NOTE: Before reading this post which I hope you do, I would like to preface it by advising when working with mushrooms, consult with a practitioner who is knowledgeable and qualified to advise on how to use and maximize mushrooms to unleash their full healing power-recommending the best mushroom quality money can buy.. It is one thing to state mushrooms cure cancer and another to prove it.

NOTE: Because there is a lot of” BS” out there, it is imperative to use only the absolute best gradient mushrooms available.

Aside from being rich in valuable nutrients such as fiber, vitamins B and C, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium and zinc, mushrooms are also excellent sources of antioxidants, including some that are entirely unique to mushrooms. Ergothioneine and glutathione, both of which are found in mushrooms, are recognized as “master antioxidants” that inhibit oxidative stress. Both are considered important anti aging compounds.

As noted in The Guardian, “… [Scientists think [ergothioneine and glutathione] may help to protect the body against the maladies of old age, such as cancer, coronary heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.” Ergothioneine appears to have a very specific role in protecting your DNA from oxidative damage, while glutathione is important for successful detoxification of heavy metals and other contaminants.

In the U.S., half of the nation’s mushroom crop come from Chester County, Pennsylvania, where indoor farms produce more than a million pounds of mushrooms per day. It’s important to eat only organically grown mushrooms, though, as they absorb and concentrate whatever they grow in, for better or worse. Mushrooms are known to concentrate heavy metals, as well as other air and water pollutants that can defeat their medicinal value.

Mushrooms Offer Potent Immune Support

Mushrooms also contain a number of compounds that modulate and strengthen immune function.This is one reason why they’re so beneficial for preventing and treating cancer. Immune-regulating compounds include not only vitamin D but also long-chain polysaccharides, which have a variety of beneficial properties, including:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Hypoglycemic
• Anti-ulcer
• Antitumorigenic
• Immunostimulating

Alpha and beta glucan molecules are among the most important polysaccharides. Beta glucan in particular enhances immunity through a variety of mechanisms, many of which are similar to those of echinacea or astragalus root. For example, it binds to macrophages and other scavenger white blood cells, activating their anti-infection activities. The beta-glucan in mushrooms also plays a role in fat metabolism and may help support healthy cholesterol levels.

Mushrooms also contain a number of other unique nutrients that many do not get enough of in their diet, including B vitamins like riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid, as well as copper, the latter of which is one of the few metallic elements accompanied by amino and fatty acids that are essential to human health.

Since your body can’t synthesize copper, your diet must supply it regularly. Copper deficiency can be a factor in the development of coronary heart disease. Other bioactive and medicinal compounds include terpenoids, steroids, phenols, and all of the essential amino acids (they’re especially good sources of lysine and leucine).

Mushrooms Have Valuable Anticancer Properties

Cordyceps, also called Caterpillar fungus or Tochukasu, has been studied for its antitumor properties. This parasitic mushroom is unique because, in the wild, it grows out of an insect host instead of a plant host. It has long been used within both traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine.

Scientists at the University of Nottingham have been studying cordycepin, one of the active medicinal compounds found in these fungi, as a potential cancer drug.¹⁵ A protein extract from turkey tail mushrooms is also being used to boost cancer patients’ immune function in countries including Japan. Mushrooms may also have direct anticancer effects. For instance:

• In a Japanese animal study, mice suffering from sarcoma were given shiitake mushroom extract. Six of 10 mice had complete tumor regression, and with slightly higher concentrations all 10 mice showed complete tumor regression.
• In another study, ¹⁸ the lentinan in shiitake mushrooms was found to increase the survival rate of cancer patients. Lentinan also has antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and immune-boosting effects
• Extracts from maitake mushrooms, when combined with vitamin C, were shown to reduce the growth of bladder cancer cells by 90 percent, as well as kill them
• In Japan, the top two forms of alternative medicine used by cancer patients are a mushroom called Agaricus subrufescens and shiitake mushroom extract
• Ganoderic acid in reishi mushrooms may be useful in treating lung cancer

Mushrooms Are a Superfood Worth Indulging In

Considering the scientific evidence, it’s easy to understand why mushrooms have been valued for their medicinal properties for centuries. In ancient Egypt, mushrooms were thought to bring long life, and today we know that this may be due to the many beneficial phytochemicals and other compounds they contain.

For example, Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects has the following to say about reishi mushrooms: ” … there are data that support its positive health benefits, including anticancer effects; blood glucose regulation; antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral effects; and protection against liver and gastric injury.”

One dietary analysis found that mushroom consumption was associated with better diet quality and improved nutrition. Other health benefits associated with mushroom consumption include: