Mushrooms are certainly not new when it comes to culinary or medicinal uses, but science is finding a whole lot more benefits of mushrooms for health from these fruiting bodies of fungi than you may have imagined. Edible mushrooms are packed with vitamins, minerals that are hard to find in other foods and that boost immune system function, support heart health, aid in keeping blood sugar levels balanced, fight cellular damage from free radicals, help keep cholesterol levels stable, reduce allergy symptoms, fight inflammation and has even been used successfully in treating cancers.
The Bang from Mushrooms
Some of the best edible mushrooms for health benefits are maitake, cordyceps, oyster, Lions Mane, Agaricus Blazei Murill, shiitake, Turkey Tail, and reishi. But even button, crimini and portobello mushrooms which are often easier to find can give you lots of nutrition according to the American Society for Nutrition. Studies they have done report button mushrooms boost the immune system by encouraging growth of dendritic cells found in bone marrow and by boosting the body’s defense against germs. There are experts such as Andrew Weil, M.D., that warn against eating the button, crimini and portobello type mushrooms raw however because they can contain carcinogens which other types of mushrooms don’t have. They advise cooking these at high temperatures to make them safe to eat.
Some of the great nutrition you get from mushrooms that have powerful benefits for health are antioxidants, vitamin D, iron, selenium, B vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids, polysaccharides, proteins, beta glucans, fiber and enzymes. And even better all this nutrition is available with a small amount of calories. You can see that adding mushrooms to your grocery list can give you a lot of nutritional bang for your buck. Mushrooms that have been exposed to ultraviolet light produce vitamin D just like our own bodies do and you won’t find that from other plant based foods. You can get antioxidants that combat free radical damage from bright colored fruits and veggies, but a Penn State University study reported that crimini and portobello mushrooms have the same antioxidant power that you get from red peppers. Mushrooms deliver a variety of B vitamins that help the body convert food into energy including riboflavin and niacin. Selenium can help improve mood and reduce the risk of bladder cancer. You’ll find 47% of the recommended daily amount of selenium in raw crimini mushrooms and 45% in cooked shiitake mushrooms and even button mushrooms have 17%.
Mushroom Power the Easy Way
There are lots of ways to fix mushrooms to include them in your diet including mincing them and adding to ground meat dishes, but in some areas they are hard to find and some people just don’t have the time to prepare them or the taste for them. You can still get the medicinal value from edible mushrooms with a variety of whole food supplements. This mushroom and algae supplement combines the mushrooms that have been found to support the immune system and boost energy and is a product that is certified organic, Kosher, Halal, paleo, vegan, dairy free, and GMO free. If you have an active lifestyle where you need to really be able to focus and have mental clarity, then you might prefer this wholefood supplement that gives you the mushroom benefits of Lion’s Mane, but also has organic wild bluegreen algae, eleuthero, Ginkgo biloba, bee pollen, wheatgrass juice, and noni. You can get the benefits of reishi and oyster mushrooms as well as ubiquinol, organic flaxseed oil, olive biophenols (Hidrox®), and wild bluegreen algae that all combine to give you antioxidant benefits and support the cardiovascular system for increased energy with yet another wholefood algae supplement. And finally we offer you the maximum mushroom immunity boosting power with this mushroom supplement that contains reishi, cordyceps, maitake, shiitake, Turkey Tail, and Agaricus blazei mushrooms with astragalus, beta glucan and wild bluegreen algae
Now that you know all that mushrooms can do to boost your health, you can choose how to add these powerful fungi fruit into your diet. Whether you add them to your meals or choose a wholefoods supplement, mushrooms give you so much benefit that they just can’t be ignored. Low calorie, easy to add to meals or pop a capsule, loaded with nutritional value and major benefits for your health. For all this mushrooms can’t be beat.
Sources:
http://www.fungihealth.com/
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400053/are-mushrooms-good-for-your-health.html
http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-eats/nutrition/5-health-benefits-of-mushrooms#jm5Qjp9T1lCAtYQC.97
