Eating mushrooms may reduce the risk of cognitive decline
 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas...90312103702.htm

A team from the Department of Psychological Medicine and Department of Biochemistry at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has found that seniors who consume more than two standard portions of mushrooms weekly may have 50 per cent reduced odds of having mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

A portion was defined as three quarters of a cup of cooked mushrooms with an average weight of around 150 grams. Two portions would be equivalent to approximately half a plate. While the portion sizes act as a guideline, it was shown that even one small portion of mushrooms a week may still be beneficial to reduce chances of MCI.

The six-year study, which was conducted from 2011 to 2017, collected data from more than 600 Chinese seniors over the age of 60 living in Singapore. The research was carried out with support from the Life Sciences Institute and the Mind Science Centre at NUS, as well as the Singapore Ministry of Health's National Medical Research Council. The results were published online in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease on 12 March 2019.

Six commonly consumed mushrooms in Singapore were referenced in the study. They were golden, oyster, shiitake and white button mushrooms, as well as dried and canned mushrooms. However, it is likely that other mushrooms not referenced would also have beneficial effects.

The researchers believe the reason for the reduced prevalence of MCI in mushroom eaters may be down to a specific compound found in almost all varieties. "We're very interested in a compound called ergothioneine (ET)," said Dr Irwin Cheah, Senior Research Fellow at the NUS Department of Biochemistry. "ET is a unique antioxidant and anti-inflammatory which humans are unable to synthesise on their own. But it can be obtained from dietary sources, one of the main ones being mushrooms."

An earlier study by the team on elderly Singaporeans revealed that plasma levels of ET in participants with MCI were significantly lower than age-matched healthy individuals. The work, which was published in the journal Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications in 2016, led to the belief that a deficiency in ET may be a risk factor for neurodegeneration, and increasing ET intake through mushroom consumption might possibly promote cognitive health.

Other compounds contained within mushrooms may also be advantageous for decreasing the risk of cognitive decline. Certain hericenones, erinacines, scabronines and dictyophorines may promote the synthesis of nerve growth factors. Bioactive compounds in mushrooms may also protect the brain from neurodegeneration by inhibiting production of beta amyloid and phosphorylated tau, and acetylcholinesterase.

Go mushrooms!!!!

I really liked this study:

1. study was on humans
2. study with 600+ participants
3. time was 6 years

The article explained how they tested for cognitive decline.

Now I need some recipes. I'm going to try a saute in butter with chicken, garlic
and bell pepper, perhaps add half a can of cream of mushroom soup. That's as close to vegetarian as I get.

Mushrooms are delicious and easy to cook. Now I have to figure out how many carbs they have.

Really Really Low!!!!

I usually keep a carton in the frig, and eat one a day, even if they start to shrivel. No cooking necessary. THough if you make that dish, I'll be over for dinner !

4 carbs for a whole cup. They are awesome sauteed in butter then added eggs. They had all kinds of the more difficult to get nutrients.

I've switched (mostly) to weighing my food in grams - the math is easier & it's easy to adjust for different size servings & prep (sliced vs whole vs chopped). So 100g raw mushrooms are 3g total carbs.

Mushrooms sautéed in butter - bliss! :yum:

I eat mushrooms as I know that they are good for you. After reading this I will eat MORE mushrooms and put them in different dishes. I generally just sauté them. Thanks for this great info.

Mushrooms are also linked to a 30% decline in breast cancer.

I didn't think of that, weighing is much more accurate for sliced things.