Mushy Mushrooms - What's in it for you? 

 

​Before considering the health benefits of edible mushrooms, it is essential to attend to the cautionary note regarding mushrooms. Some of the mushroom varieties (although very few) are very poisonous and have enough toxicity to kill a person. The good news is that, the poisonous varieties would be seldom (if at all) available in any of the supermarkets or fruit or grocery shops. Nevertheless, it would be worthwhile remembering the images of the following three varieties of highly poisonous mushrooms:

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF EDIBLE MUSHROOMS:



The following are the health benefits of mushrooms:

• Mushrooms comprise a very good diet for weight loss programs. Mushrooms have no fats (zero fats), very low carbohydrates, and they are a wonderful source of fibre. At the same time they have a high amount of proteins. This combination of high proteins, no fats and low cholesterol is very ideal for weight loss, because the proteins in the mushrooms will make use of the already existing fats in the body to get digested. (The body makes use of a lot of fats to digest proteins).
• Mushrooms have zero cholesterol. In addition to having zero cholesterol, the proteins in mushrooms are lean proteins, a variety of protein that helps to burn the existing cholesterol in the body.
• Mushrooms are a very good diet for diabetics. By virtue of having zero fats, zero cholesterol and low carbohydrates, mushrooms constitute an ideal food item for diabetics. Mushrooms also have their own insulin and enzymes which helps the digestive processes in breaking down starch and sugar in the food.
• Mushroom is a powerful antioxidant. Mushrooms contain ergothioneine that offers protection from free radicals.