Mushroom Health Benefits, Risks & Tips

Mushrooms and truffles are fungi, primitive plants that draw their nutrients from the partially decomposed tissues of more complex vegetation, such as trees. Their cell walls are made of chitin, a cholesterol-lowering dietary fiber.

The common white mushroom was first cultivated by the French more than 300 years ago in abandoned gypsum quarries near Paris, but only recently has it become possible to cultivate a number of other species on a commercial scale. Thanks to this development, a wide range of mushrooms is now offered by many supermarkets.

Truffles grow underground among the roots of certain oak, hazel, and linden trees. As a result of overharvesting and deforestation, truffles are now so rare and expensive that only minute shavings are used to flavor dishes. Attempts to grow them on a commercial scale have been unsuccessful so far.

Health Benefits

Supports heart health.
Mushrooms are one of the best plant-based sources of niacin: Studies have shown that niacin can help reduce the risk of heart disease and atherosclerosis. Three ounces (85 g) of portobello mushrooms provide almost 20% of the daily niacin requirement. The same-size serving of white mushrooms provides 17%, while shiitakes yield 6%.

Lowers cholesterol and blood pressure.
All mushrooms contain good amounts of potassium, which can have a positive effect in lowering blood pressure, and a substance called eritadenine, which helps lower cholesterol by promoting cholesterol excretion. In addition, tree-ear mushrooms, used in many Chinese dishes, inhibit blood clotting and are thought to lower cholesterol. Protects against cancers of the breast and prostate. Portobello and white mushrooms are good sources of selenium. Selenium may help prevent prostate cancer—it is known to work with vitamin E to clean up the free radicals that damage cells. The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging found that men with the lowest levels of selenium in their blood were four to five times more likely to have prostate cancer than men with high selenium levels. Additionally, mushrooms are rich in disease-fighting phytochemicals, and eating them regularly has been linked to a lower risk of breast cancer in Chinese and Korean women, according to studies.

Supports the immune system.
Japanese studies have shown that certain mushrooms may favorably influence the immune system, with potential benefits in fighting cancer, infections, and such auto-immune diseases as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. This effect may be related to the high content of glutamic acid, an amino acid that seems to be instrumental in fighting infections, among other immune functions. Shiitake mushrooms contain lentinan, a phytochemical that may help boost immune activity,

QUICK TIP:
Keep color with lemon juice
When preparing mushrooms, retain their color by squeezing a little lemon juice.
Helps cut calories. Extremely low in calories (a half cup contains only 10), mushrooms are virtually fat-free and a valuable source of dietary fiber.

Health Risks

Can be poisonous.
Many common species of wild mushrooms produce toxins that are quickly lethal whether eaten raw or cooked. Because there is no feature that distinguishes dangerous mushrooms, and poisonous varieties often closely resemble edible ones, never gather or eat wild mushrooms unless a mushroom expert has identified them as safe. Additionally, some wild mushrooms, although safe to eat on their own, can be deadly when consumed with alcohol.

Eating Tips
• Make soup with sautéed mushrooms, broth, diced tomatoes, garlic, and rosemary.
• Stuff baked mushroom caps with chunks of chicken sausage.
• Spoon jarred truffle paste over scrambled eggs and chives.

Buying Tips
• When buying mushrooms, look for firm buttons with no bruises. All mushrooms are handpicked but bruise easily. Handle them carefully.
 • Look for size: Flavor develops as the mushrooms grow, so the largest of any variety have the most flavor.

Storing Tips
• Place mushrooms in paper bags and store in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator. Do not store mushrooms in cling wrap or plastic.
• Five days should be the maximum storage time in the refrigerator.
• Rinse mushrooms only just before using them, but do not peel them or remove the stalks—the skin is where the nutrients are. Simply slice, quarter, or chop with the skins on.

MUSHROOM FACTS
• Used in every age and culture as food, mushrooms have also served as medicines and as stimulants or hallucinogens.
• Mushrooms contain a high concentration of glutamic acid—the naturally occurring form of monosodium glutamate (MSG). That is why they are great natural flavor enhancers in many dishes!