Mushrooms are more than just good food. They help boost your immunity.

I will describe five popular mushroom types and discuss their nutritional value and health benefits.

These five popular mushrooms can be found in many stores, and they are generally safe to eat.

There are over 10,000 different mushroom varieties, but very few have been researched. Below are five that are easy to get and will give you good health benefits.

Mushroom Types:

  1. Lion’s Mane – a large shaggy mushroom usually light in color.
  2. Chaga – A reddish mushroom usually smaller.
  3. Maitake – Looks like a water fountain.
  4. Reishi – Classic large brown mushroom.
  5. Shitake – Smaller mushroom with a brownish top and a lighter shaft.

Let’s look at each of these individually:

Lion’s Mane

This shaggy mushroom is shown to increase Nerve Growth Factor levels (NFG), which guards us against degenerative brain diseases that result in premature memory loss. Lion’s mane has been demonstrated to improve concentration and memory. 

Chaga

Chagas grow in large clusters and are usually broken into pieces or chunks. These mushrooms are said to boost immunity and help grow white blood cells. They are also said to fight inflammation and cancer and help lower blood sugar and cholesterol.

Maitake

Maitake mushrooms are relaxing and relieve mental stress. Some studies showed that Maitake mushrooms help activate and stimulate the immune system’s natural killer (NK) and T cells.

Reishi

Viewed from the top

Reishi is one of the most popular mushrooms that are calming. Reishi contains triterpene, a compound that reduces stress, helps sleep, and improves mental sharpness.  Triterpene also boosts the production of natural killer cells – our immune system’s first line of defense.

Shitake

Shiitake mushrooms are a good source of B vitamins and have antiviral/antibacterial properties. A recent study found that shiitake helps boost immune function, improve cell function and gut immunity, and reduce inflammation.38

What’s next?

There are many types of mushrooms, and they probably all have similar benefits to the ones I described above. Of special interest is their seemingly universal effect of enabling Natural Killer cells (NKs).

NK cells are your first line of defense against invasive diseases and “hunt” for renegade cancer cells in your bloodstream.

Eating mushrooms is easy, and cooking them doesn’t appear to diminish their protective effects. Steamed mushrooms with butter make a good side dish; they also go well in soups and salads.

There is no “right” amount of mushroom consumption. Simply make a regular habit of eating them. Here’s a tasty and fun snack I eat myself: Shitake snack – delicious and crunchy.

Mushroom Supplements:

If you’re not a mushroom eater but want the benefits of consuming them, many mushroom supplements are available:

Just be sure to get them from a reputable source. Here’s the mushroom immunity supplement I take myself. Mushroom Immunity Supplement.

Summary:

Mushrooms are very healthy and help build your immune system. There are many studies verifying this. Mushrooms are widely available. In the spring, you can probably go out and pick some of your own – Morels are my favorite and fun to hunt.

Be careful that you know what you’re getting. Some mushrooms (toadstools) are toxic. If you’re unfamiliar with mushroom varieties, stick with the ones you find in markets.

Finally, here’s a fascinating article about mushrooms.

OMY1

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