Study Identifies Another Reason to Add Mushrooms to American Diet

AHA Publisher — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 08:00:34 +0000

FLM Harvest via News-Medical Net – The second study published in as many months has identified another reason to add more mushrooms to the recommended American diet. The new research, published in Food & Nutrition Research (February 2021), examined the addition of mushrooms to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Patterns resulting in the increase of several micronutrients including shortfall nutrients while having a minimal to zero impact on overall calories, sodium or saturated fat. Dr. Victor L. Fulgoni III and Dr. Sanjiv Agarwal looked at the nutritional effect of substituting a serving of various foods recommended to be moderated in the diet by the 2015-2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines with an 84-gram serving of mushrooms on nutrient profiles in USDA’s Healthy US-style, Mediterranean-style and Vegetarian Eating Patterns. This is a similar approach that the USDA used for determining its Dietary Guidelines. For the mushroom serving, researchers looked at a composite of white, crimini, and portabella mushrooms at a 1:1:1 ratio; one scenario including UV-light exposed mushrooms, and one scenario including oyster mushrooms. “Simply adding an 84-gram serving, or what would be the equivalent of 5 medium white mushrooms, to USDA Food Patterns increased several shortfall nutrients including potassium as well as other B vitamins and minerals and had minimal to no impact on overall calories, sodium or saturated fat,” said Dr. Fulgoni. Depending on the pattern type and calorie level, key findings include: The addition of a serving (84 g) of mushrooms to the diet resulted in an increase in potassium (8%-12%), copper (16%-26%), selenium (11%-23%), riboflavin (12%-18%), and niacin (11%-26%), but had no impact on calories, carbohydrate, fat or sodium. The addition of a serving (84 g) of oyster mushrooms increased vitamin D (8%-11%) and choline (10%-16%) in USDA Food Patterns. Mushrooms exposed to UV-light to increase vitamin D levels to 200 IU/serving also increased vitamin D by 67%-90% in USDA Food Patterns. A composite of white, crimini, and portabella mushrooms at a 1:1:1 ratio would be expected to add 2.24 mg ergothioneine and 3.53 mg glutathione, while oyster mushrooms would provide 24.0 mg ergothioneine and 12.3 mg glutathione. (Note: the USDA Food Patterns, as well as USDA FoodData Central, do not include analytical data on either of these antioxidants at this time). Results Mirror a Similar Modeling Study Drs. Fulgoni and Agarwal also modeled the addition of mushrooms to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2016 dietary data looking at a composite of white, crimini, and portabella mushrooms at a 1:1:1 ratio; one scenario including UV-light exposed mushrooms, and one scenario including oyster mushrooms for both 9-18 years and 19+ years of age based on an 84g or ½ cup equivalent serving. Similar to the USDA Food Patterns, the NHANES data found the addition of a serving (84 g) of mushrooms to the diet resulted in an increase in dietary fiber (5%-6%), copper (24%-32%), phosphorus (6%), potassium (12%-14%), selenium (13%-14%), zinc (5%-6%), riboflavin (13%-15%), niacin (13%-14%), and choline (5%-6%) in both adolescents and adults; but had no impact on calories, carbohydrate, fat or sodium. Looking specifically at vitamin D, the study shows that when commonly consumed mushrooms are exposed to UV-light to provide 5 mcg vitamin D per serving, vitamin D intake could meet and slightly exceed the recommended daily value (98% – 104%) for both the 9 -18 year and 19+ year groups as well as decrease inadequacy of this shortfall nutrient in the population. In addition, a serving of UV-light exposed commonly consumed mushrooms decreased population inadequacy for vitamin D from 95.3% to 52.8% for age group 9-18 years and from 94.9% to 63.6% for age group 19+ years. Mushrooms Role in the Dietary Guidelines Mushrooms are fungi – a member of the third food kingdom – biologically distinct from plant and animal-derived foods that comprise the USDA food patterns yet have a unique nutrient profile that provides nutrients common to both plant and animal foods. Although classified into food grouping systems by their use as a vegetable, mushrooms’ increasing use in main entrees in plant-based diets is growing, supporting consumers’ efforts to follow food-based dietary guidance recommendations to lower intake of calories, saturated fatty acids, and sodium while increasing intake of under-consumed nutrients including fiber, potassium and vitamin D. When considering mushrooms’ role in diet quality and helping consumers achieve healthy eating patterns, a previous analysis of NHANES 2001-2010 data discovered that mushroom intake was associated with higher intakes of several key nutrients and thus better diet quality. However, intake was low – about 21g per day among mushroom consumers. Because of mushrooms’ culinary versatility and unique nutrient profile, greater recognition of mushrooms in dietary guidance is an opportunity to improve diet quality, particularly to increase consumption of vegetables. “Results from this current research on modeling the nutritional impact of mushrooms on USDA healthy eating patterns are now available for consideration by the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee,” said Mary Jo Feeney, MS, RD, FADA and nutrition research coordinator to the Mushroom Council. Mushrooms: A Nutrient Powerhouse Often grouped with vegetables, mushrooms provide many of the nutrient attributes of produce, as well as attributes more commonly found in meat, beans or grains. According to the USDA’s FoodData Central, one serving (5 medium/90g) of white, raw mushrooms contains 20 calories, 0g fat, 3g protein and is very low in sodium (0mg/<1% recommended daily value). Few foods naturally contain vitamin D, and mushrooms are unique in that they are the only food in the produce aisle that contain vitamin D. Specifically, one serving of raw, UV-exposed, white (90g) and crimini (80g) mushrooms contains 23.6mcg (118% RDA) and 25.52mcg (128% RDA) of vitamin D, respectively. More Research from the Mushroom Council Still to Come With mushrooms growing in awareness and consideration among consumers nationwide, in 2019, the Mushroom Council made a $1.5 million multi-year investment in research to help broaden understanding of the food’s nutritional qualities and overall health benefits. In addition to the analysis of mushrooms for bioactive/ergothioneine for inclusion in the USDA FoodData Central database, additional research projects approved include: Health-promoting effects of including mushrooms as part of a healthy eating pattern. Mushrooms’ relationship with cognitive health in older adults. Mushrooms’ impact on brain health in an animal model. Since 2002, the Council has conducted research that supports greater mushroom demand by discovering nutrient and health benefits of mushrooms. Published results from these projects form the basis for communicating these benefits to consumers and health influencers. To read the original article click here.

