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Harnessing the Nutritional Value, Therapeutic Applications, and Environmental Impact of Mushrooms

Summary

Mushrooms are nutritional powerhouses packed with proteins, vitamins, minerals, and special compounds that fight disease. They can help prevent and manage serious conditions like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes while supporting overall health and immunity. Beyond the kitchen, mushrooms are being developed into medicines and cosmetic products. Growing and using mushrooms also helps the environment by creating sustainable alternatives to traditional medicines and animal feeds.

Background

Mushrooms have been valued for their unique flavor and medicinal properties since ancient times. As nutrient-dense superfoods, they provide essential nutrients including dietary fiber, high-quality protein, and key vitamins. They are naturally low in fat, sugar, and calories, making them beneficial additions to balanced diets.

Objective

This review aims to explore the nutritional value and bioactive compounds of mushrooms, along with their health benefits and therapeutic properties. It examines applications in functional foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals while highlighting their potential as sustainable medicinal resources.

Results

Mushrooms contain diverse bioactive compounds including terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, and polysaccharides with antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory effects. They are rich sources of carbohydrates (50-65%), proteins (18-37%), essential fatty acids, fiber, vitamins (especially B and D), and minerals, supporting cardiovascular health and chronic disease management.

Conclusion

Mushrooms are valuable sustainable medicinal resources offering eco-friendly solutions for health promotion and disease prevention. Their bioactive compounds show promise in treating chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, positioning them as important functional foods and pharmaceutical resources.
  • Published in:Food Science & Nutrition,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: PMID: 40672546, DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.70611
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