Mushrooms are The New Superfood!
Surprise! Surprise! Mushrooms not only taste GOOD, but are GOOD for you. Count the ways!

1. Nutrient Analysis; Vitamins & Minerals
2. Wellness; Antioxidants, Immune System, Weight Management
3. Breast and Prostate Cancer

In general, mushrooms are low in energy, virtually free of fat, a valuable source of fibre and are cholesterol and carbohydrate-free.

Vitamins:
A 100 gram serving of fresh, uncooked mushrooms contains significant quantities of B vitamins, copper, pantothenic acid, niacin and folate.

Minerals:
A 100 gram serving of fresh, uncooked White Button and/or Brown Crimini Mushrooms provides both essential and trace minerals Iron, Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Copper and Selenium.

"A healthy diet containing foods high in potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension), a risk factor for stroke and heart disease." [CFIA]

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2). Wellness; Antioxidants, Immune System, Weight Management

Anti-oxidants:
Recent research has found that mushrooms contain a powerful antioxidant called l-ergothioneine.

Antioxidants are the heroes of cell preservation.  They work by slowing or preventing the oxidative process caused by free radicals that can lead to cell damage and the onset of problems like heart disease and diabetes. Including versatile and delicious mushrooms in the diet is a good way to boost antioxidants.

• Researchers at the Pennsylvania State Mushroom Research Laboratory found that mushrooms contain significant levels of ergothioneine, which has shown antioxidant properties as a scavenger of strong oxidants.¹
• Antioxidant activity is enhanced by the presence of selenium. A 100 gram serving of uncooked, sliced white mushrooms provides 13% of the Daily Value for selenium.
• Ergothioneine is heat-stable, meaning it is present in both raw and cooked mushrooms.
• Portabella and crimini mushrooms have the most ergothioneine, followed closely by white mushrooms.
• Exotic mushrooms, such as maitake, oyster and shiitake, have the highest amounts of ergothioneine.

Immune Systems:
Emerging research indicates that certain mushroom extracts, such as beta-glucans, may have a positive effect on the immune system.

Medicinal properties have been attributed to mushrooms for thousands of year. Benefit to the immune system may be one of them. Here is what we know so far:

• Research, looking at mushroom extracts and immunity, focused mainly on beta-glucans, polysaccharides that contribute to the soluble fibre in mushrooms. ²    
• A Canadian study, published in the journal Mycologia in 2006, found that the beta-glucan extracted from mushrooms displayed potential anti-inflammatory activity.³    
• A recent review of the anti-inflammatory properties of mushroom extracts and their potential effects on the immune system concluded that they stimulate different cells of the immune system including T and B cells, macrophages and natural killer cells.⁴ Further research is needed to pinpoint the biochemical mechanisms responsible for these observations, as immune responses can depend on a number of factors including dose, route of administration, and timing of administrations of the compound in question.
• Mushroom extracts may be beneficial when used in conjunction with chemotherapy. A 2004 study, conducted in South Korea, found that natural killer cell activity was significantly higher in the mushroom extract group than in those who were given a placebo.⁵ They also found that chemotherapy-associated side effects such as appetite, hair loss, emotional stability and general weakness were all improved for gynecological cancer patients who took a mushroom extract.   
• A March 2007 Newsletter from the American Institute of Cancer Research noted that ongoing research is looking into how mushrooms can aid cancer treatments by strengthening the immune system.⁶
• Research at Tufts University in Boston, Mass is also being done to further investigate the immuno-enhancing effect of mushrooms.  Various other mushroom-immunity studies are underway at Pennsylvania and Oklahoma State Universities.
• The bottom line: although we don’t know exactly how mushrooms are contributing to immunity, it makes good sense to include them in a nutritious, varied diet for optimal health.

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Weight Management
Fresh mushrooms are a low-calorie food, meaning you can eat more of them without expanding your waistline.

With approximately 60 percent of the Canadian population and almost 30 percent of Canadian children either overweight or obese, finding appealing strategies for achieving a healthy weight is crucial.(7,8)  A low-energy-density diet can be part of the solution with fresh mushrooms making a tasty and nutritious contribution. 

The idea of a low-calorie diet is to choose foods with high water content, high fiber content, or a low fat content. Vegetables and fruit, including fresh mushrooms, fit that bill. Selecting foods with low-energy-density means you can have more of them without consuming large amounts of excess calories that can lead to weight gain.  But does it really work?  Here is what the research shows:

• Studies show that consistently choosing foods with low-energy-density, including fresh mushrooms, results in a better quality diet.  The diet also has greater variety but fewer calories than a high-energy-dense diet, typically made up of more processed foods, baked goods, fried foods, snacks and high-calorie beverages such as alcohol and soft drinks.  
• Researchers at Pennsylvania State University confirmed that people who eat a low-energy-dense diet consumed fewer calories, less fat and had higher intakes of several important micronutrients including vitamins A, C, and B6, folate, iron, calcium and potassium.⁹  Of note, those with a low-energy-dense diet also consumed fewer beverages other than water, such as carbonated beverages that provide excess calories but few nutrients.
• Another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at the effect of lowering the energy density of specific portion sizes.  They found that advising people to eat satisfying portions of low-energy-dense foods was a more successful weight loss strategy than fat reduction coupled with restrictions of portion sizes.¹⁰  In fact, the dietary changes made by the low-energy-dense group included significantly more vegetables and fruit and a 40% greater weight loss after 6 months than those advised to limit portions of all foods and to reduce fat intake. 

