Higher mushroom consumption may protect against cancer: Study

"Mushrooms are the highest dietary source of ergothioneine, which is a unique and potent antioxidant and cellular protector," said Djibril M. Ba, a graduate student in epidemiology at Penn State College of Medicine. "Replenishing antioxidants in the body may help protect against oxidative stress and lower the risk of cancer."

When specific cancers were examined, the researchers noted the strongest associations for breast cancer as individuals who regularly ate mushrooms had a significantly lower risk of breast cancer. Ba explained that this could be because most of the studies did not include other forms of cancer. Moving forward, this research could be helpful in further exploring the protective effects that mushrooms have and helping to establish healthier diets that prevent cancer.

"Overall, these findings provide important evidence for the protective effects of mushrooms against cancer," said coauthor John Richie, a Penn State Cancer Institute researcher and professor of public health sciences and pharmacology. "Future studies are needed to better pinpoint the mechanisms involved and specific cancers that may be impacted."

For further reference log on to:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmab015