Mushrooms are very rich in nutrients and essential amino acids, providing few calories and highly satiating. They exist in many different shapes, sizes, and colours. For many years they have been used to flavour dishes in different cultures. The most common edible types are shiitake, white mushroom, mushroom, chanterelle, or maitake.
They are fat-free, low in sodium, and cholesterol-free. They are a good source of the following nutrients.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants help protect the body from harmful free radicals that can cause conditions like heart disease and cancer. They also protect you against damage caused by ageing and boost your immune system. Mushrooms are rich in an antioxidant called selenium. They are the best source of ore in the produce aisle.
Beta-glucan
Beta-glucan is a form of soluble dietary fibre that has been closely linked to improving cholesterol and heart health. It can also help your body regulate blood sugar, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Vitamins B
Mushrooms are rich in B vitamins: riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid. The combination helps 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.
Mushrooms in a basket The B vitamins in mushrooms have many health benefits.
Copper
Copper helps your body make red blood cells, which are used to supply oxygen throughout the body. The mineral is also important for other body processes, such as maintaining healthy bones and nerves.
Potassium
Potassium is extremely important when it comes to heart, muscle, and nerve function. There is about as much potassium in 2/3 cup of cooked Portobello mushroom as in a medium banana.
But not only that, a team from the Department of Psychological Medicine and the Department of Biochemistry of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine of the National University of Singapore (NUS) discovered, as was collected in the study The Association between Mushroom Consumption and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study in Singapore, that older people who consume more than two servings (around 150 grams) of mushrooms per week maybe 50% less likely to have mild cognitive impairment.
We are already in the middle of autumn and, as the days get shorter and the first rains arrive, the forests begin to fill with mushrooms and people eager to get hold of them. Mushrooms have traditionally played a leading role among seasonal fall produce, and in recent years they have further increased their popularity as a gastronomic delicacy. And it is not for less, since beyond their undoubted gastronomic quality, these mushrooms have magnificent properties that we can take advantage of. Do you want to know more about the health benefits of mushrooms? In the following article on the Wealthy blog, we will explain everything about mushrooms’ properties, macronutrients, and benefits for our health. Do not miss it!
Mushrooms, delicious and healthy
Many of us are eagerly awaiting the arrival of autumn to be able to enjoy the mushroom season. The truth is that the arrival of these little jewels is a compelling reason to say goodbye to summer and good weather and embrace the rainy days of autumn. Although today we can already consume them at any time of the year, as with any other type of product found on the supermarket shelves, it is best to consume them at this time, when they are wild and in optimal conditions.
In many corners of the world, mushrooms have found their way into the best dishes and restaurants. Due to its unique flavour and its different textures, chanterelles, truffles, shiitake, or ceps are essential elements in many of the best recipes worldwide. Of course, you can also enjoy them in many of the dishes on our healthy menus at home, because, in addition to being very good for the palate, mushrooms are also very good for our health.
On the one hand, mushrooms provide us with a large amount of high-quality protein, which is why they have a great place in vegetarian menus. But in addition, they are also a great source of minerals such as potassium, zinc or phosphorus.
In the same way, they are also a good source of B vitamins and other essential nutrients for the body that we will see later when we talk about it.
The health benefits of mushrooms.
Be that as it may, whatever you eat and whatever type, mushrooms are a food that should never be lacking in our diet, even less if you are following a diet to lose weight. As we will see later, the nutritional composition of mushrooms makes them a particularly suitable product to fill our belly without going over calories.
On the other hand, we will also discover the properties that these autumn jewels can have for your health. And it is that for hundreds of years, certain types of mushrooms have also been used as medicinal elements. For example, in some oriental cultures, shiitake or reishi have improved blood circulation or strengthened the immune system. No, they are not a miracle product, but we can benefit enormously from their consumption. Do you want to know how? Well, then we explain all the benefits of mushrooms for health.
Insoluble fibre intake
Mushrooms are a great source of lignin, and in fact, they provide us with almost 3 grams for every 100 grams we eat. Lignin is a type of insoluble fibre that is not broken down in our digestive system. This makes its value for the macrobiota quite relative compared to other fibres – although we will talk about it later – but on the other hand, it will prevent us from having flatulence and intestinal gas. The main value that lignin gives us is that it grows in our stomach, which causes our fecal mass to increase. This is especially beneficial in cases of constipation and to cleanse the intestinal tract.
Source of vitamins and minerals
We have already commented on it in the previous section, but we will not stop repeating the importance of including mushrooms in our diet to benefit from their high mineral and fibre content. As for minerals, these products offer us phosphorus, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, and selenium for minerals. Here, we must emphasize that their sodium intake is very low, so they are good if you follow a heart-healthy menu. In any case, we must be aware that if we salt them when we cook them, that sodium intake will increase. Regarding vitamins, they are a source of vitamin A, vitamins of groups B, C and D. The latter is especially noteworthy; although it is not as effective as the one we synthesize with the sun, it is difficult to find in non-origin products. Animal and can help us avoid deficits.
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