Mushrooms, unlike other white-coloured food items like rice, bread or pasta, are filled with nutrients and antioxidants. Whether one eats it in the form of spinach salad or adds it as a topping to other recipes, mushrooms can be part of one's healthy diet. They are filled with minerals like copper, iron, phosphorus, selenium and iron, which are rarely found in plant-derived foods.

Want to know more about the health benefits of mushrooms? Read along!

Individuals can enjoy multiple interesting textures and flavours like meaty portobellos, dense, delicate chanterelles and earthy hen-of-the-woods. Here's how mushrooms are beneficial for one's health.

1. Boosts Immunity

Mushroom’s anti-inflammatory effect greatly impacts and improves the efficiency of one’s immune system. According to research, mushrooms help stimulate macrophages in one's system. This enhances one's ability to fight any foreign substances in the body and makes one less prone to serious illnesses.

2. Protects the Brain as One Ages

According to a study, foods rich in polyphenols like mushrooms, cocoa, red wine, and coffee can protect against cognitive decline in adults. Apart from that, antioxidants like glutathione and ergothioneine present in mushrooms can prevent Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

3. Helps to Uplift the Mood

According to a study, individuals who regularly consume mushrooms had lower chances of developing depression. This can be due to the presence of ergothioneine in mushrooms, which helps reduce the risk of oxidative stress. Lower oxidative stress means lower chances of developing depression, say the authors of the study.

4. Good Source of Vitamin D

Mushrooms are a plant-based food source of Vitamin D. When mushrooms are grown, they are exposed to ultraviolet radiation either from a UV lamp or sunlight. By doing so, mushrooms increase their vitamin D concentration. One can even do it in their homes by exposing mushrooms to sunlight for 15-120 minutes and increasing levels of vitamin D2.

5. Support Gut Health

Maintaining a healthy gut is important since it helps maintain one's immune defences, communicate with one's brain through hormones and nerves, and digest food. Mushrooms contain beta-glucan compounds, which act as prebiotics and fuel the growth of gut bacteria. It also promotes a healthy gut environment.

6. Strengthens the Bones

Consuming vitamin D on a daily basis has proven to strengthen the bones. Mushrooms which are grown under UV light or sunlight have a UVB label on them. These UVB labelled mushrooms convert a compound known as ergosterol into vitamin D directly. Therefore, the consumption of a small amount of these UVB labelled mushrooms can fulfil one’s daily intake of vitamin D.

7. Good for Heart Health

One whole mushroom might provide a substantial amount of important mineral potassium, says the USDA. Potassium helps in maintaining a healthy heart by controlling blood pressure. It counteracts the effects of sodium and improves blood vessel function. Along with that, increased potassium intake encourages the excretion of sodium in one’s urine. Another benefit of eating mushrooms is that it might also improve triglyceride levels and cholesterol and reduce inflammation.

Mushrooms also contribute plant compounds and nutrients that might prevent cells from sticking to blood vessel walls and stop the formation of plaque buildup.

8. Reduces Signs of Ageing

Mushrooms might also help in maintaining a young look. This white-coloured vegetable has a high concentration of two antioxidants, glutathione and ergothioneine. According to a study, these two antioxidants protect the body from physiological stress, which causes signs of ageing.

Although there are numerous nutritional benefits of mushrooms, there are also a few side effects associated with them. Consumption of mushrooms to a certain amount is safe, but over-consumption can bring health hazards.

• Consumption of too many mushrooms might lead to stomach upset and diarrhoea. It might also cause nausea due to the presence of a chemical named psilocybin in it.
• Eating too many mushrooms can also make one feel bloated and cause gas.
• For some people, the consumption of mushrooms might also cause allergic reactions.
• Mushrooms can lift the mood of people. However, for some individuals, it might cause mental disorders, and people might experience panic attacks and depression after consuming it.
• Mushrooms can also cause a feeling of hunger and increased appetite among some individuals.

• Many types of mushrooms, such as button mushrooms and chanterelles, might look like edible mushrooms, but they are highly toxic and can even cause death if consumed.
• Individuals who experience any kind of allergic reaction should avoid consuming mushrooms.
• Even though no reports have been found yet, it would be safe for pregnant and lactating mothers to avoid mushrooms.
• Magic mushrooms or psilocybin can cause delusional or irrational behaviour or hallucinations, and other mental disorders. This mushroom should be avoided at all costs.

That is all for the health benefits of mushrooms. Although they come with a package of health benefits, they would be safe if it is consumed in moderate amounts. Mushrooms can be a great source of vitamin D and can act as a good substitute for meat.