Super foods and their several health benefits are dominating the health markets today, but our edible mushrooms have been left in the wild. People are quite indecisive about this naturally growing fungii-they either love them or hate them. Mushrooms impart a fifth taste sense called umami, which is savory. It is a fact that mushroom is no short of a super food with it’s miraculous, beneficial powers.

It is a common phenomenon that if a food lacks color, it also, in turn, lacks necessary nutrients. However, mushrooms, which are commonly white, prove quite the contrary.

Listed below are top 5 reasons why we should include mushrooms more regularly in our everyday cooking:

  • Boosts immunity-Selenium present in mushrooms is a powerful anti-oxidant and has been found to improve the body’s immune response to infections, thus aiding to keep any kind of infections at bay. Mushrooms are the best way for vegetarians to obtain the necessary amount of selenium.
  • Helps battle anemia-Mushrooms are a good source of iron and most importantly over 90% of this nutritive iron value can be absorbed by the body. Iron deficiency anemia is extremely common with characteristics like chronic fatigue, headache, reduced neural function, etc. Thus, consuming mushrooms helps prevent these symptoms.
  • For a healthy heart-Mushrooms provide lean proteins as it contains no fat and cholesterol and is low in carbohydrates too. Thus, it will not cause any clogging of arteries which eventually leads to heart disease and heart attack.
  • Bone health-Mushrooms also contain Vitamin D which is a relatively rare vitamin to find in foods and that too, in the bioavailable form. Vitamin D can facilitate the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorous (which are also present in mushrooms) so the combined effects of having all of these nutrients in one powerful food source makes it a food you shouldn’t be neglecting.
  • Helps control body weight-We all know that dietary fiber plays a big role in weight management and mushrooms contain 2 important types of dietary fibers-beta glucans and chitin. These make you feel full and thereby decrease your overall calorie intake by slowing down your appetite.