Cultures around the world have eaten or used mushrooms medicinally for centuries, dating all the way back to ancient Egypt. Here are some of the benefits of mushrooms, and why we use them in many of our formulas.
IMMUNITY BOOSTERS
Mushrooms contain Lentinan, and Beta-glucan is a sugar found in the cells of fungi. Both help support a healthy immune system. Mushrooms also contain a compound called selenium . Its presence helps to strengthen your immune system and enhance the protection of body cells and tissue. It also works as an antioxidant to remove poisons from vital organs.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES
Mushrooms contain a powerful antioxidant called Ergothioneine which helps lower inflammation throughout the body. Reishi mushrooms, in particular, are known to have significant anti-inflammatory effects among their many other health benefits.
VITAMIN D
Mushrooms are an excellent source of vitamin D, as well as A, B and C vitamins. Vitamin D, sometimes referred to as the “sunshine vitamin”, is critical for bone structure development. The main source of vitamin D is exposure to sunlight. People who work indoors and those who live in climates where sunny days are limited may need to supplement vitamin D in their diet.
A NATURAL ANTIBIOTIC
Scientists have discovered that compounds in mushrooms not only improve your resistance to infection, and strengthen your immune system, they also help speed up the healing process of ulcers.
HEART HEALTH
Mushrooms are very low in carbohydrates. They contain no cholesterol while their high protein content helps the body to consume cholesterol. They also help remove plaque accumulations from the walls of blood vessels. Consumption of mushrooms assists to redress an excess of LDL (bad) cholesterol over HDL (good) cholesterol to reduce risks of heart disease.
A GOOD SOURCE OF IRON
Mushrooms offer a natural, and very effective source of iron. If we are lacking iron in our blood, we can become anemic. Anemia can lead to exhaustion, and digestive problems. The body absorbs almost all of the iron value it extracts from mushrooms. This encourages red blood cells to grow and significantly lowers the risks of anemia.
***These are just the highlights of what this funky fungi has to offer. In addition to enjoying the benefits of mushrooms in many of our formulas, we hope this encourages you to make them a regular addition to you diet. Always make sure they are edible, not poisonous, from a reliable source.