Mushrooms, known as "the food with one leg," have long been the most highly praised healthy and delicious food. However, it has recently gone viral online that mushrooms are foods that easily accumulate heavy metals, and heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and nickel will accumulate in them, so people should eat less or not eat them. So, can mushrooms still be eaten?
Mushrooms are a delicious and nutritious edible fungus that has been listed as a fine delicacy since ancient times. In addition to the nutritional and health value of ordinary foods, mushrooms, like other foods, can also be contaminated.
Artificially cultivated mushrooms have little safety hazard
If the soil, water, or air is contaminated, the pollutants contained in them will be absorbed and enriched by the plants growing in them. Not only mushrooms, but almost all plants will have an enrichment effect on certain harmful substances. For example, heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, many plants can absorb and enrich them, but the degree of enrichment of various plants for each harmful substance varies, some are higher and some are lower. It is reported that mushrooms have a high enrichment effect on heavy metals, and eating too much will have adverse effects on the body. However, the vast majority of mushrooms sold on the market are artificially cultivated mushrooms, and basically there is no problem of heavy metal pollution.
China's artificial cultivation of mushrooms began in the 1930s. Today, mushroom cultivation technology has matured, with complete relevant industry standards. There are strict quality controls on factors such as site selection, variety selection, and growth environment monitoring, ensuring the food safety of the produced mushrooms.
In addition, wild mushrooms are loved by many people because of their good taste and high nutritional value. However, when choosing wild mushrooms, you must be clear about whether the place of origin has pollutants, and also pay attention to distinguish poisonous mushrooms to avoid food poisoning. Therefore, as long as you do not eat mushrooms grown in polluted soil, there will be no problem of heavy metal poisoning.
Scientific consumption of mushrooms is good for bones
Mushrooms are a healthy food with high protein and low fat, containing various amino acids, nucleotides, vitamins, and minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium that the human body needs. Fresh mushrooms contain various enzymes, such as trypsin, maltase, etc. Regular consumption of mushrooms can well coordinate the human body's absorption and transportation of other foods, improving the nutritional utilization rate of food.
Mushrooms have good nutritional value and can promote the health of the body. Mushrooms can improve the body's immune function and have anti-cancer effects. The polysaccharide substances contained in mushrooms can enhance the function of T lymphocytes in the body, thereby improving the body's ability to resist various diseases. The ribonucleic acid in mushrooms can induce the body to produce interferon, which can inhibit the proliferation of viruses. Japanese researchers have analyzed a powerful anti-cancer substance in the active ingredients of mushrooms, which can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and its effect is 1000 times stronger than the anti-cancer substance in green tea.
According to a recent study in the United States, delicious and juicy mushrooms are a rich source of vitamin D in the diet, and scientific consumption of mushrooms is beneficial to bone health. Irradiating growing or freshly picked mushrooms with ultraviolet light can make the mushrooms synthesize a large amount of vitamin D. Because mushrooms contain the precursor of vitamin D—ergosterol, which will be converted into vitamin D under sunlight. Other fresh vegetables and fruits do not contain vitamin D, mushrooms are an exception, and the vitamin D content is very rich. While supplementing calcium, increasing the intake of vitamin D can promote the absorption and utilization of calcium. The large amount of vitamin D brought by mushrooms is undoubtedly a great choice.
Mushrooms can also promote bowel movements and detoxify, and have a good weight loss effect. Mushrooms contain crude fiber, semi-crude fiber, and lignin that are difficult for the human body to digest. They can promote gastrointestinal motility, maintain the water balance in the intestines, and can also absorb excess cholesterol, sugar, and toxic substances, promoting their excretion. It is very beneficial for preventing constipation, colon cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, etc. Eating mushrooms can reduce the cholesterol content in the blood. Replacing a staple food like fried rice with 100 grams of mushrooms per meal can promote metabolism and produce a good weight loss effect.