What Is It So Healthy About Mushrooms

My birth country is a tropical land and after the heavy rains you see mushrooms growing on the wet logs. We kids used to collect it and have lots of fun. Oh! Those good old days! In 1840 the English botanist George Gardner found a group of boys playing with a glowing object. To his surprise he found a species of mushrooms that actually glows in the dark. They are the luminescent mushrooms.
We hear so many things from Boston these days. A group of researchers from Boston University have found that eating mushrooms with vitamin D2 can effectively increase and maintain vitamin D levels. It equals the benefits of taking the vitamin D supplement. Mushrooms are low in calories and are a good source of vitamin B such as riboflavin, niacin, panthothenic acid. They also host minerals such as selenium, copper and potassium. So where this vitamin D does comes from?
Mushrooms consist of natural ergosterols. When they are exposed to ultraviolet light the ergosterols produce vitamin D2. This vitamin is essential for bone health, bone density and muscle strength. It reduces the risk of osteomalacia, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. If all these names sound Greek and Latin, just bear this in mind that vitamin D protects your bones and prevents diseases associated with bones.  
Mushrooms have great health benefits especially the crimini mushrooms. They enhance the immune system, has anti inflammatory properties that fights against type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. All is not good with the mushrooms. You should beware of the magic mushrooms which posses’ psychedelic properties, because they contain a hallucinogenic substance called psilocybin which is illegal to use.

There are exotic mushrooms such as shritake, enoki, maitake and oyster mushrooms and common varieties such as button mushrooms, large brown mushrooms and small brown crimini mushrooms which you can enjoy for its flavor and health benefits.
Take care,
Swarnam
Photo by Grant Cochrane
Photo courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net
Take care,
Swarnam