Long celebrated as a superfood source of powerful nutrients, fresh mushrooms are a healthy addition to your plate. Mushrooms provide many of the same nutritional benefits as vegetables, as well as attributes commonly found in meat, beans and grains. Mushrooms can help fulfill some of the leading recommendations for a healthy diet from the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
B vitamins help to provide energy by breaking down proteins, fats and carbohydrates.[1] B vitamins also play an important role in the nervous system.
Riboflavin helps with the production of hormones and also plays an important role in the nervous system[1]
Niacin helps maintain healthy red blood cells [1]
Pantothenic acid promotes healthy skin and makes sure the digestive and nervous systems function properly [1]
Selenium works as an antioxidant to protect body cells from damage that might lead to heart disease, some cancers and other diseases of aging*. Also found to be important for the immune system and fertility in men[2].
Ergothioneine is a naturally occurring antioxidant that may help protect the body’s cells.[3]
Copper helps make red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Copper also helps keep bones and nerves healthy
Potassium aids in the maintenance of normal fluid and mineral balance, which helps control blood pressure. It also plays a role in making sure nerves and muscles, including the heart, function properly[1]
Beta-glucans’ immunity-stimulating effects contribute to resistance against allergies and may participate in physiological processes related to the metabolism of fats and sugars in the human body. The beta-glucans contained in oyster, shiitake and split gill mushrooms are considered to be the most effective[4]
Scientists at City of Hope were some of the first to discover that mushrooms could suppress growth of breast cancer and prostate cancer cells in cell cultures and in animals. City of Hope researchers have conducted a small clinical trial in patients with prostate cancer.
Mushrooms are the leading source of the antioxidant nutrient selenium in the produce aisle. Antioxidants, like selenium, protect body cells from damage that might lead to chronic diseases and help to strengthen the immune system, as well[1]. In addition, mushrooms provide ergothioneine, a naturally occurring antioxidant that may help protect the body’s cells.
Mushrooms are hearty and filling. Preliminary research suggests increasing intake of low-energy-dense foods (meaning few calories given the volume of food), specifically mushrooms, in place of high-energy-dense foods, like lean ground beef, can be helpful with weight management as they promote daily energy by limiting fat intake and leaving you full and satiated after a meal. [5]
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourages healthy dietary patterns that are low in saturated fat and sodium. Mushrooms are fat-free and low in sodium. Mushrooms’ inherent umami counterbalances saltiness and allows for less salt to be used in recipes.
The mushroom, frankly, deserves more respect. And thanks to the recent interest in mushroom powder, it’s finally getting it’s day in the sunlight.
You may rarely see plain old mushrooms on lists of trendy superfoods alongside avocado or kale or açaí , but the truth of the matter is that mushrooms have been traditionally used in eastern medicine practice throughout Asia and as far back as ancient Egypt. But a lot of adults never get past the “icky” phase when it comes to mushrooms, causing many to leave it out of their diets forever. Luckily, there is a loophole in the form of mushroom powder.
Not quite a spice, not quite a condiment, mushroom powder benefits are similar to those of whole mushrooms — like anti-inflammatory element, B vitamins, and even some protein— but none of the issues of consistency or presentation.
So what exactly is mushroom powder? Do different kinds of mushrooms do different things for you? And what’s the best way to implement it into you diet? Let’s give the mighty mushroom its due.
Generally, mushroom powder is, literally, just dried mushrooms that have been pulverized into a powder. It’s really that simple. And it can be made out of any culinary mushroom! In addition to the nutritional benefits of mushroom powder, it also adds a mushrooms’ earthy, meaty flavor to whatever you mix it with.
It’s even pretty easy to make it yourself. “Dehydrate the mushrooms first via dehydrator or in the oven on low heat for a lon g time,” says registered dietitian nutritionist and creator of The Sassy Dietitian Laura Ligos. “Once they are crispy and no longer spongy, you can throw them in a blender or food processor.”
However, as the popularity of mushroom powder increases, it starts to get a ‘health halo’ around it, says Andrea N. Giancoli, MPH, RD. “It starts to become seen as that miracle food that’s going to give you health and vitality and cure all that ails you. So we try and turn it into some kind of supplement form that we can take more easily than eating food. And mushroom powder is becoming the latest ‘health halo’ substance.”
The primary difference between consuming whole mushrooms vs. mushroom powder comes down to two key factors:
“You’re definitely going to be concentrating the nutrients when you compress it into a powder versus when you’re eating the full volume of the mushroom,” says Giancoli. However, she stresses that there is one benefit you can only get from a whole mushroom as opposed to a powder: “You’re going to get some hydration from the mushroom [when you eat it whole]. When you grind it into a powder you’re not getting the water content from it.”
There are a lot of different kinds of dietary mushrooms out there, and while many of their benefits overlap, many mushrooms shine in their own special way.
Certain types of mushrooms may help support a healthy immune system. Among the most promising in that department are the reishi mushrooms . Grown in hot and humid parts of Asia, reishi have been a staple of Eastern practice and diet for centuries.
Shiitake mushrooms, also very popular in powdered form, can have a beneficial effect on the circulatory system. Certain components of the shiitake mushroom (and others), such as the soluble dietary fiber b-glucan, can potentially positively impact “satiety” (the length of time between eating and feeling hungry again), reduce food intake and delay nutrition absorption.
“[Mushroom powders] all provide similar health benefits and are low in calories, high in phytonutrients and may even have vitamin D,” says Ligos. “The best kind? Just depends. Porcini, oyster, shitake, white button, chaga, etc. are all good choices.”
Perhaps the best thing about mushrooms in powdered form is how versatile they are. They provide a mellow, earthy flavor, and can blend well pretty much everywhere.
Add some shiitake mushroom to your scrambled eggs, or toss in the slightly more aromatic porcini at the tail end of a simmering pasta sauce. You can coat a steak in mushroom powder – almost like a breading for chicken cutlets – before tossing it on a grill, using it in chili, stews, and meatloaf/meatballs, as well.
It’s even become common to add mushroom powder to coffee..
However, A nutrition expert points out that while whole mushrooms make you feel like you’ve eaten more to make you feel fuller, powders don’t give you the same sense of satisfaction, so be careful not to overdo it.
“With mushrooms, they are generally safe to consume in their natural form as a food,” she says. Just make sure that when you’re consuming mushroom powders that you aren’t getting too much of a good thing. Her advice is to keep it moderate. “There’s a lot of nutrition in mushrooms for the small amount of calories you get. But if mushrooms are something that you don’t like, and you want to incorporate it into your diet via powder — just stick to the serving size.”
As always, the safest best is to check in with your doctor. “Certain mushrooms can interact with medications you may be taking and things of that nature, so if you are taking medication, make sure you consult your physician before consuming mushrooms.”
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