11 Fascinating Health Benefits of Mushrooms

Mushrooms are organisms that are classified as plants without any form of chlorophyll in them. They are typically categorized as fungi that are edible, also known as saprophytes that survive by deriving nutrients from the parts of dead and decaying plants and animals. These organisms are known to show diversity in their color, shape and other characteristics. Of the estimated value out of 140,000 species of mushrooms forming fungi, only 10 percent is within the purview of scientific study and only 100 of those are being studied for prospective health benefits.

We shall start by discussing the benefits from the consumption of mushrooms:

1. Lowers Cholesterol

   Mushrooms contain lean proteins which it provides upon consumption. It does not contain any form of fat or cholesterol. It has a very low value of carbohydrate content in it. They also contain enzymes and fiber that helps to keep a check on the cholesterol content in your system. The lean proteins help in burning cholesterol upon digestion. Consumption of mushrooms is highly recommended for the regulation of cholesterol in your system. It helps to maintain equilibrium between the HDL and the LDL in levels of cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of various heart diseases like stroke or heart attack.

2. Treatment of Anemia

   Anemia is a disease that is conditioned by the deficiency of iron in the body. This causes various unfavorable situations to your body causing weakness, headaches, digestive concerns and impaired neural functioning. Mushrooms are high in iron content and can be a great iron and can be consumed to undo the occasion of the deficiency.

   Mushrooms are rich in iron content and the nutritive value obtained in it can be utilized up to a value of ninety percent in the body to undo any kind of deficiency. The nutritive value of iron absorption by the body aids the formation of red blood cells and promotes good health for beings. Thus, it is necessary to have mushrooms in your diet to cure any ailments occurring due to lack of iron, as mushrooms seems to be a promising source of iron.

3. Prevention of Cancers

   Mushrooms are a rich source of both beta glucans and linoleic acid, which help in the treatment of cancer due to their anti-carcinogenic properties. Being a rich source of the above bio constituents, it can be helpful in the treatment of breast and prostate cancer. Among women, after the onset of menopause, breast cancer is caused due to an excessive secretion of the hormone estrogen in the body. However, linoleic acid helps this situation by reducing the harmful impacts due to excessive estrogen secretion. On the other hand, beta glucans exhibit the property of obstructing the growth of cancerous cells in the body. Various forms of study also reveal that mushrooms yield anti-tumor properties too.

4. Prevention of Diabetes

   There are several reasons as to why mushrooms are recommended for diabetic patients. It is one of the best diet constituent for someone prone to diabetes. It contains no fat or cholesterol as mentioned before. It contains low amount of carbohydrates and a high value of proteins in it. It contains insulin and enzymes that helps in the breakdown of sugar and starch and keeps a diabetic patient away from the perils resulting from the intake of carbohydrates. Mushrooms also contain a variety of minerals and vitamins that helps in keeping with a healthy diet. It contains certain compounds that aids the proper working of the liver, pancreas and endocrine glands that regulates the production and circulation of insulin to different parts of the body. For diabetic patients, wound healing in the limbs is a slow process. However, the consumption of mushrooms with a rich content of antibiotics would help to solve a situation like this.

5. Improvement of the Health of the Bone

   Mushrooms serve as a potential source of calcium too, which is responsible for bone formation and strengthening. An adequate supply of calcium can reduce the instances of diseased condition that causes the degeneration of bones, like in the case of osteoporosis. It can also help to reduce any kind of pain in the joints caused due to a deficiency of calcium in the body. It will help in increasing the mobility of the entire system.

6. Absorption of Nutrients

   Vitamin D is very remotely available, however still found in mushrooms. It promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. These nutrients are present in adequate amount in mushrooms too. The combination of so many nutrients is aids the process of maintaining good health.

