Health benefits of edible mushroom

Mushroom is a fungus, but that has not deterred health-conscious people from adding it to their meals. Almost 100,000 tons of mushrooms are consumed worldwide in a year. Mushrooms bring a savoury flavour to meals without adding much fat, calories or sodium. These fungi provide a wealth of macro and micronutrients, particularly B vitamins, selenium, zinc, and copper. Researchers continue to uncover how mushrooms can ward off chronic disease and improve our everyday health. The antioxidant content in mushrooms may help prevent lung, prostate, breast, and other types of cancer. The dietary fibre in mushrooms may help manage a number of health conditions, including Type-2 diabetes. The fibre, potassium, and vitamin C in mushrooms may contribute to cardiovascular health, too.

Around 50 per cent of edible mushrooms are said to be functional food since they have a number of health advantages other than basic nutrition. However, it is unfortunate that most of us in Bangladesh have not yet grown the habit of consuming this super food on regular occasions. There are still some taboos and cultural barriers regarding eating mushroom. There are some people who still believe that they are poisonous and can cause harm to us. We must remember that all the mushrooms produced in farms are edible. They are full of nutrients and we should make everyone aware of their health benefits.

Shahjahan Sirazi,

Malibagh, Dhaka,

mshaju001@gmail.com