5 good reasons to eat mushrooms after 50 years
Preventing prostate cancer
This is a Japanese study published in 2019 that says: after age 50, men who eat mushrooms at least three times a week have a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer by about 17%. The exact reasons for this are not known: the researchers speculate that a specific antioxidant (ergothionein, present in most fungi and especially in shitakees) could combat the oxidative stress that is known to be involved in the development of certain cancers.
In any case, scientists recommend eating about 240 grams of mushrooms per week to prevent this disease, which causes nearly 8,000 deaths per year.
Replenish with iron
Fungi are an interesting source of iron, but women tend to lack this vital mineral, especially during the menopause, when irregular periods and vaginal bleeding occur.
Mushrooms (and especially those in the forests. such as chanterelles) contain 3.05 mg of iron per 100 grams maximum: while this figure may seem unimpressive. it should be noted that the bolets, chanterelles. trumpets of death… do not contain phytates. These molecules, which are found in many plants. limit the assimilation of iron by the human body. As a result, iron from mushrooms is easily absorbed by the body.
A little tip: when mushrooms are sprinkled with lemon juice (rich in vitamin C). iron is even better assimilated. Let’s have the raw mushroom salads with its slightly acidic vinaigrette!
Maintaining muscles
We know that with menopause (and its cocktail of hormonal changes…), muscle mass can decrease with, as main consequences, a feeling of physical weakness and weight gain. According to the Agency for Research and Information on Fruits and Vegetables (Aprifel). “the amount of protein (2.62 g per 100 g) of the raw mushroom is greater than the average amount present in raw vegetables (1.87 g per 100 g)“. Fungi are therefore ideal allies to get through the menopause; they are also extremely interesting for women who follow a vegetarian or vegan/vegan diet.
Protecting against Alzheimer’s
Older people who eat mushrooms regularly are likely to be less likely than others to develop Alzheimer’s disease, according to a 2019 study in Singapore. According to the researchers, after 60 years, it would be enough to enjoy 300 g of mushrooms per week – in salads, pan. wok, gratin… – to protect against cognitive decline, the first stage of this neurodegenerative pathology. Several compounds are believed to be involved, including erinacins and hericenones, molecules that play a role in the growth,. proliferation and survival of certain populations of neurons.
Fighting the diseases of winter
All mushrooms are rich in copper: on average, a 100 g raw serving (equivalent to a small bowl of cooked mushrooms) covers 35% of the recommended daily allowance. According to the health authorities, the mushroom is actually the vegetable that contains the most copper!
Now, copper is a mineral that has anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties: this trace element that supports the immune system is often used in the composition of food supplements intended to prevent the minor ailments of winter – the common cold. the flu, sinusitis, bronchitis…
