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they’re so good for us. An estimated50% of edible mushrooms are considered functional foods, meaning that they have a potentially positive effect on health beyond basic nutrition. Countless scientific studies have revealed a variety of ways mushrooms can be useful in preventing and treating serious health conditions — and in improving overall health. In fact, research has identified more than 200 conditions that may benefit from mushroom consumption and more than 100 different beneficial effects they can produce for the body. The Nutritional Value of fresh edible Mushrooms uk

Mushrooms are packed with nutritional value.They’re low in calories, and are great sources of fiber and protein (especially on a plant-based diet). Mushrooms also provide many important nutrients, including B vitamins, selenium, potassium, copper, and (when exposed to the sun) vitamin D. Even though the majority of mushrooms you’ll see in grocery stores are white mushrooms, don’t let their color deceive you. White button mushrooms are packed with as many antioxidants as more colorful fruits and vegetables. Boosting Immune System Health with fresh edible Mushrooms uk

Studies also find that eating mushrooms can give you impressive immune-boosting benefits. A clinical study conducted at the University of Florida’s Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition found that eating shiitake mushrooms daily improves immunity — in a way that is not found in any currently available pharmaceutical drugs. And common white button mushrooms, as well as other mushroom types, may also have anti-inflammatory power. Eating mushrooms may also help to prevent respiratory infections, according to a 2012 study published in Nutrition. Plus, mushrooms may be able to alter gut bacteria for the better, which could also help treat obesity, according to a 2015 study published in the journal Nature. Boosting Longevity with fresh edible Mushrooms uk

Antioxidants may help you live a longer, healthier life. A diet rich in antioxidants protects cells from free radicals, helping the body cope with the normal oxidative stress that damages healthy cells. While almost any edible mushroom will give you a boost in nutrients, the following seven mushrooms are proven to have the most antioxidants and may help you live longer:

Porcini

Golden Oyster

Pioppino

Oyster

Lion’s Mane

Maitake

Shiitake

Improving Digestion with fresh edible Mushrooms uk

Mushrooms are a gut-friendly food. They are prebiotic, which means they nourish the good bacteria in your gut. They’ve also been found to balance the microbiome’s beneficial bacteria, such as Acidophilus and Bifidobacterium. Achieving Weight Loss with Mushrooms

Mushrooms have a lot of nutritional value with few calories and little fat. They also contain two types of dietary fibers, beta-glucans and chitin, which increase satiety and reduce appetite. In one study, researchers gave people less meat and more mushrooms in place of meat. After just one year, people reported feeling healthier, and they lost a lot of weight, had less diabetes, and their blood pressure and cholesterol went down. Cancer-Fighting fresh edible Mushrooms uk

But what mushrooms are best known for and researched is their apparent cancer-fighting powers. Mushrooms contain a class of proteins called lectins, which are able to bind to abnormal cells and cancer cells and label the cells for destruction by our immune system. According to a 2016 articlepublished in Molecules:

Numerous studies have shown that mushrooms help fight breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, uterine cervix cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, and acute leukemia. In addition, antitumor compounds have been identified in various mushrooms species. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among American women. So scientists have done a lot of research about the activities mushrooms possess against breast cancer. In one amazing study of 2,000 women conducted by researchers from the University of Western Australia in Perth, women who consumed at least a third of an ounce of fresh mushrooms every day were 64% less likely to develop breast cancer.