Many cultures use mushrooms in many of their cuisines, making it a culinary hit. Mushroom benefits our body like a superfood, a delicacy for some, and a food staple for others; it is a rich source of nutrients like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc and is also delicious. This edible fungus has multifold benefits for skin, health, and hair and is an excellent protein supplement for vegetarians.


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Let us review this article to know all the lesser-known benefits of mushrooms for your skin, hair, and health.

Mushroom Nutritional Facts:

You will be able to mitigate the risk of developing severe health conditions like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s by consuming Mushrooms. It is an excellent source of minerals like selenium, thiamin, copper, magnesium, and phosphorous.

The nutrients in one cup of crimini mushrooms per serving have:

  • 15 calories.
  • 2.2 grams of protein.
  • 0.2 grams of fat.
  • 2.3 grams of carbohydrates.
  • 0.7 grams of fibre.
  • 1.4 grams of sugar.

Benefits of Eating Mushroom:

In one form or the other, mushrooms make their way into every type of food we consume, whether as a pizza topping or a yummy curry. So, it is better to get to know all the benefits associated with consuming mushrooms.

1. Reduce the Risk of Cancer:

Mushrooms may play an essential role in preventing lung, prostate, breast, and other types of cancer because of their antioxidant content (1).

In addition, vitamin D supplementation might help treat or prevent some types of cancer, according to studies, and a small amount of vitamin D is present in mushrooms (2). However, the effect may vary from person to person, according to a 2018 report.

According to some studies, choline is an antioxidant present in mushrooms that might reduce the risk of some types of cancer (3).

2. Boost Immunity:

The varying degrees of protein and fiber present in all types of edible mushrooms can boost immunity. They also contain a powerful antioxidant called selenium and B vitamins that prevent damage to cells and tissues by supporting the immune system efficiently (4). So, incorporate mushrooms into your diet to boost your immunity

3. Good for Diabetes:

The low GI and GL contents of mushrooms will not let your blood sugar levels spike, so if you have diabetes, you are safe to consume mushrooms. They also help give you additional benefits, particularly in diabetes, with vitamin B and polysaccharide content (5).

Dietary fiber plays an essential role in managing several health conditions, including type 2 diabetes and maintaining a healthy digestive system. You can find one gram of fiber in a cup of sliced, raw mushrooms weighing 70 grams.

See Also: Is It Safe to Take Mushrooms During Pregnancy?

4. Reduce Blood Pressure:

The nutritional benefits of mushrooms include high amounts of potassium. This nutrient significantly reduces the negative effect of sodium on your body. In addition, potassium potentially helps lower blood pressure by lessening the tension in the blood vessels (6).

5. Improves Brain Function:

According to researchers at Penn State, mushrooms are beneficial for brain health because they contain antioxidants ergothioneine and glutathione, which also prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s (7).

You can reduce neurological illness in the future by eating at least five button mushrooms per day. Make sure to either grill or microwave your mushrooms to preserve their nutritional benefits.

6. Helps Your Heart Health:

The advantages of eating mushrooms include maintaining good cardiovascular health as they contain fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. Potassium present in mushrooms helps reduce cardiovascular disease and hypertension by regulating blood pressure.

The cell walls of various mushrooms contain beta-glucans, a kind of fiber that may reduce blood cholesterol levels and the stem of the shitake mushrooms is a good source of this fiber (8).

7. Beneficial for Weight Loss:

According to long and short-term studies, you can substantially impact weight loss when you consume mushrooms combined with exercise and other lifestyle changes (9).

For example, research participants improved their BMI and belly circumference after substituting 20 percent of their beef consumption with mushrooms.

Mushrooms also reduce the risk of hypertension and metabolic disorders as it has high amounts of antioxidants.

8. Help Fight Aging:

According to a study at Penn State, mushrooms have high amounts of two antioxidants in high amounts ergothioneine and glutathione, which have anti-aging properties (10). However, the antioxidants vary with each species; researchers say the wild porcini mushroom is the winner.

See Also: Amazing Benefits of Chyawanprash

9. Good for Bone and Muscle Health:

Vitamin D plays an essential role in maintaining muscle and good bone health. According to researchers, mushrooms can provide as much vitamin D as supplements (11).

Look for mushrooms that are packaged and marked “UVB” when you are at the supermarket. As opposed to the mushrooms grown in the dark, UVB-labeled mushrooms are exposed to sunlight during their growth. This process converts a compound called ergosterol present in mushrooms into vitamin D.

You can meet the daily vitamin D requirement and provide bone health by eating just 3 ounces of UVB-exposed mushrooms.


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10. Anti-Inflammatory:

Mushrooms have polysaccharides, phenolic and indolic compounds, mycosteroids, fatty acids, carotenoids, vitamins, and biometal anti-inflammatory components. The mushrooms of the Basidiomycota taxon possess the most significant anti-inflammatory properties by their metabolites (12).

Ergothioneine is a powerful antioxidant that helps lower the inflammation present in the body, and this antioxidant is available abundantly in mushrooms.

The significant anti-inflammatory effects and multiple benefits of Reishi mushrooms have been widespread in Asian medicine for thousands of years.

Healthiest Way to Eat Mushroom?:

  • Many people claim that mushrooms have a beneficial effect on the digestive system when eaten raw.
  • However, specific cooking methods like using a microwave or grill have been shown to increase their nutrient value.
  • Exposing mushrooms to short cooking times tends to retain more nutrients and vitamins, according to research done on certain mushroom types such as the white button, shitake, oyster, and king oyster mushrooms (13).
  • When compared to boiling or frying, the antioxidant activity in mushrooms increases significantly when microwaved or grilled.

Mushrooms are quickly gaining popularity as a high-protein ingredient with several other benefits. So, without further ado, add mushrooms to your diet and reap all the benefits associated with this delicious fungi. But before plunging into this delightful ingredient, ensure you are not allergic to them. Don’t forget to share the information with your friends and tell us if you found this article helpful.

See Also: Surprising Benefits of Chicory

Disclaimer: The tips and suggestions mentioned in this article are for informational purposes and not a replacement for professional medical advice. It is always safe to consult a doctor or dietician before trying out anything new.

FAQS:

1. What is the typical serving portion size of mushrooms?

Ans: The typical serving size is one cup of chopped-up mushrooms. It is also a perfect substitute for meat in many dishes, thanks to its umami texture.

2. What are the tips for buying mushrooms?

Ans: Here are the following things you need to keep in mind before buying fresh mushrooms.

  • Choose the ones that are unbruised, dry, and firm.
  • If the mushrooms appear slimy or whithered, avoid them.
  • Refrigerate the mushrooms to store them.
  • Until the time to cook them, ensure not to wash or trim the mushrooms.

3. What are the commonly found mushrooms?

Ans: Here is the list of some of the commonly found mushrooms in India and around the world:

  • Button mushrooms.
  • Shitake mushrooms.
  • Portobello mushrooms.
  • Enoki mushrooms.
  • Morel mushrooms.
  • Lion’s mane mushroom.
  • Straw mushrooms.
  • Oyster mushrooms.
Saanvi

About Saanvi

Saanvi Sharma is an excellent web content writer in health and nutrition. Her expertise in the subject stems from in-depth research and knowledge that she gained over the years. Her interest in science coupled with a bachelor's degree in biotechnology proves as an added advantage and further adds value to her writing. She is highly interested in science, thus writing quality content became her virtue.
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