Did you know ? by Glenn Cardwell APD Accredited Practicing Dietitian Australian Mushroom Growers Association

Mushroom science is moving at a rapid rate. Researchers right now are checking the common mushroom for its ability to stop breast and prostate cancer, and to enhance the immune system. In Australia, the University of Western Sydney has embarked on a three year study of the mushroom to determine:

• The levels of vitamin B12 and vitamin D
• The level of the antioxidant ergothioneine
• Its effect on immune function
• Its effect on blood glucose and blood cholesterol

From mushroom research this century we have learned:

1. Mushrooms are one of the highest antioxidant foods in the world.
2. Mushrooms are very filling despite being low in kilojoules, making them a great 'weight control' food.
3. Mushrooms provide more than a quarter of your daily needs of the essential vitamins riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and biotin.
4. Mushrooms are a good source of the essential minerals selenium and copper.
5. Mushrooms are a wonderful source of fibre, to keep you healthy on the insides.

On this website you will learn about the health benefits of the mushroom, a food that is neither a plant or an animal, and that may partly explain why they seem to offer benefits beyond those found with vegetables.