Mushrooms, celebrated for their savory flavor and nutritional benefits, have become a common addition to diets. The average American consumes approximately three pounds of mushrooms annually, according to the Department of Agriculture. Recent research is exploring the potential of mushrooms to promote weight loss and overall health. While mushrooms bring a savory flavor to meals without adding much fat, calories, or sodium, researchers continue to uncover how mushrooms can ward off chronic disease and improve your everyday health.
Nutritional Profile of Mushrooms
Edible mushrooms, especially in the order Agaricales, have low calorie, low fat concentration, and high protein and fiber content, and they have the essential amino acids. Besides being a source of vitamins and minerals, edible mushrooms also have several biologically functional compounds, such as polysaccharides, glycoproteins, and antioxidants, which have been used mainly as antitumor and immunostimulant. Likewise, medicinal mushrooms also have different functional compounds, with similar activities than edible mushrooms; antibacterial, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antioxidant action.
Health Benefits of Mushrooms
Mushrooms offer a variety of health benefits, including:
Decreased Risk of Cancer
A review of 17 cancer studies from 1966 to 2020 shows that eating just 18 grams of mushrooms (equal to about a 1/8-cup or two medium mushrooms) a day may lower your risk of cancer by as much as 45%. Mushrooms are a powerful source of ergothioneine, an amino acid and antioxidant that prevents or slows cellular damage. Some mushroom varieties (such as shiitake, oyster, maitake, and king oyster) have higher amounts of ergothioneine. But researchers found that incorporating any variety of mushrooms into your daily diet will lower your risk of cancer.
Lower Sodium Intake
To decrease your sodium intake, consider adding mushrooms to your meals. Mushrooms are naturally low in sodium - an entire cup of white button mushrooms has just five milligrams of sodium. They offer savory flavor that reduces the need for added salt to keep your blood pressure low. A study from the Culinary Institute of American and UC Davis shows that swapping half of the meat for mushrooms in a traditional ground beef recipe can maintain flavor while reducing sodium intake by 25%.
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Promote Lower Cholesterol
Mushrooms make an excellent substitute for red meat while minimizing calories, fat, and cholesterol. Research shows that shiitake mushrooms, in particular, help to keep cholesterol levels low. They contain compounds that inhibit the production of cholesterol, block cholesterol from being absorbed, and lower the overall amount of cholesterol in your blood.
Protect Brain Health
In a study in Singapore, participants who ate more than two cups of mushrooms a week had a 50% lower risk of developing MCI. Even those who ate only one cup saw some benefit. The mushrooms eaten by participants included golden, oyster, shiitake, and white button mushrooms.
Provide a Source of Vitamin D
They are the only type of produce that is a source of vitamin D. Like humans, certain mushrooms exposed to UV light or sunlight can increase their vitamin D amounts. White button, portabella, and cremini mushrooms provide the most vitamin D after exposure to UV light or sunlight. To get the recommended daily amount, slice three mushrooms (or one portabella), expose them to sunlight for at least 15 minutes, and enjoy. Eating a little more than one cup of maitake mushrooms achieves the same goal without the need for sun exposure.
Stimulate a Healthier Gut
One way to keep your gut healthy is to stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria in that space with the use of prebiotics, such as mushrooms. Research shows that mushroom polysaccharides, their most abundant carbohydrate, stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria. While many foods break down with stomach acid, the polysaccharides found in mushrooms pass through the stomach unchanged and can reach the colon to encourage bacteria growth there.
Support a Healthy Immune System
Mushrooms contain macronutrients that support a healthy immune system. According to the Mushroom Council, your immune system will benefit from mushrooms whose nutrients include: Selenium, which helps your body make antioxidant enzymes to prevent cell damage. Choose cremini or portabella mushrooms for the most benefit. Vitamin D, which assists with cell growth, boosts immune function, and reduces inflammation. Maitake mushrooms offer an easy way to add vitamin D to your diet. Vitamin B6, which helps your body form red blood cells, proteins, and DNA.
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Exploring Mushroom Extract Supplements
Medicinal mushrooms have been tied to at least 130 different therapeutic applications. Some research suggests that medicinal mushrooms may modulate the immune system and offer cancer-fighting properties. They do this by promoting immune cell activity that targets cancer cells and virus reproduction, as well as suppressing an overactive immune system, which may be useful for allergic diseases and autoimmune conditions. These effects are possibly due to beta-glucans, a type of soluble fiber found in many plants, including mushrooms.
Research has found that a variety of mushroom extracts might play a role in treating diabetes and heart disease. Different mushrooms have cholesterol-, blood pressure-, and blood sugar-lowering qualities, making them a heart-healthy addition to a meal.
