In 2019, The South China Morning Post SCMP named Hong Kong AUDEN Mushroom "The Latest Superfood". / Link
Whole Foods, the US supermarket chain, which has chosen mushrooms as the number one superfood for 2020, as part of its annual top 10 food trends. /Link
Mushrooms, it’s commonly seen everywhere on weekdays, which are actually very rich in nutritional value. In recent years, the various studies have proven that the benefits of mushrooms are beyond imagination.
1：Mushroom nutrition
High in antioxidants and packed with vitamins and minerals, mushrooms arerising up the superfood charts. Incorporating them into your diet – oras an alternative to your morning coffee – maynot only boost your immune system but also give your skin a healthy glow, keepyour heart healthy and a lot more. Although we think of them as vegetables,mushrooms are not technically plants – they belong to thefungi kingdom. And they contradict the commonly held nutritional yardstick thata food that lacks color also lacks necessary nutrients.“Usuallyit’s the brightly colored vegetables that are packed with antioxidants – so brown mushrooms youwouldn’t expect to be so powerful in terms of nutrients, they are an exception,” saysLawrence Tredrea, a nutritionist and naturopath at the Integrated MedicineInstitute in Central,Hong Kong.Mushrooms are also are rich in B vitamins –riboflavin (B2), folate (B9), thiamine (B1), pantothenic acid (B5), and niacin(B3). B vitamins help the body to get energy from food and form red bloodcells.
2：Mushrooms are rich in vitamin D, which is good for bonehealth
Yes, vitamin D! Mushrooms are the only fruit or vegetable source of thisimportant vitamin. Like humans, mushrooms produce vitamin D when in sunlight.Exposing them to high levels of ultraviolet B just before going to marketconverts more of the plant sterol ergosterol into the so-called sunshinevitamin. In the U.S., portobellos fortified with vitamin D are already beingsold, with a three-ounce (85-gram) serving providing about 400 IU of vitamin D(Osteoporosis Canada recommends that adults under 50 get 400 to 1,000 IUdaily).Having a normal vitamin D level is good for healthy bones,the preventionof rickets and osteoporosis.
3： Boost your immune system
A study done on mice and published by the American Society for Nutritionfound that white button mushrooms may promote immune function by increasing theproduction of antiviral and other proteins that are released by cells whilethey are trying to protect and repair the body’stissues. A later study showed that these mushrooms promoted the maturation ofimmune system cells — called dendritic cells — frombone marrow. According to the researchers, these mushroom benefits may helpenhance the body’s immunity leading to betterdefense systems against invading microbes.
Nutritionists like Tredrea also noticed that people in Australia arefollowing the hottest mushroom trend-mushroom latte. “Powderedmushrooms can make a coffee-alternative latte. You can mix it in with hotchocolate or coffee, it’s got an earthyflavour, and it helps the immune system and bodily functions,” saysTredrea.
4： Improve gut health
If you experience digestive issues or could use a boot on your weightloss journey, consider mushroom. Mushroom was proven in the InternationalJournal of Molecular Sciences to be a prebiotic that can help stimulate thegrowth of our gut microbiota. Prebiotics are different from probiotics, butjust as important.Mushrooms are also high in fiber, which is good for guthealth.
5： Eat your antioxidants
When it comes to antioxidants—the substances thathelp fight free radicals that are the result of oxidation in our body—we’remore likely to think of colorful vegetables than neutral-hued mushrooms. But astudy at Penn State university showed that the oxygen radical absorbancecapacity (ORAC)—a measure of a food’stotal antioxidants—of cremini and portobello mushroomswere about the same as for red peppers. Mushrooms are also an antioxidantpowerhouse, according to research from The Journal of Bioscience andEngineering. This free-radical ‘scavenger’ maybe an anti-aging secret weapon. Research also points to cellular protectionbenefits meaning it could have anticancer potential.
6： Kick up your metabolism
B vitamins are vital for turning food (carbohydrates) into fuel(glucose), which the body burns to produce energy. They also help the bodymetabolize fats and protein. Mushrooms contain loads of vitamin B2 (riboflavin)and vitamin B3 (niacin): 100 grams (31/2 ounces) of cremini have 44 percent and30 percent of your daily recommended amount, white button have 36 and 30percent.
7： keep your bladder healthy defense against cancer
Mushrooms contain good-for-your-bladder selenium, a mineral that is notpresent in most fruits and vegetables. Many types are rich in this essentialtrace mineral:100 grams of raw crimini have 47 percent of your daily needs, andraw white button have 17 percent.An analysis of seven studies —published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention —showed that the higher the level of selenium, as measured in blood serum andtoenails, the lower the risk of bladder cancer. Selenium had a significantprotective effect mainly among women, which the researchers believe may resultfrom gender-specific differences in this its accumulation and excretion. Italso plays a role in liver enzyme function and helps fight some cancer-causingcompounds in the body. What’s more, seleniumprevents inflammation and also decreases tumour growth rates.“Mushroomshave a constituent called beta-glucans which help increase the production ofwhite blood cells. If your immune system is lowered, mushrooms can help improvethe count and function of white blood cells and have a protective effectagainst cancer.” says Tredrea.
8: Increase energy to help your brainhealth
If you’re trying to break the cycle of caffeine spike and then crash, trymushrooms , which have been growing in popularity as an adaptogen. Where coffeesimply stimulates the nerves and adrenals, research from the Journal ofAlternative Complementary Medicine showed that mushrooms helps peoplestruggling with fatigue by increasing energy levels and physical endurancenaturally – without the crash. Mushrooms may even be good for brain health. A studypublished in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease in March 2019found that seniors who had more than two servings of mushrooms a week may cuttheir risk of having mild cognitive impairment in half. This study was carriedout by the National University of Singapore researchers who collected data frommore than 600 Chinese seniors over the age of 60 over six years. They believeergothioneine, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound found mainly inmushrooms, which humans cannot synthesize on their own, is responsible.
9: Help maintaining a healthy bloodpressure
A diet of the high in potassium and low in sodium (salt) can help preventand regulate hypertension. Mushrooms like vegetables are very low in sodium,high in potassium and are virtually free from saturated fat.This makesmushrooms the perfect addition to a healthy diet to help maintain bloodpressure and blood cholesterol. Research has found that eating mushrooms on adaily basis improves total cholesterol levels, triglycerides as well as bloodglucose levels, thereby maintaining normal blood pressure.
