A Fungi Fable

Has anyone ever said to you "Mushrooms have no nutritional value"?

Well people have said that to me, and while eating mushrooms as a snack the other day I decided to look it up!

I love mushrooms and when I was little I used to eat them right out of the bag without washing them.. ewww.... I wash them now

Here are some interesting facts that I found:

Selenium

Out of all the produce you can chomp, Mushrooms are the best source!(1) Observational studies indicate that death from cancer, including lung, colorectal, and prostate cancers, is lower among people with higher blood levels or intake of selenium.(2)

Potassium

Did YOU know that one medium portabella mushroom contains more Potassium then a Banana or a glass of OJ?? I didn't!! I also did not know that Potassium helps lower blood pressure and the risk of stroke. (6) Regular button mushrooms also contain lots of potassium!

Vitamins

Mushrooms contain 3 essential B-vitamins: Riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid. (3)

Medicinal & Edible

While there are over 14,000 mushrooms, only about 3,000 are edible, about 700 have known medicinal properties, and fewer than one percent are recognized as poisonous. (4)

Weight Loss

Mushrooms are mostly made of water (just like us!), they also contain lots of fibre and are low in calories. (5) Like most produce, mushrooms make a great addition to any diet.

No Shiitake!

Apparently, Shiitake mushrooms have been used for centuries by the Chinese and Japanese to treat colds and flu. Lentinan, a beta-glucan isolated from the fruiting body of shiitake mushrooms, appears to stimulate the immune system, help fight infection, and demonstrates anti-tumor activity. (7)


There are many more benefits to Mushrooms, research it yourself! You will be surprised to see just how many websites are dedicated to the Nutrition of Mushrooms. Thank you Google for the ability to find answers! And thank you God for providing everything we need, even when we don't realise it!

PS next time someone tells you that mushrooms have no nutritional value, please stick up for our Fungi Friends!


(1)http://health.learninginfo.org/nutrition-facts/mushrooms.htm; p. 1

(2)Russo MW, Murray SC, Wurzelmann JI, Woosley JT, Sandler RS. Plasma selenium levels and the risk of colorectal adenomas. Nutr Cancer 1997;28:125-9. [PubMed abstract]

(3)http://health.learninginfo.org/nutrition-facts/mushrooms.htm; p.4

(4)http://www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/updates/mighty-mushrooms.php p.1

(5)http://www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/updates/mighty-mushrooms.php p.6

(6) http://www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/updates/mighty-mushrooms.php p. 7

(7) http://www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/updates/mighty-mushrooms.php p. 11