The nutritional and health benefits of mushrooms

Abstract

Summary Both wild and cultivated mushrooms have been consumed by humans for their nutritional and medicinal benefits. Nutritionally, mushrooms are low in energy and fat but high in protein, carbohydrate, and dietary fibre. Mushrooms contain a variety of minerals and trace elements such as potassium, and copper and vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, and folates. They have been used as food for centuries because of their unique taste. Apart from being recognised as a nutritious food, certain mushrooms are also an important source of biologically active compounds with potential additional medicinal value in Chinese medicine. Bioactive secondary metabolites found in mushrooms include phenolic compounds, sterols and triterpenes. In vitro and in vivo studies with mushrooms and isolated bioactive constituents have purported many pharmacological effects such as anti‐tumour, antioxidant, antiviral, hypocholesterolemic and hypoglycaemic effects. Consumption of mushrooms or mushroom products in our daily diet may provide health benefits.

Exquisite wild mushrooms as a source of dietary fiber: Analysis in electron-beam irradiated samples

“…Consumption of edible mushrooms as part of our daily diet in most cases could easily provide up to 25% of the recommended dietary intake of dietary fiber (Cheung, 2010).…”

“…Most of the carbohydrates in mushrooms are non-digestible carbohydrates (dietary fiber) including oligosaccharides (e.g., trehalose) and cell wall polysaccharides (e.g. chitin, β-glucans and mannans) (Cheung, 2010;.…”

Edible Mushroom Cultivation for Food Security and Rural Development in China: Bio-Innovation, Technological Dissemination and Marketing

“…For example, The Pharaohs prized mushrooms as a delicacy food [7], and valuable resources for medicines as well [8]. Mushrooms contain a large array of nutrients and other natural phytochemicals that have wide ranges of nutritional and health benefits [9]. Their medicinal values include wound-healing, immunity-enhancement, and tumor-retarding effects [10,11].…”

An Investigation on the Nutritional Composition of Pleurotus Platypus and Pleurotus Eous Cultivated on Different Agricultural Substrates.

“…Some mushrooms are reputed to possess antiallergic, anti-cholesterol, anti-tumour and anti-cancer properties. Mushrooms are high I protein, carbohydrate and dietery fibre but low in energy and fat content 15 . Nutritional analysis of P.citrinopileatus showed 22.10% of protein while the fat was 1.32% and fibre 20.78% 16 .…”