Tag: nutritional

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Shiitake Mushroom Nutrition

Shiitake Mushroom Nutrition
By Nicole Wolverton

Shiitake mushrooms, a variety of Japanese mushroom, are available throughout the United States in grocery stores and specialty shops. The Mushroom Growers’ Newsletter reports that shiitake mushrooms are the second most produced mushroom worldwide, enjoying a growing popularity. This mushroom finds use in a variety of recipes, known for their rich, smoky flavor.

Calories

A 1-cup serving of shiitake mushrooms contains 81.2 calories. This represents 4 percent of the calories you may include in your meal plan each day, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. While you can eat these mushrooms on their own, it’s more common for them to be a part of a dish.

Macronutrients

The majority of calories in shiitake mushrooms come from carbohydrates — a 1-cup serving contains 20.9g. The carbohydrates in your diet primarily serve as energy, after your body converts them to glucose. This portion of shiitake mushrooms also provides you with 2.3g of protein and 0.3g of fat.
Vitamins

Shiitake mushrooms serve as a rich source of B vitamins. One cup contains 52.1 percent of the daily recommended value of vitamin B-5, also known as pantothenic acid. This vitamin may play a role in treating acne, alcoholism, asthma, autism, heart failure, depression and convulsions, among other conditions. A 1-cup serving of shiitake mushrooms also provides 24.5 percent of the vitamin B-2 you need each day, 10.9 percent of vitamin B-3 and 11.5 percent of vitamin B-6.
Minerals

Selenium, an essential mineral for your body’s function, is found in abundance in shiitake mushrooms. A 1-cup serving has 51.4 percent of the selenium you need daily. This mineral helps your body manufacture proteins that prevent cell damage, and it may decrease your risk of developing some types of cancer. One cup of shiitake mushrooms also contains 3.5 percent of the daily recommended value of iron, a mineral your body uses to make blood cells.

Benefits

Research published in the November 2010 issue of “The Journal of Nutrition” notes that shiitake mushrooms reduced arthritis pain in mice; human studies are needed to determine if shiitake mushrooms will benefit humans in the same way. The American Cancer Society also notes that shiitake mushrooms may influence the immune system, which may prevent cancer and AIDS from developing or getting worse. These mushrooms may also lower your cholesterol. Research is needed to confirm these claims.

References

CalorieLab: Mushrooms, Shiitake, Cooked, Without Salt
The Mushroom Growers’ Newsletter: A Small-Scale Agriculture Alternative: Shiitake Mushrooms
MedlinePlus: Carbohydrates
MedlinePlus: Pantothenic Acid
MedlinePlus: Selenium in Diet
MedlinePlus: Iron in Diet

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The Power Within the Mushroom

Improving Well-Being with Lion’s Mane Mushrooms

Lion’s Mane Mushrooms are fantastic immune system boosters. Those who take Lion’s Mane claim that within a week they are able to notice a difference in memory after building up within the immune system. How people take Lion’s Mane varies. People may find that a regular intake of juices with the mushrooms can significantly influence the immune system. Some individuals with arthritis even notice a difference in their joint movement after taking Lion’s Mane for a while. This could be because the body is able to better fight any toxicity within the body and protect the joints from inflammation and infection.

Lion’s Mane and the Mind

Lion’s Mane is certainly gaining more attention than what it used to because of its ability to ward off dementia. Perhaps this is why it has been used as a treatment for some of the world’s most difficult diseases for centuries. At one time, Chinese tradition only allowed Lion’s Mane to be eaten by Emperors. This shows how the effect of the mushroom was already known by Chinese doctors. They used Lion’s Mane to help relieve issues involving the digestive tract such as duodenal ulcers and stomach ulcers. The mushrooms were also given to those with cancers of the esophagus, the duodenum, and of the stomach.

These effects are due to the beta glucan polysaccharides, or complex sugars, along with fatty acids and polypeptides. All of these have a lot to do with the curative effects. Also contained within Lion’s Mane is oleanolic acids and adenosine. These stimulate the modulation of the immune system and the induction of interferons. These processes boost the number of white blood cells to help in healing processes. The healing of ulcers is accelerated, gastric mucus barrier function is enhanced, and anti-inflammatory effects are exhibited.

One of the most significant effects of Lion’s Mane is that it has a positive effect on dementia. A study conducted by Shizoka University Japan showed that Lion’s Mane stimulates Nerve Growth Factor. A lack of Nerve Growth Factor is what contributes to such conditions as Alzheimer’s Disease. Unfortunately, Nerve Growth Factor is something that diminishes and it can be difficult to replenish because it is too large and significant to pass through the membrane that protects it. The study conducted at Shizoka showed that Lion’s Mane can replenish Nerve Growth Factor, therefore reducing the effects that dementia can have on a person’s life. This significantly improves the quality of life.

This is basically a prevention of the breakdown of healthy neurological function. If there is a breakdown, that breakdown can be stopped and further breakdown prevented. This is not a cure for dementia, but the benefits are significant in slowing down the effects and possibly halting any further damage. To get optimum effects, it is important to add Lion’s Mane to an existing supplement schedule. Do not change the intake of vitamins and minerals. Simply add Lion’s Mane to the routine to reap the benefits of all the things you are doing to improve your health.

Right now, the most conventional method to treat Alzheimer’s Disease is to treat those symptoms that are the result of dying neurons. With Lion’s Mane, the cause is treated. The mushroom actually has an influence on what the cause is. It is not completely understood what leads to the loss of Nerve Growth Factor, but replenishing the Nerve Growth Factor through a natural remedy makes a significant difference.

A person can also add Lion’s Mane to their diet to simply work on preventing dementia. Keeping Nerve Growth Factor fed will help it remain intact as you age. You can also reap the other health benefits that Lion’s Mane has to offer.

Other Health Benefits

Other health benefits that are exhibited by Lion’s Mane include regulating cholesterol levels and blood sugar. These are very important for healthy lifestyles. What is even better is that Lion’s Mane is deemed completely safe. There are no signs of toxicity since the mushroom itself promotes the expulsion of toxins within the body. Scientific research has shown that there are no known side effects, which may have something to do with the fact that Lion’s Mane is completely natural and edible. Throughout recorded history, there have not been any side effects recorded. If there have been any, they have not been significant enough to mention.

It is clear to see that the benefits are many. Lion’s Mane may seem somewhat complicated, but it is that complicity that makes it so effective. It works on bodily processes to ensure they continue to function the way that they’re supposed to. This provides a degree of equilibrium in your life that you need to function properly. You’ll feel better and you’ll even live longer when you take care of yourself. The benefits can’t be denied, so it is ideal to start your intake of Lion’s Mane as soon as you can.

The Power Within the Mushroom
By Omid Jaffari