5 Surprising Health Benefits of Eating Mushrooms

Is there anything more delicious than eating mushrooms? I don’t think so! They’re a great addition to any meal, whether it’s an omelet, soup, salad, or steak. But did you know that they have some health benefits as well?

Here are 5 reasons why mushrooms are good for your health:

Mushrooms are good for your gut.

Mushrooms are a great source of fiber, vitamin D, and B vitamins. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), dietary fiber moves through the digestive tract without being absorbed into the bloodstream but can be beneficial by helping you feel full longer, reducing your risk of colon cancer, and improving regularity.

Mushrooms also contain a lot of vitamin D, which is important for bone health; B vitamins help convert food into energy that’s used throughout your body; and vitamin K helps maintain strong bones and healthy blood clotting ability.

When it comes to gut health in particular, mushrooms can aid in keeping things moving smoothly when it comes time for you to go poop, they’re high in fiber! The NIH reports that fiber helps prevent constipation by absorbing water as it passes through your intestines.

Fiber also lowers cholesterol levels, by binding bile acids that come from liver cells so they cannot be reabsorbed back into circulation where they would contribute toward heart disease risk. Conditions like high triglyceride levels or low HDL can be lowered by the intake of more fiber.

Mushrooms help your body fight cancer.

This is one of the most important benefits of eating mushrooms. They’re a good source of selenium, an antioxidant mineral that can help prevent and fight cancer.

Mushrooms also contain polysaccharides, which are thought to have anti-tumor properties. These compounds may help fight cancer by boosting the immune system, preventing DNA damage and enhancing cell death in cancer cells.

They also contain vitamin D (also known as ergocalciferol), a nutrient that helps regulate T cells and boost immunity against infections and disease.

Mushrooms boost the immune system.

• Mushrooms are packed with antioxidants, which helps to fight free radicals in your body. Free radicals can cause damage to cells and lead to disease.
• Mushrooms contain vitamin D, a nutrient that is essential for building healthy bones and preventing diseases such as osteoporosis. It’s also known to boost the immune system.
• Mushrooms are one of the few “plant”-based foods that contain selenium. An important trace mineral that helps keep your immune system healthy by boosting its ability to fight off infections and viruses.

Mushrooms lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

Eating mushrooms offers high fiber, which helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure. That’s because fiber is known to absorb water and form a gel-like substance that slows down digestion. It can help reduce fat absorption in the intestines. (This is also why it’s recommended that you eat lots of plant foods if you need to lose weight.)

As for mushrooms’ ability to lower cholesterol, this could be due to their antioxidant content—which includes polyphenols called ergothioneine as well as selenium, zinc and copper—as well as their low saturated fat content.

Mushrooms contain beneficial vitamins and minerals.

If you’re looking for a good way to boost your vitamin and mineral intake, mushrooms are a wise choice. According to nutritional researches, mushrooms are rich in several essential vitamins and minerals:

• Vitamin D — Mushrooms contain a type of vitamin D known as ergocalciferol (vitamin D2). They also contain other forms of vitamin D. They are synthesized when exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun or artificial light sources.
• Potassium — This mineral is important for maintaining fluid balance within cells, muscle contraction and relaxation, nerve impulse transmission, heart function and many other processes in the body.

Mushrooms are a great healthy option to add to your diet!

• Mushrooms are low in calories, but high in nutrients. The good news is that mushrooms are low in calories and fat. Yet they’re a good source of several important nutrients. They provide about 30 calories per pound (454 g). Which is less than half what you’d get from an equal amount of chicken breast or ground beef.
• Mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D. In fact, they’re one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D2 or ergocalciferol (vitamin D2). This is important to keep your bones healthy! Vitamin D also helps your body absorb calcium better so that your bones stay strong and healthy.
• Mushrooms have potassium too! This can help prevent high blood pressure by keeping your heart beating regularly.

Conclusion

Use this guide as a starting point for making the most of your mushrooms. The next time you’re facing a plate piled high with sauteed, stir-fried, or baked fungi, know that you’re not only getting a delicious meal — you’re also getting some serious health benefits.