Mushrooms: Nutritious, Healthy, And... The Key To Weight Loss?

The health benefits of mushrooms have been known for centuries, but it is only relatively recently that they have been used in Western medicine. Today so-called medicinal mushrooms are commonly added to pharmaceutical and dietary supplements for a wide range of uses, from general tonics to treatment of cancer.

In general terms, mushrooms have anti-bacterial as well as anti-viral properties, and they contain powerful antioxidants. Most mushrooms have a greater nutritional value than people realize and many are effective in defending the body against serious diseases including HIV, hepatitis, polio, smallpox, and of course cancer.

A large amount of scientific research has been carried out over the decades that prove the nutritional and medical effects of mushrooms, but there has not been a lot of research to examine how effective they are for weight loss. Nevertheless the research that has been conducted indicates that they can be extremely useful to overweight and obese people wishing to shed unwanted pounds and improve their health.   

Different Mushroom Species

There are more than 12,000 species of mushroom that have been scientifically named, at least 35 of which are cultivated commercially, with more than half of these being cultivated on an industrial scale. Interestingly, most of them are not only edible, but also possess some sort of medicinal properties. 

In a research paper titled Medicinal Mushrooms: Their therapeutic properties and current medical usage with special emphasis on cancer treatments published by the University of Strathclyde (UK) in 2002, authors Richard Sullivan, John E. Smith and Neil J. Rowan identified the main medicinal mushrooms, not all of which are edible. 

Most are cultivated commercially and not gathered from “the wild.”

• Ganoderma lucidum (also known as reishi or lingzhi mushrooms) that help heal tumors, lower cholesterol and blood sugar, and have been shown to help weight loss. They also inhibit the growth of bacteria in the body. Much tougher than most other mushrooms, G. lucidum are often taken as a supplement, in prepared powdered form.
• Lentinus (Lentinula) edodes (shitake) that strengthen the immune system and are believed to slow down the growth of tumors. They also lower cholesterol, promote cardiovascular health and inhibit viruses. See photograph above. 
• Phellinus linteus (aoshima) has been used in China, Japan and Korea for centuries for many ailments from diarrhea to cancer and severe bleeding. A 2010 study recommends that extract of this medicinal mushroom in dietary supplements is a good alternative treatment for breast cancer.
• Porio cocos (fu ling) is another medicinal mushroom commonly used in China. It has diuretic and sedative effects and is now used in supplement form for a wide range of disorders from bloating and indigestion, to insomnia and hypertension. It has also been found to be effective for cardiac arrhythmias.
• Auricularia auricular is an unusual looking ear-shaped mushroom that has been shown to reduce oxidative stress in the brains of rats. It is thought that it could be used to treat acute brain injuries.
• Hericium erinaceu is another well known edible mushroom that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. A study undertaken in China in 2013 showed that it has far-reaching properties including antioxidants and elements that regulate the immune system. It was also found to be useful for treating diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and it has anti-microbial and wound-healing properties.
• Grifola frondosa (maitake) has been studied as an effective medicine for reducing breast cancer and other tumors. It is also regarded as a gourmet food that can help in reducing weight.
• Flammulina velutipes (enoki) was found by a 2009 Japanese study to have exciting potential as an antioxidant. Researchers also found it to be an excellent natural preservative alternative to ascorbic acid sodium salt to maintain the color of fresh tuna fish.
• Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushrooms) are delicious, nutritious, and quick and easy to cook. They have been found to contain natural statins that are effective in regulating cholesterol.
• Trametes (Coriolus) versicolor that boosts the immune system and has been shown by researchers to be very effective in fighting types of cancer.
• Tremella fuciformis is recognized as a gourmet food and is used in certain skin-care cosmetics. It has also been identified by researchers as a medicinal agent that could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
• Cordyceps sinensis, the caterpillar fungus, which actually isn’t a mushroom at all, and which invades a particular type of caterpillar. The Chinese traditionally cooked it in a duck! It is said to optimize cholesterol levels, and to have promise in treating lung diseases. It is used by athletes to increase stamina, so could also be useful as part of a weight reduction program.

