WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS ABOUT MUSHROOMS' HEALTH BENEFITS

 Antioxidants • Cancer  • Functional Properties • Lipid Control • Nutrient Composition • Vitamin D • Weight Management

For thousands of years, Eastern cultures have revered mushrooms' health benefits. Studies conducted over the past two decades—mostly in Asia—have suggested mushrooms or substances in mushrooms may aid the immune system. Traditionally, most of this science has focused on shiitake and maitake mushrooms.

See below for a list of existing research on the nutrients in mushrooms and how they may help in disease prevention. This research is just the beginning of what is sure to be an exciting journey into a fuller understanding of mushrooms and your health!

Antioxidants:

• Elmastas, M., et al. (2007). Determination of antioxidant activity and antioxidant compounds in wild edible mushrooms. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 20, 337-45.
• Dubost, N. J., et al. (2007). Quantification of polyphenols and ergothioneine in cultivated mushrooms and correlation to total antioxidant capacity. Food Chemistry, 1-9.
• Dubost, N. J., et al. (2006). Identification and quantification of ergothioneine in cultivated mushrooms by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy.International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 8, 215-22.
• Lakshmi, B., et al. (2004). Evaluation of antioxidant activity of selected Indian mushrooms. Pharmaceutical Biology, 42(3), 179-85.
• Pellegrini, N., et al. (2003). Total antioxidant capacity of plant foods, beverages and oils consumed in Italy assessed by three different in vitro assays.The Journal of Nutrition, 2812-9.
• Miller, H. E., et al. (2000). Antioxidant content of whole grain breakfast cereals, fruits and vegetables. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 19(3), 312S-95S.

Cancer:

• City of Hope Research on Breast and Prostate Cancer: Researchers study mushrooms’ cancer-fighting potential
• Chen, S., et al. (2006, December). Anti-aromatase activity of phytochemicals in white button mushrooms. Cancer Research, 66(24), 12026-34.
• Chen, S., et al. (2005). Chemopreventive properties of mushrooms against breast cancer and prostate cancer. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 7(3), 342-3.
• Stanley, G., et al. (2005). Ganoderma lucidum suppresses angiogenesis through the inhibition of secretion of VEGF and TGF-ß1 from prostate cancer cells. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 330, 46-52.
• Hara, M., et al. (2003). Cruciferous vegetables, mushrooms, and gastrointestinal cancer risks in a multicenter, hospital-based case-control study in Japan. Nutrition and Cancer, 46(2), 138-47.
• Sliva, D., et al. (2003). Biologic activity of spores and dried powder from Ganoderma lucidum for the inhibition of highly invasive human breast and prostate cancer cells. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 9(4), 491-7.
• Smith, J. E., et al. (2002, May). Medicinal mushrooms: Their therapeutic properties and current medical usage with special emphasis on cancer treatments. Cancer Research UK.
• Kodama, N., et al. (2002, June). Can maitake MD-fraction aid cancer patients? Alternative Medicine Review, 7(3), 236-9.
• Wasser, S. P. (2002). Medicinal mushrooms as a source of antitumor and immunomodulating polysaccharides. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 60, 258-74.
• Grube, B. J., et al. (2001). White button mushroom phytochemicals inhibit aromatase activity and breast cancer cell proliferation. The Journal of Nutrition, 3288-93.
• Kidd, P.M., et al. (2000, February). The use of mushroom glucans and proteoglycans in cancer treatment. Alternative Medicine Review, 5(1), 4-27.

Functional Properties:

• Chang, S. T., et al. (2003). Medicinal mushrooms - a prominent source of nutriceuticals for the 21st Century. Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research, 1(4), 257-80.
• Mattila, P. (2000, July/August). Functional properties of edible mushrooms. Nutrition, 16(7-8), 694-6.
• Chang, R. (1996, November). Functional properties of edible mushrooms. Nutrition Reviews, 54(11), S91-S93.

Immunity:

• Ren Z, Guo Z, Meydani SN, Wu D. White button mushroom enhances maturation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and their antigen presenting function in mice The Journal of Nutrition. 2008;138:544-550.
• Wu, D, Pae M, Ren Z, Guo Z, et al. Dietary Supplementation with White Button Mushroom Enhances Natural Killer Cell Activity Journal of Nutrition. 2007;137:1472-1477.  

Lipid Control:

• Bradley, P., et al. (2006, April). Blood lipid responses to consumption of two different very low carbohydrate diets versus a lower fat diet. Experimental Biology, San Francisco, CA. Abstract #109.4.
• Petrisko, Y., et al. (2006, April). Postprandial serum triglyceride responses following four weeks of consuming two different very low carbohydrate diets versus a lower fat diet. Experimental Biology, San Francisco, CA. Abstract #109.5 

Nutrient Composition:

• Feeney, M. J. (2006, September/October). Mushrooms--intake, composition, and research. Nutrition Today, 41(5), 219-26.
• Dikeman, C. L., et al. (2005). Effects of stage of maturity and cooking on the chemical composition of select mushroom varieties. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 1130-8.
• Mattila, P., et al. (2002). Basic composition and amino acid contents of mushrooms cultivated in Finland. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 50, 6419-22.
• Mattila, P., et al. (2001). Contents of vitamins, mineral elements, and some phenolic compounds in cultivated mushrooms. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 49(5), 2343-8.
• Release 19. (n.d.). USDA national nutrient database for standard reference. Retrieved from USDA database: http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl 

Vitamin D:

• Feeney, M. J. (2006, September/October). Mushrooms--intake, composition, and research. Nutrition Today, 41(5), 219-26.
• Dikeman, C. L., et al. (2005). Effects of stage of maturity and cooking on the chemical composition of select mushroom varieties. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 1130-8.
• Mattila, P., et al. (2002). Basic composition and amino acid contents of mushrooms cultivated in Finland. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 50, 6419-22.
• Mattila, P., et al. (2001). Contents of vitamins, mineral elements, and some phenolic compounds in cultivated mushrooms. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 49(5), 2343-8.
• Release 19. (n.d.). USDA national nutrient database for standard reference. Retrieved from USDA database: http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl

Weight Management:

• Cheskin, L.J., et al. (2008, July). Lack of energy compensation over 4 days when white button mushrooms are substituted for beef. Appetite, 51(1), 50-57.
• Kloss, R., et al. (2006, April). Body weight and composition changes after consumption of two different very low carbohydrate diets versus a lower fat diet. Experimental Biology, San Francisco, CA. Abstract #267.8.