Many foods have been touted as being beneficial in the treatment or prevention of a variety of maladies, and recent research suggests mushrooms are among them.
Many foods have been touted as being beneficial in the treatment or prevention of a variety of maladies, and recent research suggests mushrooms are among them.
Their particular proposed superpower is the ability to combat aging and a number of the diseases that come with it.
Researchers at Penn State tested various species and found they contained significant quantities of two very important antioxidants, ergothioneine and glutathione.
Antioxidants at large are said to help the body recover from oxidative stress, which is a byproduct of the process that transforms food into energy.
"There's a theory -- the free radical theory of aging…that says when we oxidize our food to produce energy there's a number of free radicals that are produced…and many of these are quite toxic," Robert Beelman, one of the researchers, further explained. "The body has mechanisms to control most of them, including ergothioneine and glutathione, but eventually enough accrue to cause damage, which has been associated with many of the diseases of aging, like cancer, coronary heart disease and Alzheimer's."
Notably, the verdict is still out on whether bolstering the body's supply of the two antioxidants can stave off such health problems.
Those willing to give antioxidant-rich mushrooms a try anyway should know that the porcini variety contained the highest quantities, with more common sorts like white button landing lower on the scale.
Many foods have been touted as being beneficial in the treatment or prevention of a variety of maladies, and recent research suggests mushrooms are among them.
Their particular proposed superpower is the ability to combat aging and a number of the diseases that come with it.
Researchers at Penn State tested various species and found they contained significant quantities of two very important antioxidants, ergothioneine and glutathione.
Antioxidants at large are said to help the body recover from oxidative stress, which is a byproduct of the process that transforms food into energy.
"There's a theory -- the free radical theory of aging…that says when we oxidize our food to produce energy there's a number of free radicals that are produced…and many of these are quite toxic," Robert Beelman, one of the researchers, further explained. "The body has mechanisms to control most of them, including ergothioneine and glutathione, but eventually enough accrue to cause damage, which has been associated with many of the diseases of aging, like cancer, coronary heart disease and Alzheimer's."
Notably, the verdict is still out on whether bolstering the body's supply of the two antioxidants can stave off such health problems.
Those willing to give antioxidant-rich mushrooms a try anyway should know that the porcini variety contained the highest quantities, with more common sorts like white button landing lower on the scale.
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