You can’t go wrong with mushrooms!
Mushrooms have long been a staple in Asian cultures for their nutritional and medicinal benefits, and they continue to grow in popularity in the West.
Nutritional Benefits of Mushrooms
Mushrooms are fat-free, low-sodium, low-calorie, cholesterol-free, and low in carbohydrates. They’re loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Antioxidants
Mushrooms are rich in the antioxidant called selenium. Antioxidants help protect the body from damaging free radicals that can cause conditions like heart disease and cancer.
Beta glucan
Found in the cell walls of mushrooms, beta glucan has been strongly linked to improving cholesterol and boosting heart health. It can also help your body regulate blood sugar, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
B vitamins
Mushrooms are rich in B vitamins whichhelp protect heart health. Riboflavin is good for red blood cells. Niacin is good for the digestive system and for maintaining healthy skin. Pantothenic acid is good for the nervous system and helps the body make the hormones it needs. These B vitamins also help the body utilize energy from the food we consume to produce red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body, which will boost your energy.
Copper
Copper from raw, sliced mushrooms helps your body make red blood cells, which are used to deliver oxygen all over the body. The mineral is also important to other processes in the body, like maintaining healthy bones and nerves.
Fiber
Mushrooms contain dietary fiber. People who eat a lot of fiber may have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. For those who are already diabetic, fiber may help reduce blood glucose levels.
Potassium
Everyone thinks about eating bananas for potassium, but mushrooms (especially Portobello) are a great source of this valuable nutrient. Potassium is extremely important for heart, muscle, and nerve function.
Meat Substitute
Some specialty mushrooms make excellent meat substitutes, an industry that is experiencing explosive growth with the recent introduction of the high sodium content Impossible Burger and other highly processed substitutes.
Florece Farm’s recommendations for meat substitutes include:
- Lion’s Mane, an excellent crab substitute.
- Maitake, an excellent beef substitute.
- King Oyster, anexcellent scallop & lobster substitute.
Medicinal Benefits of Mushrooms
Protection against cancer
According to the National Cancer Institute, mushrooms may help prevent lung, prostate, breast, and other types of cancer. For example, a study published in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine tested five types of mushrooms and found that they “significantly suppressed” breast cancer cell growth and reproduction. A study of 36,000 men, published in the International Journal of Cancer, found that those who regularly ate mushrooms had a lower risk of developing prostate cancer.
Mushrooms can keep you young
Antioxidants in mushrooms work to protect the body from the physiological stress that causes visible signs of aging, like wrinkles or weak bones. Eating just 3 ounces of UVB-exposed mushrooms will give your daily vitamin D requirement, which is essential to strengthen bones. Research has also shown that increasing intake of vitamin D can decrease the likelihood of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths.
The antioxidants in mushrooms have also been shown to help prevent Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s according to a Penn State research study. Other studies have shown mushrooms can reduce the odds of mild cognitive decline.
Mushrooms can help your heart
Mushrooms make an excellent, cholesterol free, and satisfying substitute for red meat in any dish, eliminating calories, fat, and cholesterol from the equation. Some mushrooms have been shown to reduce total cholesterol and LDL (“bad” cholesterol), while other mushrooms contain a compound that helps the liver remove cholesterol from the blood stream. Josh Axe, D.N.M., a best-selling author and nutritionist, writes that mushrooms “contain potent phytonutrients that help keep cells from sticking to blood vessel walls and forming plague buildup, which maintains healthy blood pressure and improves circulation.”