Check out the March 2018 edition of National Geographic for a wonderful overview of mushrooms and their health benefits. According to author Daniel Stone, mushrooms are poorly understood and medicinal mushrooms even less understood.
During a recent breakfast with Kew’s head of US Development, Alessio deCapua, I learned that Kew is undertaking significant research in the area of fungi. They already boast the largest medicinal garden in the world, so a greater understanding of medicinal fungi will be a great addition to their already robust body of knowledge in this arena.
Below is their summary of the mushrooms highlighted in this article – and the benefits:
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus): Often consumed as a tea, the mushroom has been used to treat digestive disorders and psoriasis. A 1968 novel touted it as a cure for cancer.
Bear’s Head Tooth (Hericium americanum): Some research links this mushroom along with others in the Hericium genus to boosts in cognitive health.
Maitake (Grifola frondosa):A culinary and clinical mushroom, it may help reduce blood sugar and boost immunity.
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum): Known in China as the mushroom of immortality, it has been traditionally used to prolong life and is used to treat allergies and arthritis.
Lions Mane (Hericium erinaceus): By helping the brain promote nerve growth, it could be a supplementary treatment for neurological disorders.
Blue Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus): Studies have shown that oyster varieties help reduce cholesterol and boost levels of vitamins C and E.
Indian Oyster (Pleurotus pulmonarius): This oyster variety is easy to cultivate, contains antioxidants, and may help treat inflammation.
Poplar (Agrocybe aegerita): The Poplar’s antioxidant properties were shown in mice to increase skin collagen and reduce some signs of aging.
Shitake (Lentinula edodes): Injections of an extract of this mushroom may slow the growth of tumors and improve outcomes of chemotherapy.
Yellow Oyster (Pleurotus citrinopileatus): Like other oyster mushrooms in the Pleurotus genus, yellow oysters are a known source of antioxidants.
The day after reading this short article, I was motivated to eat mushrooms in all 3 meals! Enjoy learning more about the medicinal benefits of mushrooms.
