Friday, September 09, 2005

There's A Fungus Among Us

Sorry, I don't have the link to this. I think I was on the Netscape browser homepage. Anyway, it's good to see something that is so delicious be beneficial, as well.

Study: Mushrooms Source for Anti-Cancer Vitamin

Mushrooms are the best-known source for an antioxidant thought to protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease, according to a study by researchers at Penn State University.

White button mushrooms, the type most commonly consumed in the U.S., have about four times more of the antioxidant ergothioneine than chicken liver, which was previously considered the best source for the vitamin, according to the study to be presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society in Washington.

"This is another good reason to eat mushrooms," said Joy Dubost, the Penn State researcher who led the study. "It's a good antioxidant to have in your diet."

Ergothioneine helps the body eliminate so-called free radicals, which are chemicals that can start chain reactions harmful to a body's cells, Dubost said.

White button mushrooms have about 12 times more ergothioneine than wheat germ, also a good source of the nutrient, the study said. Exotic mushrooms such as shiitake, oyster and maitake mushrooms have about 40 times more of the antioxidant than wheat germ, the study said.

A 3-ounce serving of button mushrooms, about the amount that would be served on a hamburger, has as much as 5 milligrams of ergothioneine, the study said.

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