9 Benefits of Oyster Mushrooms for Body Health, Along with their Nutritional Content

Kapanlagi.com - Mushrooms are one of the foods from the basidiomycota group and belong to the homobasidiomycetes class with the general characteristics of white fruiting bodies. This mushroom is widely consumed by the community and is one of the favorite mushrooms. In fact, oyster mushrooms have many benefits for body health.

In Indonesia, there are many people who have cultivated oyster mushrooms because the method is quite easy. Even the content in oyster mushrooms is very rich, but the calorie content in oyster mushrooms is very low. Oyster mushrooms also contain important nutrients such as zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and vitamin B3.

And what are the benefits of oyster mushrooms for body health? According to various sources, here are 9 benefits of oyster mushrooms for body health that you must know.

1. Oyster Mushroom Content

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Before knowing the benefits of oyster mushrooms, you must first know what content is contained in oyster mushrooms. There are many healthy contents found in oyster mushrooms, and here are some of the contents found in oyster mushrooms:

Low calories
Low fat
Fiber
Protein
Iron
Niacin
Vitamin D
Riboflavin
Potassium
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B
Thiamine
Folic acid
Magnesium
Vitamin C
Pantothenic acid
Amino acids
Antioxidants

Oyster mushrooms are also a high source of antioxidants. These various vitamins, minerals, and nutrients provide many benefits of oyster mushrooms for health when consumed. Therefore, this mushroom is one of the types of mushrooms that is very good when consumed by humans.

2. Improving Immune System

The first benefit of oyster mushrooms is improving the immune system. In order to have a healthy body and be far from diseases, you must improve your immune system. And you can overcome this by using oyster mushrooms.

In a study published in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, it was shown that oyster mushrooms have the potential to enhance the immune system in humans. The active ingredients found in oyster mushrooms can stimulate macrophages to work more actively.

Macrophages are a part of white blood cells that are responsible for fighting viruses, bacteria, and microorganisms in the body. Therefore, by consuming oyster mushrooms, you can effectively improve your immune system.

3. Maintaining Heart Health

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The next benefit of oyster mushrooms is maintaining heart health. Oyster mushrooms contain beta-glucan which can play a significant role in controlling cholesterol levels in the blood and maintaining heart health. In addition, oyster mushrooms also contain potassium which functions to maintain the heart, muscles, and nerves.

The benefits of oyster mushrooms can also lower blood pressure due to the presence of ergosterol, which can enhance the benefits of vitamin D with the help of sunlight. This can cause blood pressure to decrease and stabilize. Therefore, by doing so, your heart health can also be well-maintained.

4. Rich in Antioxidants

Even oyster mushrooms have a very high content of antioxidants, KLovers. Antioxidants are compounds that work to fight various harmful effects caused by free radicals. Actually, everyone's body already produces its own antioxidants. However, the amount produced by the body is not too much, so it still needs intake of antioxidants from daily food.

Interestingly, oyster mushrooms are one of the food sources that contain high ergothioneine, which is an antioxidant that helps prevent inflammation. In a study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food in 2010, it was stated that ergothioneine is beneficial in preventing the formation of plaque in blood vessels that triggers heart disease and atherosclerosis.

5. Lowering Cholesterol and Triglycerides

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Not only the heart, consuming oyster mushrooms can also lower cholesterol and triglycerides, KLovers. A study published in the Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry states that oyster mushrooms have the potential to lower high cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the body.

This is because the antioxidant content increases, which reduces high cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the body. In addition, another study conducted a few years ago also strengthens the studies on oyster mushrooms that can lower cholesterol and triglycerides.

The study mentions that the fiber in oyster mushrooms can lower accumulated triglyceride levels in the liver. Even beta-glucan in oyster mushrooms can absorb cholesterol in the bloodstream.

6. Maintaining Bone and Nerve Health

Bones and nerves are one of the most important parts of the body. Bones should be provided with good nutrition in order to make them stronger and prevent osteoporosis. To maintain the health of your bones and nerves, you can use the benefits of oyster mushrooms. This is because oyster mushrooms contain copper.

Oyster mushrooms also contain pantothenic acid which is good for supporting the performance of the nervous system and helping to produce necessary hormones. So, your bones and nerves will be well-nourished when consuming oyster mushrooms.

7. Overcoming Respiratory Tract Infections

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Respiratory tract infections can be experienced by anyone, even children who have allergies. Usually, these allergies are caused by cold weather, pollen, pollution, and dust. And to overcome this problem, it turns out you can use the benefits of oyster mushrooms.

According to research on children, the benefits of oyster mushrooms can also help relieve upper respiratory tract infections, and this is because oyster mushrooms have anti-allergic effects. However, further evidence is still needed to confirm its accuracy.

8. Preventing Diabetes

Diabetes is indeed one of the dangerous diseases for the body. This disease requires sufferers to focus on choosing food, so that the blood sugar in the body of diabetes patients does not increase. Because if it rises drastically, it will be very dangerous for diabetes patients.

And to overcome this, you can consume oyster mushrooms. This is because the beta-glucan content in oyster mushrooms helps control blood sugar to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Oyster mushrooms also contain vitamin B which supports the performance of red blood cells, the digestive system, and maintains skin health.

9. Reducing Inflammation

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Then another benefit of oyster mushrooms is that they can reduce inflammation in the body. In a study published by the Nutrition Journal, it is stated that the anti-inflammatory properties in oyster mushrooms can effectively alleviate many inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.

Other studies also mention that oyster mushrooms contain a type of amino acid called ergothioneine, which acts as an anti-inflammatory. The beta-glucan and antioxidant content also contribute to helping the body reduce the effects of inflammation, which are associated with triggering various systemic diseases including dementia and diabetes.

10. Improving Brain Health

And the last benefit of oyster mushrooms is that they can improve brain health. This is because oyster mushrooms contain ergothioneine, an amino acid believed to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, which is then associated with the potential to fight various neurodegenerative diseases.

Neurodegenerative is a term for a group of conditions that affect neurons in the human brain, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and dementia. In addition, oyster mushrooms contain various vitamins and minerals to enhance brain function, such as niacin, which plays a role in reducing the risk of cognitive decline in adults.

Even in a study conducted in Belgium in 2014, it was stated that oyster mushrooms contain riboflavin supplementation that shows therapeutic effects on Brown syndrome or motor neuron disorders. So it's no wonder that consuming oyster mushrooms can improve brain health.

Those are the 9 benefits of oyster mushrooms for the body's health. Not only being a favorite mushroom, but oyster mushrooms are also very good for health and nourishing the body.

(kpl/dhm)