Mushrooms are such a great food. More and more research is supporting the immune and cognitive benefits of incorporating more mushrooms into the diet on a regular basis. A new study from Singapore suggests that eating mushrooms just twice a week could significantly prevent mild cognitive impairment in the elderly (those over 60).
Eating mushrooms twice a week could significantly prevent mild cognitive impairment
The study included 663 Chinese individuals over the age of 60. Their diets and lifestyles were tracked over 6 years from 2011 to 2017.
The results
The results, which have been published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, showed that consuming over two portions of cooked mushrooms a week decreased the risk of mild cognitive impairment by 50 percent, when compared with individuals who ate fewer than one portion a week.
A portion of mushrooms was considered about 150 grams, or half a plate. This would be a little more than half a cup. The mushrooms included in the study were golden, oyster, shiitake, white button mushrooms. Dried and canned mushrooms were both considered in the study. Essentially, it didn’t matter what kind of mushrooms people ate, they all affected cognitive stability favorably.
Even one small portion per week could confer benefits
Even though the study emphasizes two or more portions of mushrooms per week, the study also found that even one small portion per week could confer benefits.
ADDING MUSHROOMS TO YOUR DIET
Including more mushrooms in your diet can be as easy as:
- Adding chopped button mushrooms to a stir-fry
- Adding sauteed mushrooms to rice
- Adding chopped mushrooms to virtually any sauce, soup, or salad
RECIPE
- Take a cutting board full of cremini mushrooms – quarter sized
- Place in oven safe bowl with olive oil, butter, avocado oil, or sesame oil and a splash of vinegar
- Spice according to taste (salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic, onion)
- Bake on 250 degrees for 45 minutes.
Enjoy the deliciousness and memory power of mushrooms!
Razi Berry is the founder and publisher of the journal Naturopathic Doctor News & Review that has been in print since 2005 and the premier consumer-faced website of naturopathic medicine, NaturalPath. She is the host of The Natural Cancer Prevention Summit and The Heart Revolution-Heal, Empower and Follow Your Heart, and the popular 10 week Sugar Free Summer program. From a near death experience as a young girl that healed her failing heart, to later overcoming infertility, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia through naturopathic medicine, Razi has lived the mind/body healing paradigm. Her projects uniquely capture the tradition and philosophy of naturopathy: The healing power of nature, the vital life force in every living thing and the undeniable role that science and mind/body medicine have in creating health and overcoming dis-ease. Follow Razi on Facebook at Razi Berry and join us at Love is Medicine to explore the convergence of love and health.