READ Maitake Mushrooms: A Real Culinary Treat

Other important medicinal mushrooms include:

• Lactarius salmonicolor (Russulaceae), a rare mushroom with potent antioxidant effects. Another mushroom that boosts the immune system, it has anti-viral properties and is used to fight cancer.
• Morchella esculenta (morel) that is particularly high in vitamin D, vitamin B and iron; boosts the immune system, and is highly nutritional to boot.
• Agaricus bisporus (the common white button mushroom as well as Portobello mushrooms) that many insist have no medicinal effects at all. If nothing else, they have been proven to help with weight loss.  

What Research Tells Us About Mushrooms And Weight Loss

Mushrooms in general have minimal carbs and calories, but boast valuable nutrients that boost health and improve the body’s immune system. Replacing unhealthy food with mushrooms can be a great way to lose weight. Apart from the fact that mushrooms in general are virtually carb and calorie free, some types including Ganoderma lucidum (see photograph below) reduce resistance to insulin – one of the major problems faced by obese people. They are also an unbelievably healthy food.

A study report published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) in 2013 states that the consumption of mushrooms was “positively associated with higher intake of most nutrients and better diet quality.” The study, undertaken at Louisiana State University’s Agricultural Center between 2001 and 2010, compared diet quality using the Healthy Eating Index – 2005 (HEI). It was the first study of its kind, and involved consumption of the 10 most common mushroom types sold in the USA, including Agaricus bisporus.

Ultimately the study recommended that “consumption of mushrooms should be encouraged” by health professionals, preferably without the addition of salt. 

Ganoderma Lucidum

Also known as lingzhi (in China) or reishi mushrooms (in Japan), Ganoderma lucidum is one of the best-known medicinal mushrooms and has been used to promote longevity and health in Asian countries for centuries. Known to have a myriad of therapeutic properties that are said to help just about anything from helping insomnia to improving cardiac function and boosting the immune system, extract of G. lucidum is used in hundreds of health products.

Although not tested on humans for efficacy of weight loss, a Chinese study published in Nature Communications in June this year (2015) shows that Ganoderma lucidum reduced inflammation, insulin resistance and body weight of mice that were fed a high-fat diet. The study showed that the water extract from the mushrooms that they fed the mice reversed gut dysbiosis induced by the high fat diet, and also reduced obesity-related metabolic endotoxemia, at the same time maintaining intestinal barrier integrity. The study also showed that when mice were given “an unhealthy diet” plus high doses of mushroom extract, they gained much less weight than the mice that weren’t fed mushroom.

Portobello Mushrooms

Another more recent study report published in the FASEB Journal (April 2014) indicates that Portobello mushrooms are also an effective aid to weight loss and can improve weight management, because the properties in the mushrooms regulates blood sugar, particularly in young women.

The study, carried out by the University of Buffalo’s Department of Nutrition Science, indicated that eating Portobello mushrooms had the effect of regulating glucose levels and reducing insulin. In addition to a powerful antioxidant, egotheioneine, the mushrooms were found to contain a phytonutrient element that helps to normalize blood sugar rapidly, in less than half an hour. Together these ingredients were also found to help protect against tissue damage. 

Apart from being fat-free, Portobello mushrooms are full of nutrients including niacin, copper and selenium, as well as protein, fiber and vitamin D and make a good addition to any diet.

READ Shiitake Mushrooms: a Powerful Immune System Booster

White Button Mushrooms

A one-year randomized clinical trial undertaken by researchers at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Weight Management Center in Baltimore, Maryland, found that overweight or obese adults who substituted meat for white button mushrooms lost more weight than those who remained on a “standard diet” containing lean beef.  

Information about the study published in the FASEB journal in April 2013 explained that decreased energy density was the main strategy that controlled obesity. Participants who had eaten about a cup of mushrooms rather than meat every day, consumed less fat and lower energy (kcals) and lost on average 3.6 percent of their starting body weight – amounting to about 7 lbs (3 kg) each.