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Medicinal Mushrooms: Their Bioactive Components, Nutritional Value and Application in Functional Food Production—A Review

Summary

Medicinal mushrooms like Reishi, Lion’s Mane, and Shiitake contain powerful compounds that may help fight cancer, boost immunity, and reduce inflammation. These mushrooms are low in calories and can be added to everyday foods like bread, pasta, and meat products to boost their nutritional value. While promising, more research is needed to confirm how much people should consume and whether they interact safely with medications.

Background

Medicinal mushrooms have been used in folk medicine for centuries, particularly in Asian countries. These fungi contain numerous biologically active compounds with beneficial health effects and are classified as new-generation functional foods due to their low-calorie content and high bioactive compound concentration.

Objective

This review compiles and systematizes existing knowledge on popular medicinal mushrooms, compares their functional potential, and discusses possibilities for their use in functional food production and the food industry.

Results

Medicinal mushrooms contain high levels of polysaccharides including β-glucans, proteins with complete amino acid profiles, unsaturated fatty acids, sterols, polyphenols, terpenoids, vitamins, and minerals. These compounds exhibit anticancer, antioxidant, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory effects. Addition of mushroom powder to food products at 5% or less generally maintains product quality while enhancing nutritional value.

Conclusion

Medicinal mushrooms have significant potential as functional food ingredients, particularly in cereal products. However, further clinical studies are needed to confirm therapeutic effects, establish optimal dosages, and understand interactions between mushroom bioactive compounds and food matrix ingredients.
  • Published in:Molecules,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: PMID: 37513265, DOI: 10.3390/molecules28145393
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