7. Improvement of the Immune System

   Mushrooms are a powerful source of the antioxidant, ergothioneine that helps in improving the immune system by removal of free radicals from the body. This antioxidant is mostly an amino acid that has sulfur in its constituents. It can help in boosting the immune system of the body in a major way. During the metabolic processes, some dangerous compounds are released that can have a very negative impact on the body. It is then that this antioxidant comes into play, and helps in removal of the free radicals that are formed during the metabolic process. Mushrooms also contain certain natural antibiotics that help in containing the growth of microbes, and other infections caused by fungi. The beta glucans can help control and improve the immune system of the body. It also has healing properties that enables cure from ulcers and other wounds.

8. Helps to Lower Blood Pressure

   Various studies on mushrooms have suggested that they are found to be highly rich in potassium. Potassium helps in lowering blood pressure by easing the tension contained in the blood vessels due to the flow of blood. High blood pressure in turn, can cause a number of undesirable conditions like heart attacks and strokes. Potassium content also helps in increasing cognition, and research has proven that increased level of potassium in the body reflects for better memory and retention.

9. Increases the Amount of Iron Absorption

   Copper is also contained in high amounts in mushrooms. Copper content helps in the absorption of iron in the body which ultimately proves to be useful in a variety of ways. It helps in strengthening the bones and also in prevention of the incidence of anemia.

10. Rich in Selenium

    Mushrooms are also very rich in the amount of selenium content in it. This rich content of selenium in mushrooms is highly desired for maintaining a good health. The thing with selenium is, it can be easily found in animal proteins, however since mushrooms are in the fungi category that does feed on dead decaying plant and animal, it becomes an important source of obtaining selenium too. Selenium is basically useful for adding strength and durable power to the bones. Hence adding this to your diet will help you maintain a healthy overall balance.

11. Weight Loss

    To the surprise of many mushrooms are also very helpful in losing weight. It does have amazing results and hence can be used to maintain a good diet and also loss some good amount of weight for a good body. We have already spoken about mushrooms being a great source of lean protein for the body. Lean proteins are good for consumption and diet maintenance as fats and carbohydrates are used to digest it. An appropriate amount of consumption is necessary to get the benefits of it.

    There are a variety of ways that mushroom can prove to be harmful for the body. Let us try to understand a few of these:

    Makes One Feel Fatigue – The consumption of mushrooms have this dawning side effect of making one feel extremely fatigued after consumption. In some cases, people also experience other associated adverse effects like no energy, and certain level of discomfort. This can have a high impact on the daily schedule of a person and can make one extremely lethargic. Hence, it is highly suggestible that a person consumes it in appropriate amounts to not come across the overwhelming symptoms of tiredness.

    Upset Stomach: Upon consumption of mushrooms beyond a certain limit, it can interfere with the digestive system of a person and can cause upset stomach. There can be incidences of diarrhea and also vomiting. Mushrooms may not be easily digested in the system and can cause intestinal issues. Hence, it is advisable to keep a check of the amount of mushroom intake.

    Hallucination and Absent Mindedness- The wrong kind of mushrooms upon consumption can have high toxic effect in the body in a number of ways. It can cause a person to hallucinate and lose complete track of reality. The loss of reality can be so severe that it can have some heavy impacts on the mind of the person consuming it. It can act like a drug and have some effects on the person like a changed perception of reality, vision and sound. The results of this can be seen in the behavior of a person within a span of twenty minutes after consumption, and can last for a long duration.

    Causes Allergies in the Skin- Mushrooms have the causative effect of causing rashes and some form of allergies upon consumption for some people. It also depends on other factors. But a lot of times it has been seen that mushrooms cause a lot of harmful effects on the skin that can last for a while before getting cured. Some wild mushrooms also have the ability of causing allergy just by touching it; hence one should be careful as to where they obtain it from.

    Asthma Attack – This is another severe allergic condition wherein the mushrooms can cause an allergy that triggers an asthma attack. It causes an allergic condition that increases the swelling around the neck that makes it hard to breathe. Hence, one should be careful with regard to the breed of mushrooms that he or she is consuming.

