Mushrooms: the good fungus

WE'RE NOT TALKING about the happy psilocybin type that certain individuals pop before another viewing of The Wall. We mean the ones found in the grocery store and loaded with the antioxidant mineral selenium. A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health showed that men who consumed 160 micrograms of selenium per day cut their risk of prostate cancer by 65 percent. If that doesn't impress you, mushrooms also contain valuable niacin, riboflavin, copper, potassium and pantothenic acid, much of which is vital for turning food into energy.

Some species of mushroom, such as the shiitake and the maitake, also have potent immune-boosting and cancer-fighting properties, say studies from the University of California at Davis and the journal Nutrition Reviews. Best of all, mushrooms are so low in calories you can consume loads of them without destroying your diet. Enjoy them in salads, soups, stews, and as a side with fish and rice.

THE SPECS

Once cup of raw mushrooms:

18 calories, 3g carbs, 1g protein, zero fat

COPYRIGHT 2001 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning