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Nutritional Advantage of Mushroom

 The health conscious people prefer food containing low energy (low calorie) and low fat. For them mushrooms are precious health food as they are low in calories, high in vegetable proteins, chitin, iron, zinc, fiber (8-10% of dry weight), essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals.


They have very little sodium and fat and no cholesterol. Mushrooms help our body strengthen itself and fight off illness by restoring our bodies balance and natural resistance to disease. In a study with six mushroom varieties viz. white button, crimini and portabella (Agaricus bisporus, harvested at different maturity levels), and maitake (Grifola frondosa), shiitake (Lentinus edodes) and enoki (Flammulina velutipes) they were found to be rich in total dietary fibers, including chitin and beta-glucan. Chitin present in the cell wall of the mushroom lowers cholesterol and beta-glucan keeps our heart healthy. It was already known that mushrooms offer high-quality protein, vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids. Raw, mature portabellas also had the highest level of beta-glucan (0.2 percent), while most of the other mushrooms had 0.1 percent.

The inexpensive white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus), commonly found in grocery shops in dried form, although not held with high regard in relation to exotic, expensive varieties like maitake and matsutake mushrooms (preferred in Japan), provide as much or even more anti-oxidant activity as the costly ones. This was the finding of the research done at the Institute National de la Recherche Agrinomique in France. This antioxidant activity prevents cell damage and ageing in our body. We rarely think of mushrooms when we need to add fibre to our diet.

But they are a very good source of fibre. Fresh harvested mushrooms are comprised mostly of water (about 90%), but about 10% is natural fibre, and this helps keep the digestive system running smooth. Eating four to five medium size mushrooms each day fulfils our fibre requirement.

Mushroom being a brilliant source of potassium, selenium (11.9 mg per 100g), copper, zinc and B complex vitamins. One medium portabella mushroom has even more potassium than a banana or a glass of orange juice which helps lower elevated blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke. Selenium is powerful antioxidants that in association with vitamin E protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals and reduces the risk of cancers, arthritis, asthma and heart disease etc. Selenium is also involved in repairing of damaged DNA (occur at low frequency during DNA replication in our cells). Copper, along with manganese (a trace mineral for which crimini mushrooms is a very good source), helps in disarming free radicals.

Copper is also necessary for providing the flexibility in blood vessels, bones and joints. Copper keeps cardiovascular system in check. Iron is a part of hemoglobin, the molecule responsible for transporting and releasing oxygen throughout the body. But hemoglobin synthesis also requires copper. Fortunately, both the minerals are present in mushrooms. Crimini mushrooms are a very good source of zinc and a variety of B complex vitamins (riboflavin, pantothenic acid, niacin, thiamin, vitamin B6, and folate). Zinc is critical to immune function, wound healing and normal cell division. Zinc also helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and the body’s metabolic rate. A strong immune system depends on adequate zinc levels. Zinc prevents even some of the serious infections seen in patients with advanced or long-standing diabetes. Riboflavin been shown to be able to reduce the frequency of migraine headaches in people who suffer from them. The B vitamin, pantothenic acid also plays an important role in the prevention of fatigue since it supports the function of the adrenal glands, particularly in times of stress. Niacin (vitamin B3), is helpful in reducing cholesterol levels and in preventing osteoarthritis. The production of estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone rely on niacin. Mushrooms, which contain niacin, also help the body produce energy from blood sugar, and they help give the skin a healthy texture and brilliant glow. Vitamin B6 is involved in decreasing risk for heart attack and stroke.

L-ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant, has been discovered in mushrooms. We know the health benefits of antioxidants which inactive the free radicals produced in our body during energy making process. An American research team revealed that mushrooms contain higher concentrations of L-ergothioneine than either of the two dietary sources previously believed to contain the most: chicken liver and wheat germ. The team found that shiitake, oyster, king oyster and maitake mushrooms contain the highest amounts of ergothioneine, about forty times as much as is found in wheat germ. Of the most commonly consumed mushrooms, portabellas and criminis have the most L-ergothioneine, followed by white buttons. The good news is that L-ergothioneine is not destroyed when mushrooms are cooked.


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