin D. Research conducted at the University of Western Sydney show that mushrooms are capable of providing up to 100 percent of your daily vitamin D requirements.

Add Mushrooms to Your Daily Diet

Most dieticians recommend eating at least five servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit each day. Yet mushrooms don’t fall into either category, since they’re neither a fruit nor a vegetable; they are fungi, which don’t tend to fit within the usual dietary guidelines and therefore have a different nutrition profile.

Mushrooms offer so many unique health benefits that you can’t get from other food sources. It doesn’t matter whether you eat them raw, cooked, or added to other recipes to enhance flavor; they are worth adding to your daily diet.