Mushrooms are nature's decomposers. They break down dead organic matter and do weird things underground, like shuttling around nutrients to feed their favored plants and acting as a kind of communication network for the forest.
That's interesting but not super relevant for a health article. What's important to know is that mushrooms are very distinct from plants and produce unique compounds as a result.
"Medicinal mushrooms have captured the attention of researchers, health enthusiasts, and medical practitioners because of their taste and remarkable therapeutic potential," notes Epoch Times writer Allison DeMajistre.
"Each mushroom has a unique list of bioactive compounds," she writes.
Mushrooms offer therapeutic effects that can help us combat cancer, boost immunity, increase longevity, and more.
The great thing is that there are many different kinds of mushrooms with a variety of health-promoting benefits.
Some, like the mighty agarikon, have antibacterial, antiviral, and antimicrobial effects that can take on multi-drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis. Others, like lion's mane, appear to boost nerve growth and improve memory. And nearly all of them contain beta-glucans that can improve immune function and help treat insulin resistance, obesity, and more.
The brain-protecting aspect of mushrooms is of particular interest amid the rise in neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's.
"A 2019 study conducted on a six-year follow-up survey on 663 elderly people over the age of 60 published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found that compared with participants who consumed less than one serving (150 grams or 5.3 ounces) of mushrooms a week, participants who consumed more than two servings of mushrooms a week had a 43 percent lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment," writes Anne Lee and Naiwen Hu.
If you typically only eat the common button mushroom, you can start expanding your fungal familiarity by eating some shiitake mushrooms, the second most widely grown mushroom in the world. These savory fungi go well with anything—including a healthy, long life.
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