Posted on 01/02/2022 1:30:56 PM PST by nickcarraway
The antioxidants in mushrooms likely help to prevent against various mental illnesses.
Mushrooms could reduce the risk of depression substantially, a study suggests.
People who eat around 5 g per day of mushrooms, on average, have a 31 percent lower risk of developing depression symptoms.
→ Access these member-only articles by joining PsyBlog:
The Personality Trait Linked To Looking Younger What Modern Life Is Doing To Our Brain Health A portion of mushrooms is around 80 g, suggesting that eating them once a week is all that is required to gain the benefit.
The researchers found no additional benefit to depression in eating more than a moderate amount of mushrooms.
Dr Djibril Ba, the study’s first author, said:
“Mushrooms are the highest dietary source of the amino acid ergothioneine — an anti-inflammatory which cannot be synthesized by humans.
Having high levels of this may lower the risk of oxidative stress, which could also reduce the symptoms of depression.”
Other studies have shown that antioxidants help to prevent mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
The study included over 24,000 people in the U.S. whose diet and mental health was tracked over more than a decade.
The study did not differentiate between the benefits of different types of mushrooms.
However, white button mushrooms, one of the most common types eaten in the U.S., have previously been linked to lower levels of anxiety.
Professor Joshua Muscat, study co-author, said:
“The study adds to the growing list of possible health benefits of eating mushrooms.”
The humble mushroom, now known as a ‘superfood’, has already been linked to weight loss and lowering the risk of both cancer and premature death.
Mushrooms halve risk of memory loss Another recent study found that two portions of mushrooms a week halve the risk of memory loss (Feng et al., 2019).
Mild cognitive impairment, as it is known, is frequently a precursor to dementia.
It involves forgetfulness, along with problems with language and attention.
Older people eating around half a plate of mushrooms per week, though, were at half the risk of developing the condition.
Even one small portion of mushrooms a week may be enough to have a meaningful effect.
About the author Psychologist, Jeremy Dean, PhD, is the founder and author of PsyBlog. He holds a doctorate in psychology from University College London and two other advanced degrees in psychology.
He has been writing about scientific research on PsyBlog since 2004. He is also the author of the book “Making Habits, Breaking Habits (Da Capo, 2013) and several ebooks:
Many folks I have personally turned on to D3 supplements and/or daily sunshine in the more southern parts can attest that Vitamin D/Sunshine is THE effective treatment for Depression i.e. clinical depression, winter blues, Manic Depression, etc. I can’t say about post-partum depression because I never knew anyone subject to it. In America the supplements are best except in Hawaii and South Florida where the sun is at an effective angle all year round and one mostly does not have to cover up due to cold weather. In South Việt Nam bare arms outside will do just fine all year round. 20 years ago depression was a women’s malady because women dressed to avoid sunshine on their skin. Now the younger more affluent generation is adopting western fashions with short skirts and bare arms and doesn’t know depression. Thew same all goes for flu and colds.
Jager schnitzel just got on the menu.
No, you are not. I think of it every single time I buy mushrooms. Since they’re store bought and not gathered from the forest, I go ahead and enjoy, but I still remember it. I did not remember the name of the movie, but I remember the mushroom dining scene.
Love mushrooms. White mushrooms. Great in omelets with avocado, and tomato.
I’ve had all the other kinds too. One day in Big Sur, a “shroom. “ Lovely day, but one was enough. Lawyer friend of mine took a case to the US Supreme Court to allow “The Church of the Awakening” to use them as a sacrament. Supremes complimented him on the clarity of his writing but ruled against him. Long time ago.
Indeed size matters. Not just for mushroom, but for the person eating them. I’m 5’2, weigh 117, do NOT need a “recommended dose” of anything.
Eat fungi. Be a fun guy.
Sponsored by the “We’re going broke mushroom growers” of the world.
Oh, Gus the Gardeners gone now
And you went with him, too
The fungus here
Reminds me of
The fun Gus is having with you
-Benny Hill (My Garden of Love)
I think i have some benny hill dvds from along time ago.
Pretty sure they would get a professor fired they showed these in some kind of media class
Thank goodness.
I was starting to think I’d hallucinated the whole movie.
:D
Ping
Most of the folks I knew who did ‘shrooms back in the 60s are dead or mentally incapacitated.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.