Higher Mushroom Intake Is Associated With Reduced Cancer Risk

A systematic review of 17 cancer studies has found that higher mushroom intake is linked to a reduced risk of cancer. Examining data from over 19,500 patients with cancer, researchers looked into the connection between mushroom intake and risk of cancer.¹

Mushrooms are abundant in antioxidants, nutrients and vitamins, and the study results demonstrate that these super foods could also help protect against cancer. Although maitake, oyster, shiitake and king oyster mushrooms contain higher quantities of the amino acid ergothioneine compared to portabello, white button, and cremini mushrooms, it was found that incorporating any variety of mushrooms into the diet daily helps reduce cancer risk.

According to the results, people who consumed 18 grams of mushrooms daily had a 45% reduced cancer risk in comparison to individuals who didn’t consume mushrooms.

These super foods are the highest dietary source of this exceptional and powerful antioxidant and cellular protector known as ergothioneine. Providing the body with antioxidants can help in protecting against oxidative stress and reducing cancer risk.

When the researchers looked at specific cancers, they observed the strongest associations were for breast cancer as people who regularly consumed mushrooms had a considerably reduced breast cancer risk. The researchers said that this could be due to the fact that the majority of the studies didn’t include other types of cancer. This research could help to further explore the protective effects of mushrooms and help identify healthier cancer preventing diets.

Although future research is needed to better figure out the specific cancers which might be impacted and the mechanisms involved, the study results provide important evidence for the protective effects that mushrooms have against cancer.