Mushroom Power

Mushrooms, the most powerful food available in your grocer’s produce section, are good for you. In fact, mushrooms are very good for you. This inconspicuous vegetable can help you on the path towards a healthy lifestyle. The mysterious natural power of mushrooms has been the focus of more thorough scientific research in recent years. Research has proven that health benefits from mushrooms derive from high amounts of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

To get the best of what mushrooms have to offer, all you have to do is add them to your diet. It is worth noting that raw mushrooms provide more health benefits than cooked mushrooms. Heat from cooking breaks down cell walls within the mushroom releasing nutrients which will evaporate in the pan.

Vitamin D

According to the US National Cancer Institute, the antioxidants in mushrooms may help prevent lung, prostate, breast, and other types of cancer. When mushrooms are grown in the proper conditions some species will contain significant amounts of vitamin D and antioxidants. Scientific evidence suggests that taking the correct daily units of vitamin D may help prevent or help in treating some kinds of cancer. Provided you have the time and space available, growing your own mushrooms will ensure your mushrooms possess high levels of beneficial compounds.

Antioxidants

Eating raw mushrooms maximizes the amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants you can get from mushrooms. Two very beneficial antioxidants found in mushrooms are selenium and choline. Studies have suggested that consuming selenium and choline can reduce the risk of some types of cancer. Making the right food choices is a very important factor to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Mushrooms can be used as a meat alternative and substituting meat for plant based protein is actually two healthy decisions. Even if you prefer your mushrooms cooked the fact that mushrooms are on your plate is already a great idea.

More Health Benefits

By this point it should be fairly obvious that adding mushrooms to your diet is a wise choice. It’s not likely that you need a little more convincing that mushroom are good for you. But I would be remiss if I did not mention that mushrooms will also give your immune system a healthy boost and helps to lower cholesterol levels. Adding mushrooms to an already healthy lifestyle can mitigate the risk of many issues including, cognitive brain disorders, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. There are even claims that mushrooms can help with mild forms of depression.

Modern science has definitely started to prove what ancient cultures have known for centuries. That is, mushrooms are simply amazing organisms that provide significant improvements towards better health. But the absolute most credit goes to the culture that first realized mushrooms make a fantastic pizza topping. That is just my opinion.