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Weight Loss NEWS: Reduce Your Risk of COVID Complications, Improve Digestion and Avoid Premature Death

AHA Publisher — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 07:00:55 +0000

Sara Middleton via NaturalHealth365 – Excessive weight gain among children and adults is a growing concern worldwide, especially in light of a reported correlation between severe COVID-19 cases and obesity. Now, the results of a brand new study from the European Society of Endocrinology suggest that probiotics could be a valuable part of the puzzle when figuring out how to effectively lose weight. What are probiotics? According to Cleveland Clinic, probiotics are live microorganisms, including bacteria and yeast, that help your body (and especially your digestive tract) stay healthy – and it turns out they could also help people lose weight. NEW Study: How Probiotic Supplementation Can Yield BETTER Weight Loss Results In early September 2020, a team of Italian researchers released the results of their investigation into the effects of probiotic supplementation on treating childhood obesity. The researchers specifically wanted to find out whether supplementing a calorie-restricted Mediterranean-style diet with a class of probiotics called Bifidobacteria would yield better improvements in health compared to diet alone. Bifidobacteria are known for preventing infection from other “bad” bacteria, helping to break down carbohydrates in the gut, supporting healthy digestion, and influencing food intake and energy expenditure. After separating 100 obese and insulin-resistant children into an experimental group or control group for 8 weeks, the researchers found that both groups saw improvements in body mass index, blood pressure, insulin resistance, and waist circumference (as well as fewer harmful E. coli bacteria in the gut). But the children who followed the diet AND took probiotics had greater weight loss, insulin sensitivity, and reductions in E. coli compared to the children who followed the diet but were given a placebo. The beneficial effects of these probiotics lasted for weeks after the children stopped taking them, as well. More long-term studies are needed to clarify probiotic supplementation safety and effectiveness, but the results certainly offer some important insights for parents. Of course, one can easily imagine what the results would be for adults, as well. Hopefully, this kind of research will expand to include how taking probiotics can help adults to lose weight. Probiotics Can Help, But Don’t Skimp on the Basics … These 4 Things Can Help You Lose Weight and Keep it Off Depending on your or your loved one’s health goals, taking high-quality probiotic supplements can be an excellent way to enhance their healthy lifestyle. Emphasis on enhance – not replace. In other words, if you choose to take advantage of the health-promoting effects of probiotics, just don’t forget to skip out on the other things you can be doing every day that will help you lose weight and improve your well-being overall. A few simple reminders, that should not be overlooked include: Stay physically active, especially through regular aerobic and strength training exercises. Commit to getting an adequate amount of sleep consistently. People who don’t get the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep may be more likely to overeat and struggle to lose weight, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Make a balanced (organic) diet and sound food choices the rule, not the exception. The body needs the right amount of calories, micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants) and macronutrients (fat, protein, and carbohydrates) to support ideal weight and physical activity. Look for colorful fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and complex carbohydrates while minimizing or eliminating processed foods and alcohol. Monitor your weight. You don’t have to step on the scale every day. But checking your weight periodically can give you the feedback you need. After all, the numbers don’t lie. As for probiotic foods, try adding these items to your next shopping list: Fermented foods like, kimchi and sauerkraut Kombucha Miso soup Water, coconut and dairy-based kefir Natto Kvass Tempeh Lastly, foods like onion, banana, garlic, and leek naturally feed Bifidobacteria already in your gut, so stock up on those healthy foods, too. Sources for this article: ScienceDaily.com, CNNphillippines.com, NIH.gov, Clevelandclinic.org To read the original article click here. For more articles from NaturalHealth365 click here.

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Study Identifies Another Reason to Add Mushrooms to American Diet

Weight Loss NEWS: Reduce Your Risk of COVID Complications, Improve Digestion and Avoid Premature Death