Researchers from the University of Oxford in the UK conducted a 5-year follow-up study on 107 elderly individuals aged 61 to 87, and found that many of them had low levels of vitamin B12 in their blood.
The researchers stated that for those with vitamin B12 levels below one-third of the normal range, the risk of developing dementia increases threefold. The advice given by experts is that the elderly can eat more mushrooms.
Generally, as people age, their absorption of vitamin B12 gradually decreases, their resistance to diseases weakens, and in severe cases, it can also cause damage to nerve cells. In the past, nutrition believed that the main food sources of vitamin B12 were meat and fish, and it was rarely found in plant-based foods.
Meanwhile, obese elderly individuals and those with cardiovascular diseases often put animal livers and meats and aquatic products with high protein content on their "blacklist" to control blood sugar and blood lipids. Another group of vegetarians are also prone to vitamin B12 deficiency due to long-term lack of meat intake.
Although vitamin B12 is almost impossible to find in most vegetables, the content in fungi such as mushrooms is quite rich. In particular, the vitamin B12 content in mushrooms is even higher than in meat. For adults, eating about 25 grams of fresh mushrooms daily can meet the recommended intake of vitamin B12.
In addition, the fiber in mushrooms can reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines. Therefore, eating mushrooms once a day is the best choice for middle-aged and elderly people who are concerned about "three highs" (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipids) and for dedicated vegetarians.