Early research suggests some mushrooms may help fight inflammation by targeting proinflammatory proteins and free radicals, but additional, randomized clinical trials are needed.
A small study of long-distance runners found that supplementation with a type of medicinal mushroom called Cordyceps sinensis boosted endurance.
In some research, mushroom extracts were found to help reduce anxiety and depression in people undergoing chemotherapy. Growing evidence suggests mushrooms may play a beneficial role in mood and cognitive health, with studies showing potential improvements in depression and brain function.
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Researchers are also studying whether psilocybin - a mushroom extract that’s used as a psychedelic - can mediate emotions and moods. Some studies also suggest that psilocybin may exhibit benefits of analgesics, which can relieve or prevent pain in conditions like cluster headaches.
Mushrooms and Weight Loss: Examining the Evidence
Obesity is defined as excessive accumulation of fat in adipose tissue; a consequence of imbalance involving intake, energy expenditure, and physical activity patterns. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers obesity as one of the most obvious and neglected public health problems that threaten the present days. Besides being considered as a chronic disease, obesity is an important risk factor to no communicable chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, apnea, and osteoarthritis. Obesity is increasingly considered a priority for human health and its treatment is essential due to its devastating effect on health as well as problems related to comorbidities.
Given the rising rates of obesity and the need for alternative therapies, the potential of mushrooms in weight management has garnered attention. Mushrooms have been used as foodstuff and folk medicine for thousands of years because of their nutritional and medical properties.
Preclinical Studies on Mushrooms and Obesity
Numerous preclinical studies have explored the anti-obesity effects of edible and medicinal mushrooms. Iñiguez and colleagues reported that supplementation with Agaricus bisporus prevented excessive body weight gain and liver steatosis induced by high-fat-diet feeding. In the same way, dietary Sparassis crispa exhibited anti-obesity effect in rats with diet-induced obesity. On the other hand, oral administration Lentinula edodes for 30 days was not sufficient to reduce body weight in a high-fat-diet feeding group.
A systematic review of preclinical studies of animal models of obesity, which were exposed to edible and medicinal mushrooms orally in comparison with the control, is aimed to determine the efficacy of mushrooms in weight loss. The primary outcome will be body weight loss. And the secondary outcomes include the total amount of food consumed by the animals, analysis of metabolic parameters, inflammatory mediators, mortality for any causes, and any adverse effect reported.
Psilocybin and Obesity: A Specific Investigation
Obesity and addiction share neurobiological and behavioral similarities . An excessive craving for food is perpetuated by the activation of mesolimbic reward circuits, where drugs of abuse also have their effect . This may contribute to an inability to curb eating or a ‘relapse’ in feeding habits, as it becomes difficult to maintain the lowered food intake required to sustain weight loss . Adaptations to neural circuitry mean that in both conditions, behaviors become increasingly compulsive and difficult to correct .
As a serotonin receptor agonist, psilocybin is especially promising for the treatment of obesity. The natural ligand for 5-HT2AR, serotonin, acts on several receptors to have a wide range of biological effects, including modulating food intake. Clinical studies have found that cerebral 5-HT2AR binding is positively correlated to body mass index (BMI) and high pre-surgical 5-HT2AR binding (as well as the change in 5-HT2AR binding) correlates with weight loss after gastric bypass surgery . Serotonin integrates metabolic signals that convert energy status but also has an effect on reward-related feeding . Decreased serotonin signaling is associated with obesity, and modulation of the serotonergic system affects food intake.
However, a study used mouse models of genetic obesity, diet-induced obesity, and binge-eating disorder to examine the effect of psilocybin on body weight and food intake. A single high dose of psilocybin did not have an effect on body weight or food intake in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice or genetic mouse models of obesity. Microdosing also failed to correct obesity in DIO mice and in obese melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R)-deficient mice. No effect was observed on binge-eating behavior.
Considerations and Future Directions
While the existing research provides insights into the potential benefits of mushrooms for weight loss and overall health, it's important to approach the topic with a critical perspective.
Need for Further Research
Solid research on humans that ties mushrooms to specific health benefits is hard to come by. The potential benefits are being studied, and there is some promise, but oftentimes the studies are small, or in animals or cells, and they’re usually short term. So it’s really hard to say anything definitive in terms of long-term safety and efficacy.
Standardization and Dosage
Researchers point out that in order to fully understand the benefits, we need to have standardization in mushroom extracts in the research. Findings vary, larger and longer-term trials are needed to confirm these effects and clarify optimal dosing.
Limitations of Preclinical Studies
Although many experimental studies about the effects of mushrooms on obesity have already been published, there is still no consensus in the literature. It is important to consider the limitations of animal models and the need for human studies to validate these findings.