Fresh Mushrooms are a super low-energy-dense choice

• Fresh mushrooms make an excellent choice for low-calorie diets as they have a high water content, are low in fat and contain some fibre – three factors that contribute to satiety with fewer calories.   
• A 100 gram serving of uncooked, sliced white button mushrooms is 50 percent water by weight and rings in at a mere 22 calories.  The same size portion of grilled portabella mushrooms is 89 percent water by weight and packs only 26 calories. 

Fresh Mushrooms Make a Healthy Difference¹¹

• Substitute a 4-ounce grilled portabella mushroom for a 4-ounce grilled beef patty (70% lean) and save 270 calories, 197 g  fat, 8 g saturated fat and 93 mg cholesterol.
• Substitute ¼-cup fresh crimini mushrooms on pizza for 1 ounce pepperoni and save 125 calories, 11 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat and 33 mg cholesterol.
• Substitute ½ cup sautéed white button mushrooms in an omelet for ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese and save 100 calories, 9 g fat, 6 g saturated fat and 30 mg cholesterol.

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3). Breast and Prostate Cancer
Emerging research suggests that mushrooms and mushroom extracts may have potent anticancer activity, for both breast and prostate cancer.

Research shows that 30 to 35% of all cancers can be prevented by eating well, being active and maintaining a healthy body weight.¹²  As fresh mushrooms are low in calories and fat, as well as being versatile and great-tasting, they are a good addition to a healthy eating pattern. They are satisfying as well, which may help keep the calories in check and weight at a healthy level.

The Canadian Cancer Society recommends choosing 5 to 10 servings of vegetables and fruit every day to reap the benefits of their disease-fighting antioxidants and phytochemicals. Mushrooms offer nutrients such as beta-glucans and conjugated linoleic acid, compounds that are currently being studied for their chemopreventive potential.  Here are some of the latest findings.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Canadian women. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, in 2006 an estimated 22,200 women were diagnosed with breast cancer.  One in 9 women is expected to develop the disease in their lifetime and 1 in 27 will die of it.¹³

But there is some encouraging news. 

• A 2006 study found that the conjugated linoleic, acid extracted from mushrooms, inhibited the activity of aromatase, an enzyme responsible for synthesis of estrogen.  Estrogen is believed to have breast cancer-promoting effects in post-menopausal women. They also found that mushroom extract suppressed the growth of hormone-dependent breast tumors in mice by decreasing both tumor cell proliferation and tumor weight.¹⁴
• Large mushrooms were found to be the strongest inhibitors of aromatase activity.  Shiitake, white button mushrooms, portabella, crimini and baby button mushrooms also showed significant inhibitory effects.  A variety of other vegetables including green onion, carrot, bell pepper, broccoli and spinach did not show any significant activity.
• The authors suggest that consuming 3.5 ounces (100g) of mushrooms per day would help suppress breast tumor growth in women.  However, much more research, including human studies, needs to be done before any specific recommendations can be made.

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Canadian men.  Canadian Cancer Society statistics estimate that 20,700 men were diagnosed with the disease in 2006, with 4200 of those dying from it.  One in 7 men will develop prostate cancer during their lifetime, mostly after age 60, and 1 in 26 will die of it.¹⁵

Here, there is also cause for hope.

• The Netherlands Cohort Study looked at the vegetable intake and prostate cancer risk of 58,279 men ages 55-69 years and found an association between eating mushrooms and reduced risk of prostate cancer.¹⁶
• A study published in 2000 in the journal Molecular Urology, found that beta-glucans (polysaccharides) extracted from Maitake mushrooms destroyed human prostatic cancer cells in a laboratory setting.¹⁷         
• Selenium is also of scientific interest in prostate cancer risk research.  A 100 gram serving of sliced uncooked mushrooms is a source of selenium, providing 13% of the Daily Value.
• In 2003, researchers from The Netherlands Cohort Study found that men with the highest selenium intake had a 31% lower risk of developing prostate cancer than men with the lowest selenium.(18)  However, further study is needed to confirm these findings as estimation of dietary selenium can be unreliable.           
• Recent results from the Physicians’ Health Study conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, noted that higher levels of selenium may slow prostate cancer tumor progression.  As well, those who had the highest levels of selenium in their blood were almost 50% less likely to develop prostate cancer during the 13 years of follow-up.(19)

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Health Alert: Wild Mushrooms

The Ontario Regional Poison Information Centre [ORPIC] advises the public of the potential health risks associated with eating wild mushrooms. Several adults and children from across Ontario have been hospitalized with life threatening symptoms. Poisonous mushrooms may appear similar to edible mushrooms. Their advice is to not consume wild mushrooms, unless you are an expert at mushroom identification or are advised by an expert. Symptoms most commonly associated with eating poisonous mushrooms include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea. Sever symptoms include sweating, convulsions, hallucinations, coma and even death. It may take several days for symptoms to develop. Anyone with health concerns related to eating wild mushrooms should consult a health care provider or call the ORPI Centre which operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week. It is available at 1-800-268-9017.

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References