There are millions of varieties of mushrooms on Earth, of which at least 2,000 are edible. However, unless you’re a seasoned mycologist able to harvest them directly from the forest, most of us only have access to a limited number of varieties. Of those found at your local supermarket, the most widely available is probably the Paris mushroom (the white one) and its close relatives, the portobello (the big one) and the cremini (the coffee one). Other delicious varieties, such as the oyster mushroom, and Asian mushrooms like the shiitake and the enokitake, are also widely available.
History
The ancient Egyptians believed, according to the record, that mushrooms give immortality. The pharaohs of Egypt, who were thought to be gods, were so intrigued by them that they decreed mushrooms were food for God and that no mortals could ever touch them. This assured themselves the entire supply of mushrooms. In the Classic time, Emperor Claudius, was very fond of these delicacies. Closer in time, Mushroom cultivation can be traced back to around the 1600s in Europe. But it wasn’t until the 18th century, in France, that modern mushroom cultivation techniques began to form.
The most expensive foods on earth is a mushroom
The mushrooms can be very expensive. The truffle grows exclusively near the roots of oak and can’t be grown at high yield. Truffle hunters have trained pigs to find them in the forest with the nose. The price goes to around $500 a pound.
Availability
Since you don’t need the sun to grow them, mushrooms are available all year long. Not only are they nutritious and low in calories but also rich in flavors.
Latest cancer researches
There are about 500 studies on mushrooms. In one study, cancer researchers administered Paris mushroom extracts to mice suffering from breast cancer to see how it would impact the size of the tumors. The results were fascinating.The tumors in the mice that received the extract shrank by 60%, compared to those in the others groups. Mushroom contains several compounds that appear to be effective in slowing down the growth of some types of cancers, notably colon cancer, by attacking cancer cells directly and causing them to die through apoptosis. In another study, mushroom extracts were found to inhibit a molecular target known to promote inflammation. Furthermore, angiogenesis was also inhibited by the phytochemical present in mushrooms. A study even shows a protection of kidney by mushrooms when mice were under chemotherapy.
Types of cancers affected
1. Breast cancer
2. Colon cancer
3. Prostate cancer
4. Skin cancer
5. Lung cancer
6. Liver cancer
Posology
100 gr or 1/4 pound. or 1/2 a small pack a day
Cancer Protection level
| Apoptosis |  |
| Angiogenesis |  |
| Inflammation | |
| Proliferation | |
Bonus: Immunobooster
References
Nutr Cancer. 2008;60(6):744-56. White button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) exhibits antiproliferative and proapoptotic properties and inhibits prostate tumor growth in athymic mice.Adams LS, Phung S, Wu X, Ki L, Chen S.
Biol Pharm Bull. 2009 Feb;32(2):259-63. Anti-angiogenic and anti-metastatic effects of beta-1,3-D-glucan purified from Hanabiratake, Sparassis crispaYamamoto K, Kimura T, Sugitachi A, Matsuura N.
Br J Pharmacol. 2007 Jan;150(2):209-19. Epub 2006 Dec 11. Ergosterol peroxide from an edible mushroom suppresses inflammatory responses in RAW264.7 macrophages and growth of HT29 colon adenocarcinoma cells.Kobori M, Yoshida M, Ohnishi-Kameyama M, Shinmoto H.
Food Chem Toxicol. 2008 Sep;46(9):3193-9. Epub 2008 Jul 22. Aqueous-ethanolic extract of morel mushroom mycelium Morchella esculenta, protects cisplatin and gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity in mice. Nitha B, Janardhanan KK.