Eating more mushrooms in your daily diet is associated with a lower risk of cancer, suggests a new study by Penn State Cancer Institute.
And in fact, when we say ‘more’, you don’t need to eat mushrooms for every meal to see the benefits.
Having just 18g of mushrooms a day – around one medium mushroom – can be enough to lower your risk of cancer by 45%.
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Researchers analyzed 17 cancer studies published between 1966 and 2020 to find a link between eating mushrooms and the development of cancer – particularly breast cancer.
They found that mushrooms can indeed help to protect against cancer, likely due to their richness in vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants.
This adds to a growing body of research bigging up the benefits of mushrooms, which have previously been linked to cutting the risk of prostate and cervical cancers, and improving brain function.
Mushrooms are the highest dietary source of ergothioneine, which is a unique and potent antioxidant and cellular protector
said study author Djibril M. Ba.
Replenishing antioxidants in the body may help protect against oxidative stress and lower the risk of cancer.
You don’t have to worry too much about getting the fanciest mushrooms you could find.
While mushrooms like shiitake and oyster have higher amounts of the amino acid ergothioneine than button and portabello mushrooms, the scientists discovered that people who had any variety of mushroom into their diet had a lower risk of cancer.
Overall, these findings provide important evidence for the protective effects of mushrooms against cancer
said study co-author John Richie.
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Future studies are needed to better pinpoint the mechanisms involved and specific cancers that may be impacted.