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Mushrooms
Mushrooms are low in fat and carbohydrate and are a good source of beneficial nutrients. Mushrooms are considered a good to excellent source of some B vitamins and the minerals selenium, potassium and copper. Some studies have also shown a phytonutrient in Mushrooms can help reduce the excess production of estrogen which is concern amongst premenopausal women. Excess estrogen has been associated with breast cancer. The phytonutrient in the mushrooms was shown to block the activity of a protein essential to estrogen production.
A serving of mushrooms helps provide good amounts of the B vitamins Riboflavin, Niacin and Pantothenic Acid. All these vitamins help cleave and metabolize proteins and carbohydrates for energy. There is a particular cycle, called the Krebs cycle that energy sources go through to produce the actual chemicals that charge our system. Because B vitamins are so critical to stages of that process, the vitamins will go to this purpose first possibly leaving us deficient in the B vitamins for other ways they contribute to our wellbeing.
For example, if we do not have enough vitamin B3, Niacin, we can make it from the protein Tryptophan. This would mean that tryptophan is used to make the shortfall in vitamin B3. However Tryptophan is essential for the feel good neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin, if it is being used to top our vitamin B3 – we can become deficient in these other areas and could feel more stressed out and prone to sleeping problems. Our system is designed to run efficiently, nutrients go to the most critical places first such as energy production. Foods like mushrooms keep our nutrient levels at a healthy level and can help keep signs of deficiencies at a distance.
Mushrooms can provide a good amount of B2, Riboflavin. This vitamin is necessary for red blood cell production – which enables us keep oxygenated; it also helps in the building of antibodies so it is important for immunity. Riboflavin is also considered essential for healthy skin, eyes, nails and hair. The other B vitamin mushrooms provide is B5, Pantothenic Acid. These B vitamin is considered essential for metabolism and has an important role in producing adrenal hormones, and in the production of cortisone which is vital in the management of stress.
While mushrooms are a great all round nutritious food, they are especially useful to add to meals to help maintain optimum levels of the essential B vitamins.
Information supplied by Steph Askeur |