Mushrooms are a superfood! Supplementing your diet with mushrooms and mushroom derivatives can not only improve exercise and athletic performance , but also speed up post-workout muscle recovery. For centuries, Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine has used mushrooms to reduce inflammation, support the immune system, brain health, the nervous system and increase energy. Medicinal mushrooms help to support your endurance and stamina by having an anti-fatigue effect. Mushroom’s estrogen suppression properties have made it a popular anti breast cancer food as well as a high recovery food because by giving you a higher testosterone to estrogen ratio, the more likely you are to build muscle and recover faster!
Since a serving of mushrooms has a gram of protein, you can “muscle up” any salad, sauce or vegetable snack throughout the day by adding mushrooms to them. That'll keep your metabolism high and your growth on track. A serving is a half cup serving, which is also 21 calories and no fat.
Mushrooms can be considered to rank higher than most fruits and vegetables in nutrient density due to their vitamin and antioxidant levels. Some substances mushrooms are high in include potassium (a powerful muscle mineral that can also help to lower the risk of heart disease and hypertension) and B vitamins (which help to provide energy by breaking down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates).
Mushrooms provide many of the nutritional attributes of produce, as well as attributes more commonly found in meat, beans or grains but are usually grouped in with vegetables. Not only can mushrooms make you bigger and protect you against diseases and infections, but they’re also full of proteins, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antibiotics, and antioxidants that you can’t always find in vegetables. In addition to being low in calories, cholesterol free, gluten free, and low in sodium, mushrooms also provide important nutrients such as selenium, polysaccharides, and antioxidants that fight prostate and breast cancer.
Some other great benefits of mushrooms are helping the body utilize oxygen more efficiently; providing antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting qualities; helps balance mood and decrease anxiety and depression. So if mushrooms aren't apart of our diet, it may be time to prioritize them!
Tim Cole