    Anaphylactic Shock – This is one more example of an allergic condition that causes hypersensitivity and calls the person in question to seek an immediate treatment from the condition.

    Induce the Growth of Cancer Cells: The presence of carcinogen in mushrooms promotes the growth of cancer cells that can cause to spread everywhere in the body.

    Gives a Tingling Sensation – Some mushrooms have the power to change the perception of reality upon consumption. The same kind of mushrooms starts showing their effects with twenty to thirty minutes after their consumption. This is succeeded by the person feeling too excited and overwhelmed, and soon afterwards it has a dawning effect of depression on the person. Hence, with regard to maintaining a prominent mental health for a person, it is always suggested that they do not consume what could interfere with it.

Mushrooms can have a highly deteriorating impact on a woman who is pregnant or a breast feeding mother. Studies have not clearly pointed any major setbacks, but still it is highly recommended to stay away from mushrooms during pregnancy and breast feeding.

Headaches: Some mushrooms upon consumption, can cause headaches that can have a lasting impact. It can interfere and cause impacts even after days of consumption; hence it is preferred to keep the amount of intake in check to prevent such incidences of headaches.

Anxiety: The consumption of the wrong kind of mushrooms that have similar to dug effect on your body is not suggested. These kinds of mushrooms can have many impairing effects. As mentioned before, along with causing distortion of reality in the mind of the person consuming it, it can also have certain detrimental effects on the health of a person physically. It makes a person highly excited and then causes a phase of depression for the same person, leaving them dwelling between extremes which can cause a severe situation of extreme anxiety in a person which is completely undesirable. This can also cause mental imbalance for a person which is what is explained in the next point discussed here.

Mental Illness: Mental illness can result due to consumption of mushrooms as it makes a person mentally unstable, without having the correct perception of sound and reality. A person be made to believe that the reality is the distorted feeling can go to any ends of believing what is not. It can cause extreme situations of panic attacks and incidences of immense fear. Hence, you should eat the right kind of mushrooms and prevent the usage of those that are wildly grown and you have no clue of their origin, because those kinds of mushrooms can have very bad impact on your mental health, if consumed without being aware of it at all.

Dizziness: The consumption of mushrooms is reportedly known to cause negative impacts of dizziness within few minutes of consumption. It causes a state of extreme confusion for the person not being able to act or understand the way to. It is one of the most prominent effects seen in the conduct of a person, and hence it is necessary to obtain the correct dosage for consumption.

The mushrooms in question for the above discussion which are the principal cause of many of the detrimental effects caused by mushrooms, are the psilocybin mushrooms that are organic in nature but have several drug like properties. These mushrooms are called magic mushrooms and are known to possess psychedelic properties that cause life and mind changing impacts on the person taking it. These are known to be found in a diverse range of over two hundred species of mushrooms. These are mainly dark colored fungus that grows in the tropical and sub-tropical climatic conditions. Most of the impacts of mushrooms studied on the negative side are owing to this content of psilocybin compound in it.

Mushrooms are found in different shape, color, texture, and characteristics. They have an equivalent number of benefits and disadvantages owing to the different kinds of mushrooms growing in different places under a different set of weather conditions all together. To make a beneficial impact upon consumption of mushroom, it is very necessary to pick the right one. Picking the right one can help you obtain ample scope of benefits from its consumption. You need to find the right place that cultivates the growth of the species under unique set of conditions.

Mushrooms are and have always been a unique addition to the set of the many dishes like sauces and salads. We derive a set of great benefits upon consumption of the right kind of mushrooms. However, one needs to understand that not all mushrooms are safe for eating. Edible ones are available at local grocers that can be purchased and cooked at home to derive its benefits upon consumption. It serves as a tasty delight on the table too. These are the types of mushrooms that are grown carefully and with care solely dedicated to the commercial needs of it hence, ending the article on a health caution note. The breed of mushrooms is very important to judge before consumption. With all the positive traits it has to offer, one should find the right source to obtain the maximum benefits of it.

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