The therapeutic potential of mushroom

Mushrooms have been consumed by humans since ancient times. About 130 therapeutic properties are attributed to them, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial properties.

China was the first country to cultivate mushrooms, and currently has the largest total production of edible fungi. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 in Mexican, Greek, Chinese, Roman and Egyptian societies. Fungi produce various 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 which determine their 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: polysaccharides like β-glucans, micronutrients, antioxidants like glycoproteins, triterpenoids, flavonoids, ergosterols, etc. They may help establish 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐧𝐬.

Cordyceps sinensis is a commonly used 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 for maintaining lung, kidney, and adrenal function. It contains cordycepin which improves 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞. It also possesses 𝐡𝐲𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐲𝐩𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐲𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 that can prevent disease and 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡. Agaricus subgrufescens is another species cultivated in the United States that is sued as 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫, diabetes, hepatitis, and arteriosclerosis.

Besides being delicious, edible mushrooms are natural, healthy food sources possessing both 𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬.