Mushrooms to Boost Immune Health!

Mushrooms are a super food often over looked in the nutrition world.  These powerful fungi contain anti-oxidants, vitamin D, and polyphenols to boost immune function.  All mushrooms have health benefits from the white button to the exotic shiitake mushroom.  A new University of Florida study shows increased immunity in people who ate a cooked shiitake mushroom every day for four weeks.  This is a simple dietary addition with big benefits!  Another study

from Penn State demonstrated that all types of mushrooms are potent anti-oxidants.  Portabella and Crimini had the highest ORAC assay with both about 10 micromoles of trolox equivalents per gram.  Comparatively, carrots and green beans have an ORAC value of 5; red pepper 10; and broccoli 12.  White button mushroom, the one mostly commonly consumed in the U.S., has an ORAC value of 6.9, above tomato, green pepper, pumpkin, zucchini, carrot, and green beans.

Mushrooms are also a valuable source of vitamin D, which is important for bone health, immune health, mental health, and more.  Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have discovered that eating mushrooms containing Vitamin D2 can be as effective at increasing and maintaining vitamin D levels (25-hydroxyvitamin D) as taking supplemental vitamin D2 or vitamin D3.

The morel of the story is to eat more mushrooms for vibrant health!

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130422132801.htm

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060627104934.htm

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150416112826.htm