Posted on 11/13/2017 10:47:00 AM PST by Red Badger
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. Mushrooms may make our favorite pizza and pasta dishes taste delightfully better, but it turns out they may help keep our brains and hearts younger too. A new study finds that some of our favorite toadstools may have high concentrations of antioxidants with anti-aging benefits.
Researchers at Penn State analyzed the chemical composition of a wide variety of types of mushrooms, finding that many contained high levels of ergothioneine and glutathione, both of which are important antioxidants.
What we found is that, without a doubt, mushrooms are highest dietary source of these two antioxidants taken together, and that some types are really packed with both of them, says lead researcher Robert Beelman in a university news release.
It is widely accepted that the human bodys chemical process of converting food into energy produces free radicals, which can cause damage to cells, protein, and DNA, the researchers explain.
Theres a theory the free radical theory of aging thats been around for a long time that says when we oxidize our food to produce energy theres a number of free radicals that are produced that are side products of that action and many of these are quite toxic, says Beelman.
Eventually, an accumulation of free radicals can lead to chronic disease and illness, including cancer, coronary heart disease, and Alzheimers, he adds. Ergothioneine and glutathione can help control those free radicals.
Beelman and his team found that the quantity of antioxidants in certain species varied, with the porcini species, which is a wild variety, carrying the highest amount of both ergothioneine and glutathione.
This species is really popular in Italy where searching for it has become a national pastime, Beelman says.
Meanwhile, some garden-variety types of mushroom, such as the white button, had fewer antioxidants, although more than most foods.
Interestingly, there was little evidence that cooking mushrooms significantly changed the composition of their antioxidants, particularly as it pertained to ergothioneine.
Future research could look into the ability of ergothioneine and glutathione to help prevent neurodegenerative disease, such as Parkinsons and the aforementioned Alzheimers, Beelman suggests.
Its preliminary, but you can see that countries that have more ergothioneine in their diets, countries like France and Italy, also have lower incidences of neurodegenerative diseases, while people in countries like the United States, which has low amounts of ergothioneine in the diet, have a higher probability of diseases like Parkinsons Disease and Alzheimers, Beelman notes.
Although the relationship between mushroom consumption and neurodegeneration may be one of correlation, instead of causation, it would only take about five button mushrooms a day for Americans to close the gap, he adds.
The studys findings were published last month the journal Food Chemistry.
I know the difference but am very cautious myself.
I agree. Here she is back in the day, 1969...
And here she is today
Hasn't changed a bit!
Gotta be those mushrooms!
“The genus Amanita contains about 600 species of agarics including some of the most toxic known mushrooms...”
Her beard looks better than mine!...................
Still wearing the same dress!....................
I don’t, and I don’t trust other peoples’ judgement that much, either!...................
It’s pretty hard to mistake a Morel. Very unique looking. Morel stems are hollow. The only other shroom that looks like a Morel has a solid stem. Don’t eat those.
My wife is four years younger than me, will not eat a mushroom. I love them. She looks about 15 years younger than me.
I don’t know how you mistake Morels for other mushrooms.
All I know is that the news reports a minimum of 3 deaths each year when they hold this hunt.
There must still be a lot of ignorant hippies looking for these things. ;)
Probably genetic................
Thank you.
For the sake of convenience here it is below...
Cant say my mother majored in mushroom cooking, particularly - but from the time I was in college til she died in her 80s, strangers would take me for her husband. I always looked at least my age - and she never did look hers.
Wow!...........
Yeah, I knew something wasn’t quite right there. Because hippies weren’t known for going around stealing cars. Drug use and other stupidness, yes. But they typically weren’t violent or criminal, other than drug possession and things of that sort.
So, before he was a Mass Murderer he was a petty criminal..................
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