They Pack Potassium
Think of potassium as the sodium equaliser. It can help remove excess salt from your body, which is important for keeping your blood pressure under control. Each cup of cooked white mushrooms contains nearly 10 per cent of the recommended daily 4,700 milligrams of potassium, a threshold that many men struggle to meet.
They're D-Licious
Mushrooms are the only vegetable source of Vitamin D, a nutrient that's linked to a lower risk of cancer, diabetes and hypertension. Well, technically, they contain ergosterol. This becomes converted into vitamin D2 - a type of D that your body can readily absorb - when sunlight hits them. See the next page for a trick to enhance this process.
They're Fighters
They detonate a mushroom cloud of beneficial antioxidants. A 2017 study found that mushrooms contain two powerful antioxidants, glutathione and ergothioneine. Low levels of glutathione have been linked with a greater risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Plus, mushrooms contain an inflammation-fighting fibre called beta-glucan, also found in oats and barley.
They're Kilojoule-Light
A half dozen large white mushrooms contain a mere 130kj. Look, most vegetables are low-kilojoule, but the uniquely meatlike feel of mushrooms is a powerful fullness-inducing factor. In one study, participants in a weight-loss program who substituted mushrooms for meat in three meals each week lost about 2.5 kilos more in six months than those who stuck to a standard weight-loss diet.