With the recent buzz of functional mushrooms, you see incredible testimonies of firsthand experiences with them, but it’s important to consider what the scientific field is saying about them as well – seeing what research and peer review studies are concluding about functional mushrooms. Today, we are going to be doing a complete overview of a paper on functional mushrooms and their bioactive compounds and applications.
Nutritional and Functional Properties of Edible Mushrooms: A Food with Promising Health Claims
Abstract
Over the past 20 years, there has been a growing interest in the health benefits of eating mushrooms. Mushrooms are a great source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, while being low in fat and sodium. Their complex carbohydrates are also known to help strengthen the immune system.
Mushrooms contain bioactive compounds like eritadenine, phenolic compounds, sterols (such as ergosterol), and chitosan, which are believed to help prevent and treat health issues like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. However, many of these studies have been conducted in animal models, so more clinical trials in humans are needed to confirm these effects.
Aside from their health benefits, mushrooms are also popular for their texture, flavor, and versatility in cooking. They can be added to many dishes, enhancing dietary variety without adding many calories.
This review highlights that mushrooms offer more than just basic nutrition. It’s important to continue research to fully understand all the active compounds in mushrooms, how they work, and the safe amounts needed to achieve their health benefits in humans.
Findings
Health problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer are becoming more common worldwide. Research shows that certain nutrients and bioactive compounds in everyday foods can help prevent and treat these conditions. Wild edible mushrooms have been used for centuries, not only for their taste and nutrition but also for their medicinal properties.
The review emphasizes that mushrooms provide more than just basic nutrition. Eating mushrooms as a functional food could be a simple and effective way to help prevent or manage health problems. Expanding our understanding of mushrooms, including identifying their active compounds, understanding how they work, and determining the safe amounts to consume, is crucial for maximizing their health benefits.
Our Thoughts
This is quite an extensive paper looking into the traditional use of functional mushrooms and the modern use. They highlighted the fact that compounds found in functional mushrooms have been shown to help prevent and fight various health complications and diseases like diabetes, cancer, and even obesity. They did urge that more research is needed to further understand how these functional mushrooms work to gain a better understanding.
If you’re interested in more research-based information, check out our other blog posts for more reviews like this one.