There are many positive benefits of eating mushrooms every day, but for me, the mushroom health benefits are what draws me to them. While people often throw terms around like “superfoods”, there’s one type of food that has been around for centuries, providing people with more than a staple food ingredient.
The great thing about mushrooms is that they cater to so many people. While many people will only shop for mushrooms in supermarkets, there are those more likely to head directly into the forests and find their own.
There’s a very good reason for that, because supermarkets don’t sell many mushroom varieties. Many only grow in the wild, hidden for those with the determination and skill to find them.
Mushroom hunters get the rewards from both sides of the fence, because they understand that with different mushroom species, come different benefits. But when it comes to understanding what mushrooms offer in terms of nutrition, there are some benefits that come from all of them.
The Obvious Health Benefits of Eating Mushrooms
On top of the 5 reasons I list below, mushrooms also hold a few other benefits that you should know. It’s these benefits that drive so many people to include them in their daily diets. And not just diets, but also lifestyles. That is because the benefits don’t just come from eating the mushrooms, but through other forms. You see, mushrooms come in other forms, including-
- Dried
- Capsule
- Powder
- Tincture
- Supplement
With numerous health benefits attributed to certain species, many other articles cover specific mushrooms in much more detail.
Including the benefits listed below, also include the following when deciding just how good mushrooms are. They are a fat-free source of nutrition that also contains low sodium and no cholesterol.
Add to that the fact mushrooms are a low-calorie food source and you start to understand their appeal. And let’s not forget that mushrooms pack a fiber punch, the little organisms full of it.
Benefits of Eating Mushrooms
Benefit #1: Antioxidants
When it comes to a term many people recognize as being beneficial, antioxidants are something that have grown in popularity in recent years. That is because researchers understand the value of these helpers when it comes to protecting the body against some pretty vicious invaders called free radicals.
These enter your body and cause severe conditions such as forms of cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants also protect you against the side-effects of aging and help boost your immune system.
This is thanks to a specific type of antioxidant called Selenium. And the best part? Mushrooms contain more selenium than anything else you’ll find in the fresh-food section of your supermarket.
Benefit #2: Beta-Glucans
Remember when I said that mushrooms contain high amounts of fiber? Beta-glucans are one form of soluble fiber and have shown to be effective in several distinct areas. One of these is helping the body regulate blood sugar, great for reducing the chances of getting Type 2 Diabetes.
They also help reduce cholesterol and increase heart health as well. The good thing is that a couple of varieties known to contain high amounts of beta-glucans are Oyster mushrooms and also Shiitake. And you know where you can find those in abundance, don’t you?
Benefit #3: B Vitamins
The 3 most common B vitamins found in mushrooms are Pantothenic Acid, Niacin and Riboflavin. Together, these 3 help promote a healthy heart. But these vitamins also do an amazing job individually as well.
Pantothenic acid helps your body with hormone production and also aids the nervous system. Riboflavin works hard at helping your body create red blood cells. Niacin helps keep skin healthy and aids digestion.
Benefit #4: Copper
Talking of red blood cell production, copper also helps your body produce them. These cells are imperative for transporting oxygen in your blood throughout all the systems of your body.
Copper helps with bone health and keeping your nerves in great shape. And if you like the sounds of that, you’ll also be happy to learn that a single cup of mushrooms provides about a third of the daily recommended intake of copper.
Benefit #5: Potassium
Most people think of bananas when they hear the word potassium. But did you know that about 2 thirds of a cup of portobellos also provides potassium equivalent to what’s found in a medium banana?
And just in case you didn’t know, potassium is great for helping your body keep your heart and muscles healthy, as well as keep your nerve function at optimum levels.
Mushrooms
Eating mushrooms may have once been thought of as just a tasty addition to common meals. But with the above information, you’ll now feel much better knowing that mushrooms do a lot more than simply keeping your belly full. They provide you with an abundance of nutritious benefits in many different ways.
