If you're not a big fan of mushrooms it might be time to reconsider because new research has suggested that they may help ward off Alzheimer's disease.
The fungi contain high levels of two key antioxidants – ergothioneine and glutathione – which may help combat ageing and boost brain health, the team from Pennsylvania State University has concluded.
'What we found is that, without a doubt, mushrooms are highest dietary source of these two antioxidants taken together, and that some types are really packed with both of them,' explained study leader Robert Beelman in the journal Food Chemistry.
Research suggests that neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer's, are less common in countries where people tend to have more ergothioneine in their diets.
'It's preliminary, but you can see that countries that have more ergothioneine in their diets, countries like France and Italy, also have lower incidents of neurodegenerative diseases, while people in countries like the United States, which has low amounts of ergothioneine in the diet, have a higher probability of diseases like Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's,' added Beelman.
'Now, whether that's just a correlation or causative, we don't know. But, it's something to look into, especially because the difference between the countries with low rates of neurodegenerative diseases is about 3 milligrams per day, which is about five button mushrooms each day.'
But it looks like not all mushrooms are created equal, as the team also found that some varieties contain more of the powerful antioxidants than others...
'We found that the porcini has the highest, by far, of any we tested,' said Beelman. 'This species is really popular in Italy where searching for it has become a national pastime.'
Speaking about the findings, Dr Laura Phipps of Alzheimer's Research UK told the Express: 'It is unlikely that any single food is the key to a healthy brain but they can form part of a balanced diet, which can help keep brains healthy for longer.'
Either way, we're definitely making mushroom risotto for dinner...
Francesca is the Digital Editor of Red, overseeing all sections of the site. She loves travel, books and pizza, so a beach holiday in Italy is pretty much her dream scenario.
