The benefits of eating mushrooms are the focus of a new study by an associate professor in the School of Public Health and Health Science, Zhenhua Liu, who's also a nutritionist at the Massachusetts Amherst and has received a two-year $300,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture or USDA.
A EurekAlert! report specified that adding more of these so-called edible fungi into the diet may be a way to counteract the health risks linked to the Western-style diet or WSD, which frequently features an abundance of fatty foods and added sugars.
Essentially, with sugary and fatty foods that add to obesity, heart disease, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes, as well as a host of other chronic health issues across the US and Europe, Liu will examine if incorporating mushrooms into Western-style diets can enhance gut health and offer a preventive buffer against disease.
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Intestinal Dysfunction
Lifestyle and Diets are alterable factors playing vital roles in public health, explained Liu. His laboratory examines how such factors, along with their metabolically linked gene variants, interact to influence chronic diseases in terms of their development.
The nutritionist will also collaborate with associate professor Soonkyu Chung, a fellow nutrition faculty member, and Matthew Moore, an assistant professor of food science.
Chung focuses on determining metabolic targets to prevent or treat insulin resistance and obesity in the study. On the other hand, Moore specializes in food microbiology and virology.
Liu noted that intestinal dysfunction is thought to be one of the underlying mechanisms contributing so substantially to the development of WSD-associated diseases.
Tiricibacter Bacterium
In past studies, researchers have discovered that a rarely studied bacterium called Tiricibacter is nearly totally depleted by high fat diet-induced obesity, although not genetic obesity.
Found in almost all parts of the world, sundried oyster mushrooms are characterized by a unique dietary composition rich in multiple nutrients not present in the Western-style diet, like dietary fiber and vitamin D, CSRA said in a similar report.
Liu explained that oyster mushrooms are a perfect supplement as whole natural food to enhance the quality of Western-style diets, with the added benefit of boosting the overall gut health.
In particular, the UMass Amherst team will investigate the interaction of mushrooms with Turicibacter in Western-style diet-related intestinal dysfunction and the impact it may have on reshaping the gut microbiome.
According to Liu, they're hoping this research will prove the mechanistic understanding of the function of Turicibacter in dietary obesity and gut health. He added it would provide essential insight into mushrooms as a whole-food approach to enhance the quality of WSD and gut health.
Health Benefits of Mushrooms
A Verywell Fit report said many benefits of mushrooms, particularly oyster mushrooms. Three of them are the following:
1. May Help Lower Cholesterol Level
2015 research showed evidence that oyster mushrooms' dietary fiber component may help reduce triglyceride accumulation in the liver.
2. Enhances Immune Function
These mushrooms may offer better immune function. A 2016 study found that mush extract might have "immune-enhancing effects." Another report showed oyster mushrooms as having compounds functioning as immunomodulators to help control the immune system.
3. May Offer Better Metabolic Health
Having a diet that comprises a lot of fiber-rich vegetables is frequently recommended by health professionals to attain and maintain a healthy weight.
However, mushrooms may provide an additional benefit to help keep better metabolic health. One published research investigated the effects of edible mushrooms on obesity.
The study authors concluded that regular consumption of mushrooms effectively treats metabolic syndrome, which includes obesity. Nevertheless, they advised that the practice be combined with regular physical exercise and lifestyle and dietary changes.
Related information about the health benefits of mushrooms is shown on 1 Post Medicine's YouTube video below:
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