Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) are a type of edible mushroom that are shaped like oysters. They're one of the most popular mushrooms in the world.
Learn more about the benefits that oyster mushrooms may have for your health.
What Are Oyster Mushrooms?
Mushrooms are neither plant nor animal. They're a type of fungus. There are over 10,000 known types of mushrooms.
Oyster mushrooms come in a range of different colors:
Gray
Golden
Brown
Tan
Cream
Oyster mushrooms have gills that are white colored. They also have very short stems. Oyster mushrooms can grow up to about 9 inches high.
Oyster mushrooms can be found in the wild. They grow on dead or decaying logs in temperate and tropical forests. They were first cultivated by a German scientist in 1917 and are now the third most commonly cultivated mushroom in the world, most often grown in China.
Oyster Mushrooms Health Benefits
Mushrooms have been used in folk medicine for centuries, from ancient Rome and Greece to China and India. However, the health benefits of mushrooms have only been thoroughly scientifically studied in recent decades. Most of these studies are test-tube and laboratory-based, so more research is needed to confirm the effects of mushrooms on humans.
High in Antioxidants
Oyster mushrooms are rich in antioxidant compounds such as flavonoids and phenolics. Antioxidants are substances that reduce or prevent damage to cells in the body. Antioxidants fight free radicals, which are linked to diseases such as cancer.
Scientists have found that oyster mushrooms contain more antioxidants than other types of cultivated mushrooms. This may be why oyster mushrooms are used in many dietary supplements.
Mushrooms are also rich in an amino acid called ergothioneine. Scientists say this substance has strong antioxidant activity. Edible mushrooms are the main source of ergothioneine.
May Help Heart Health
Eating oyster mushrooms may be good for your heart. This may be due to glucan, a fiber that makes up the cell walls of yeast and fungi. When fermented by bacteria in the gut, beta-glucan produces short-chain fatty acids that reduce cholesterol production in the body.
In a study of 20 adults, participants who drank 30 grams of dried oyster mushroom soup for 21 days had lower triglycerides, oxidized LDL ( bad) cholesterol levels and total cholesterol.
A study of 89 diabetic patients found that eating oyster mushrooms for seven days not only lowered blood sugar, but also lowered cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.
May Improve Cognitive Health
In a study of 663 participants aged 60 and older, those who ate more than two servings of mushrooms per week had a lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment.
May Lower Cancer Risk
Scientists have discovered that mushrooms are rich in bioactive compounds. A review of several scientific studies found that eating about 18 grams of mushrooms per day (about two medium-sized mushrooms) may help reduce cancer risk by 45 percent. This may be due to the mushroom's special compounds, such as ergothioneine.
May Help Control Blood Sugar Levels
Some limited research has found that eating oyster mushrooms regularly may affect your blood sugar levels. A study of hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes found that eating 150 grams of oyster mushrooms three times a day for seven days reduced fasting blood sugar levels by about 22%. After a week of not eating mushrooms, fasting blood sugar levels increased by about 13%.
Another study of healthy participants found that taking a mushroom powder mixture in water for 14 days reduced fasting blood sugar levels by 6%.
Summary
Mushrooms are nutritious foods that are low in calories and fat; high in protein, chitin, and minerals, and low in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins (B1, B2, B3, C, and D2), and lipids.
Mushrooms may provide a high-protein diet with a low calorific value, making them ideal for people with heart problems. They include all of the amino acids that the human body requires.
Given the advantages, oyster mushrooms may have a role in therapeutic food, medicine, and mineral qualities, making them great assistance to human well-being. Whole mushrooms may be effective as dietary supplements.
New scientific research highlights the advantages of eating oyster mushrooms as a dietary supplement. Keep in mind that supplements have not been studied for safety, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has little control over them.
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