Contents:
- Medical Video: Top 5 Benefits Of Mushrooms | Lifestyle and Beauty Tips | Health Food
- Nutrient content in mushrooms
- Health benefits of mushrooms
- 1. Mushrooms can strengthen the immune system
- 2. Inhibiting the growth of cancer cells
- 3. Lowers high cholesterol
- 4. Healthy for the heart
- Risks and dangers that may occur due to eating mushrooms
- 1. Poisoning
- 2. Increases the risk of various diseases
- 3. Psychosis
- 4. Allergy
Medical Video: Top 5 Benefits Of Mushrooms | Lifestyle and Beauty Tips | Health Food
Mushrooms have been consumed for a long time, both as food and for making certain drugs, because these plants are indeed rich in nutrients. However, eating mushrooms is not always good for the body, because there are some mushrooms that are toxic. To find out more about the benefits of mushrooms for health, along with the potential risks, see the following review.
Nutrient content in mushrooms
Mushrooms are plants that can live in the wild and are also cultivated. This plant is often coveted as a diet food and easy to process, both as fresh food and canned food. The most commonly consumed mushrooms are white mushrooms, or shitake mushrooms.
According to Health Line, mushrooms are indeed low in calories but rich in protein, fiber, and vitamins, and minerals. In addition, mushrooms also contain antioxidants, selenium and polysaccharides and vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol).
Health benefits of mushrooms
1. Mushrooms can strengthen the immune system
In traditional Chinese medicine, shitake mushrooms are used to make cold medicine. Some studies also show that shitake mushroom extract can fight viruses and increase the body's resistance from infection due to bacteria or fungi.
Then, shitake mushrooms and oyster mushrooms contain beta-glucan, one of the polysaccharides that helps strengthen the immune system. In a study, 52 people who consumed one or two dried mushrooms in one month, their immune function increased, and the risk of inflammation decreased.
2. Inhibiting the growth of cancer cells
Mushrooms are rich in antioxidants that cleanse the body of free radicals. Free radicals in the body have the potential to cause cancer. Beta-glucan in mushrooms is also used as one of the treatments for chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Although it does not kill cancer cells, beta-glucans help boost the immune system so that it inhibits the growth of cancer cells. In addition, beta-glucans also overcome the side effects of nausea due to chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Then, five studies that analyzed 650 gastric cancer patients who used lentinan (one ingredient in mushrooms) during chemotherapy found that lentinan improved their health. Vitamin D in mushrooms is also proven to prevent the growth of cancer cells and folate in fungi also plays an important role in DNA synthesis and repair, thus preventing the formation of cancer cells from DNA mutations.
Unfortunately, the benefits of this fungus may not affect all cancer patients.
3. Lowers high cholesterol
Beta-gukan, eritadenine, and chitosan in mushrooms also help lower cholesterol. A study was conducted on obese people who are on a diet with mushrooms. The results showed that replacing meat with mushrooms for 3 times a week, can increase HDL (good cholesterol) by 8%, reduce triglycerides by 15 percent, and lose weight by 3.6 percent.
4. Healthy for the heart
Fungi, fiber, potassium and vitamin C contribute to maintaining blood pressure and cholesterol, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension.
Risks and dangers that may occur due to eating mushrooms
Not all mushrooms are safe for consumption. There are several types of fungi that contain toxins and can harm the body. Some of the possible adverse effects of the fungus when consumed are as follows.
1. Poisoning
Poisoning can occur when consuming contaminated mushrooms Camplylobacter jejuni, namely bacteria that can appear on fungi. Reported by Live Strong, Al Wagner and Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College, this poisoning causes nausea, diarrhea, or stomach cramps.
Eating wild mushrooms such as mushroom safety and chocolate mushrooms can cause death. A study also found that some wild mushrooms contain heavy metals and dangerous chemicals.
2. Increases the risk of various diseases
Beta-glucans found in mushrooms can indeed prevent various diseases. However, the excess beta-glucans in the body will increase the risk of lupus, asthma, rheumatism, and multiple sclerosis. But until now, research has not concluded how much beta-glucan content can cause these diseases.
Mushrooms that grow in industrial areas, most likely contain arsenic, which in turn can increase cancer.
3. Psychosis
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, one of the fungi, namely psilocybin (magic mushroom) can cause hallucinations, irrational behavior, perceptions of vision or distorted sounds, distance themselves from others and the environment.
Changes in psychosis occur after 20 minutes of consumption and the effect can last up to six hours. In addition, eating this fungus can cause muscle weakness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, and ataxia (loss of control of bodily functions).
4. Allergy
Spores produced by some fungi can cause extreme allergic reactions in certain people. These spores fly into the air in a humid environment. If it is smelled by someone who has allergies, the fungal spores will cause respiratory infections, asthma, or lungs.
For that, to avoid the bad effects of mushrooms, make sure you only eat mushrooms that are sold in a trusted place. Do not arbitrarily consume mushrooms that grow in your home environment, or when you arecamping in the garden or forest. Avoid eating mushrooms that you don't know about their type. Then make sure the mushroom processing is well done (washed and cooked).
