Magic Mushrooms: Health Benefi ts of Fungi
Mushrooms have been used in Asia as food and medicine for over 7000 years and in Europe their use can be traced back to Hippocrates and throughout the Middle Ages. International trade has allowed access to numerous species not natively grown. While we are used to using a variety of mushrooms in the kitchen, you may be surprised to learn about their numerous health benefi ts.
Fungi are not plants and in fact they are more closely related to animals than plant species. What we consider as a mushroom - what we can see and what we eat - is actually the fruiting or reproductive body. Fungi have a complex root structure called the mycelium which resembles white threads and this stays underground and does all the work. It can spread extensively underground and foragers will note where they pick the fruiting bodies as they know they are likely to regrow in the same area.
Fungi is not only useful to humans as a food and medicine but it also does its bit for the planet. They can absorb heavy metals, break down plastics and oil spills and can inactivate pesticides. That is quite an achievement for something so small.
There is a lot of nutritional value in mushrooms. Button and portabello mushrooms are 48% protein and are rich in minerals and B vitamins, which support a healthy nervous system. Oyster mushrooms are 30% protein and are rich in thiamine and ribofl avins and shitake mushrooms are also rich in B vitamins and minerals. Compare this to a baked potato which averages 3.9% protein and fewer vitamins and minerals and it is easy to see that mushrooms can play an important part in our diets. The key however is to cook them to release their full potential of macro and micronutrients; chopping them up raw in salads won’t give the same nutritional benefi ts.
Fungi have also been used in traditional medicine. The cell walls of fungi are rich in polysaccharides, particularly beta-glucans, which help support
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immune function. Beta-glucans are also found in lichens, seaweed and grains. Fungi also contain triterpenes which are anti-infl ammatory and ergosterol which is pro vitamin D-in other words, the body converts it to an active form of Vitamin D – which is much sought after in our dark Northern climate. It also contains anti-oxidant phenolics and glycoproteins. While small, mushrooms pack a punch in terms of their potential health benefi ts.
Research has been carried out on a number of species, particularly in Asia, and mushrooms are appearing on the shelves of health food shops in liquid or capsule form. As a Medical Herbalist I use certain species in clinical practice. Mushrooms are being shown to both activate the immune system when required and to dampen down its response where it is excessive, for example in certain allergic reactions. They are also deemed to boost energy, help the body cope with stress and to improve protein metabolism in the body. Species used for their potential medical benefi ts include maitake, chaga, reishi and cordyceps. Reishi is the top-selling medicinal mushroom and in Japan it is referred to as the ‘mushroom of immortality’.
So if you have been dismissive of mushrooms as ‘watery’ and thought they lacked anything of value, perhaps next time you see them in the supermarket you can think again and realise that size doesn’t always matter.
Nikki Biddiss BSc (Hons), MNIMH, is a Medical Herbalist, Aromatherapy Massage Therapist and Cognitive Coach. She runs the herbal clinic in Napier’s, Glasgow and has her own practice in Bridge of Allan.
www.botanicalhealing.co.uk or contact Nikki on 07528341206.
Please consult with your herbalist or health practitioner before using any herbs if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication or have underlying health issues.
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