If you’re feeling depressed, put some mushrooms on your plate. They can lift your spirits and make you less anxious.
We already know that mushrooms lower our risk of cancer and early death, but researchers have recently discovered they’re also good for our mental health and wellbeing.
Researchers from Penn State College of Medicine analysed the health of around 24,000 adults who were tracked for 11 years to 2016, and found that those who ate mushrooms were less likely to suffer from depression.
It could be because of their compounds, including ergothioneine, an antioxidant that lowers the risk of oxidative stress—a precursor of depression—while button mushrooms, the most popular variety in the US, contain potassium, which lowers anxiety.
(Source: Journal of Affective Disorders, 2021; 294:686)
