Mushrooms - An Anti-Ageing Powerhouse

We hear a lot about how frequently we should eat oily fish, tomatoes, broccoli, and green leafy vegetables for healthy ageing. All true. But there’s another food that can be added to this list of superfoods – mushrooms.

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University in the USA found mushrooms to be the highest known single source of the antioxidants ergothioneine and glutathione, which both have antiageing properties.

Glutathione is an antioxidant naturally found in human cells that neutralises the damaging free radicals that can lead to inflammation and ageing. It also boosts the immune system and can detoxify the body.

The study found that even white button mushrooms had low levels of these antioxidants, and wild porcini mushroom were amongst the highest. And amounts didn’t diminish when the mushrooms were cooked.

The researchers also noted that the countries that had more ergothioneine in their diets like France and Italy, also had lower incidences of neurodegenerative diseases. And this didn’t amount to a great deal – it was only about 3 milligrams per day, or about five button mushrooms.