Power of Mushrooms
Eating two mushrooms a day could lower cancer risk by 45 per cent, study finds. Eating 18 grams of mushrooms a day could lower the risk of cancer, a new study suggests. Individuals who eat two medium-sized mushrooms daily have a 45 per cent lower risk of cancer compared to those who do not eat mushrooms, according to Pennsylvania State University research, published in Advances in Nutrition.
For centuries, Chinese medicine practitioners have used mushrooms, which are rich in vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants, as a treatment for illness including lung disease. Some of the chemical compounds in mushrooms are believed to strengthen the immune system.
The Penn research examined 17 cancer studies from 1966 to 2020, analyzing more than 19,500 cancer patients. The team’s findings showed that even though shiitake, oyster, maitake and king oyster mushrooms have higher amounts of the amino acid ergothioneine than white button, cremini and portobello mushrooms, people who incorporated any variety of mushrooms into their daily diets had a lower risk of cancer.
“Mushrooms are the highest dietary source of ergothioneine, which is a unique and potent antioxidant and cellular protector,” said Djibril Ba, a graduate student in epidemiology at Penn State College of Medicine. “Replenishing antioxidants in the body may help protect against oxidative stress and lower the risk of cancer.”
Source: South China Morning Post