Shiitake Mushrooms May Help Boost Immunity
Shiitake Mushrooms May Help Boost Immunity – According to a study conducted by University of Florida researchers, participants who ate cooked shiitake mushrooms every day for 4 weeks increased their immunity levels.
Shiitake mushrooms are edible fungi, native to East Asia. “Shii” is the Japanese word for “tree”, while “take” means mushroom. In Asia, shiitake mushrooms have long been prized not just for cooking but also for their medicinal properties.
For the study, led by Professor Sue Percival and her team, researchers selected 52 healthy adults, aged 21 to 41. Researchers wanted to make sure that before the study participants did not consume anything that would boost their immune system, so laid down some dietary restrictions for them. The restrictions were that they could not be vegetarians or vegans, they could not drink tea or take antioxidant supplements or probiotics before the study. Alcoholic beverages were restricted to no more than 14 per week, and fruit and vegetables servings to no more than 7 servings a day.
Researchers gave dried shiitake mushrooms to the participants, and asked them to cook and eat one, 4-ounce serving of mushrooms each day for 4 weeks. Blood tests done before and after the experiment showed improved functioning in the gamma delta T-cells and reduction in inflammatory proteins.
The study was published April 11, in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
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