What are the functions and benefits of Agaricus bisporus (button mushroom)?

Dec 12, 2024 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Yang Ziqi

Introduction

Under normal circumstances, as a common edible mushroom, button mushrooms have rich nutritional value and various health benefits, mainly including enhancing immunity, promoting digestion, lowering cholesterol, antioxidant effects, and supplementing trace elements. Although button mushrooms offer these benefits, it is important to ensure the mushrooms are fresh and clean when consuming them, and to follow the principle of moderation in order to avoid potential gastrointestinal discomfort.

Generally speaking, as a common edible mushroom, button mushroom has rich nutritional value and various health benefits, mainly including enhancing immunity, promoting digestion, lowering cholesterol, antioxidant effects, and supplementing trace elements. The detailed analysis is as follows:

1. Enhancing Immunity

The polysaccharides contained in button mushrooms can stimulate the human immune system and improve the body's resistance to external pathogens. These polysaccharides can activate macrophages, thereby enhancing immune function.

2. Promoting Digestion

Dietary fiber in button mushrooms helps intestinal motility, promotes digestion and absorption of food, improves constipation, and helps maintain a normal body weight. Consuming an appropriate amount of button mushrooms can help maintain a healthy digestive system.

3. Lowering Cholesterol

Certain components in button mushrooms, such as organic acids, can help regulate blood lipid levels, reduce the accumulation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood, and thus lower total cholesterol levels, contributing to cardiovascular health. Meanwhile, the dietary fiber in button mushrooms can also promote cholesterol excretion, further reducing cholesterol levels.

4. Antioxidant Effects

Button mushrooms are rich in various antioxidant substances such as polyphenols, flavonoids, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. These substances can eliminate free radicals in the body, reduce oxidative stress, combat aging and chronic diseases. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals, reduce cellular damage, and protect overall health.

5. Supplementing Trace Elements

Button mushrooms contain various trace elements beneficial to human health, such as selenium, zinc, potassium, and magnesium. These elements are important for maintaining normal physiological functions in the body—for example, selenium has anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce the progression of atherosclerosis; vitamin D promotes calcium absorption and helps prevent osteoporosis.

Although button mushrooms offer these health benefits, it is important to ensure the mushrooms are fresh and clean when consumed, and to follow the principle of moderate consumption in order to avoid possible gastrointestinal discomfort.

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What should not be eaten with mushrooms?

Avoid consuming white mushrooms together with tomatoes, river shrimp, crabs, celery, or spinach. Do not take white mushrooms with medications such as anticoagulants, antihypertensive drugs, antibiotics, diabetes medications, or diuretics. In daily life, maintain a balanced diet, monitor your health carefully, choose light and easily digestible foods, and avoid spicy or irritating foods.

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Can you still eat mushrooms if they produce white foam when roasted?

In general, it is safe to eat white foam produced when roasting mushrooms. The moisture inside the mushrooms evaporates into steam under high heat and then condenses into water droplets upon contact with the cooler baking tray or air. These droplets may fall back onto the mushroom surface, forming a white foam. Additionally, components in mushrooms such as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates undergo various changes at high temperatures, leading to the formation of white precipitates that adhere to the mushroom's surface.

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Is it safe to eat white mushrooms that have a black ring inside?

Under normal circumstances, whether white mushrooms with a black ring inside are edible needs to be determined based on specific circumstances. When selecting and storing white mushrooms, it is important to choose fresh specimens with plump caps, white gills, and no unpleasant odor, and to avoid purchasing mushrooms showing signs of darkening or softening. After purchase, mushrooms should be promptly refrigerated and not stored for extended periods. They should be thoroughly washed before consumption to ensure food safety.