It looks like mushrooms are the current ‘it’ food this year judging from its popularity among both chefs and dieticians.
Even better is that the hype around the fleshy and tasty fungus is quite well-deserved. For starters, mushrooms have been dubbed as a superfood because of their nutrient and antioxidant content. They’re also pretty low-calorie to boot.
Here are the health benefits of eating mushrooms and how people can add more of them in their regular diet.
The Benefits
Some of the nutrients mushrooms have loads of are potassium and B vitamins. These have been credited by scientists for having energy-boosting and heart health benefits. And of course, potassium is also known for helping the body maintain its muscle mass and avoid muscles from cramping.
Meanwhile, mushrooms’ choline content reportedly has an important role in processes like learning, sleeping, and memory.
Mushrooms also have the nutrient copper which is a component in energy and collagen production. Not only that, the essential nutrient is a necessity in the creation of red blood cells as well.
Aside from keeping the body in great shape, mushrooms also contribute to the prevention of diseases as they have been proven to help in reducing inflammation which triggers certain illnesses and even cognitive decline.
How to Eat More of It
Fortunately, one doesn’t have to try too hard to incorporate the nutritious food item into their diet. Proof of their culinary versatility is the fact they can easily be incorporated into soups, salads, stir-fries, and even in smoothies.
It also helps that the mushroom’s popularity has led to more and more food manufacturers using it as an ingredient in their products.
One good example is the mushroom blend burger option made by the organic food brand Applegate Organics. Their offering mixes mushroom with either grass-fed beef or turkey.
When it comes to snacks, one can now find things like mushroom jerky and even mushroom energy bars. And for people with a sweet tooth, they can satisfy their craving with a bar of mushroom chocolate. Some brands even offer a kind made from medicinal mushrooms.
Mushroom Drinks
Aside from getting your daily dose of mushrooms through eating, you can also opt to reap the superfood’s benefits by drinking it. There are coffee mixes out there that incorporate certain types of mushrooms.
Just be sure to check with a doctor first if the shrooms used in the coffee are medicinal as they can potentially react to other medications. Meanwhile, mushroom teas are also an option. The practice of sipping on these types of teas can reportedly be traced back to thousands of years of tradition in the East.