Mushrooms are among the healthiest foods in the planet, which is why it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they are used as part of some traditional medicines. There are over 140,000 species of fungi that are able to form mushrooms, but science knows only 10% of them. Of course, not all mushrooms are healthy, but there are about six species that do have amazing health benefits.
Mushrooms work effectively in helping us become healthier because it is believed that there is no other kingdom that is much closer to us than fungi. This is because we have the same pathogens as them, meaning viruses and bacteria. Adding these fungi (which are considered as vegetables) to your diet can provide you with the following benefits:
Weight Loss
Instead of eating red meat, you should consume white button mushrooms as an alternative. Doing so can support your weight loss tactics. As a matter of fact, one study where there are obese participants around 45 years old ate a cup of mushrooms every day for 12 months instead of meat. As a result, they lost 3.6% of their weight when they first started the research.
Vitamin D
Mushrooms are good sources of vitamins D2 and D3, particularly white button mushroom. The dried extract of the mentioned variety is also a great option. Vitamin D is vital in helping you absorb other minerals, such as phosphorus and calcium. It also helps you have a robust immune system.
Anti-Cancer
You may have heard about how green and red peppers, tomatoes, and green beans help you in fighting cancer. But mushrooms have almost the same amount of antioxidants as these healthy foods. Mushrooms have selenium as well, which is not common in other fruits and vegetables. Selenium has the ability to improve the functionality of your liver enzymes and is therefore useful in detoxifying some compounds that cause cancer in the body.
Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Prevention
There are studies that promote the consumption of high fiber foods in preventing type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Mushrooms are wealthy in fiber, so they can lower your blood glucose levels if you have type 1 diabetes or improve your insulin, blood sugar, and lipids if you have type 2 diabetes. Just add a cup of mushroom into your diet, preferably portabella mushrooms or shitake mushrooms to your diet to get three grams of fiber each.
Do not limit your nutrient intake with fruits and vegetables. Look into other classes too, such as fungi in the form of mushrooms. They have the necessary nutrients to help you become healthier and live longer.
Source: SF Gate
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