The unknown benefits of oyster mushrooms

Although oyster mushrooms have been around for years, they have become popular only in recent times due to Chinese medicine. These mushroom types have several significant benefits. Due to their valuable medicinal properties, these mushrooms are called medicinal mushrooms. This article summarizes the unknown benefits of oyster mushrooms:

They clean up the environment

These mushrooms can be used in the process of decreasing pollution levels in our environment through the process called ‘mycorestoration’. These mushrooms can be especially used in cleaning up the following materials from our surroundings:

Wood

Paper

Coffee grounds

Petroleum products

They are able to do this as they secrete enzymes that can break down the bonds found in wood, and our petroleum products. Thus, these mushrooms types could more efficiently to break down toxic chemicals as well. These mushrooms also have the ability to absorb mercury! Lots of research is made about the ability of these mushrooms to clean up our polluted environment.

They can be used as packaging material

• This Old House Magazine’ has stated that oyster mushrooms could make good packaging and insulation materials. Although this is not yet proved on a large scale, this capacity could lead to environmental consciousness among people, thereby resulting in eco-friendly methods of packing and storing.

These mushrooms act as antioxidants

According to a research study conducted by a Penn State food scientist, these mushroom were found to have a distinctive antioxidant called ‘ergothioneine’. This substance is found to have important antioxidant properties that help to protect the cells of the body. It has been found that a three-ounce serving of these mushrooms would contain 13 mg of this antioxidant and this level would not be decreased due to the cooking process. Thus these mushrooms can be used as an effective antioxidant.

Medicinal mushrooms as health enhancer

Medicinal mushrooms have the potential to enhance our health in several ways. Most importantly, they play a significant role in cholesterol and cancer. These mushrooms produce natural compounds called ‘statins’ which have the ability to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol in our bodies by acting on the receptors of the liver and thus excreting the cholesterol from the body. Prospective research studies would reveal how many of these mushrooms need to be consumed in order to experience these effects.

With regards to cancer, some research studies show a potential anti-cancer effect from the sugars that are present in these mushrooms. Oysters contain a sugar called ‘pleuran’, which is a beta-D-glucan and hence are expected to boost the immune system in fighting against cancer. Several research studies are being conducted to examine whether pleuran in these mushrooms could be effectively used in treating cancers.

These are a complete meal

According to research studies, the oysters are found to contain significant levels of the following nutrients:

Zinc

Iron

Potassium

Calcium

Phosphorus

Vitamin C

Folic acid

Niacin

Vitamin B1

Vitamin B2

Thus, they become a complete nutritious meal, which would add up to only 42 calories when one cup of oyster mushrooms is consumed.

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