3 Mushroom Recipes to Boost Your Gut Health
You’ve probably heard about kombucha, turmeric, and beets—three of the trendiest anti-inflammatory foods. But there’s another food to keep on your radar: mushrooms! Well, specifically shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes). Native to Japan, China, and Korea, these flavorful mushrooms are excellent sources of the minerals potassium, phosphorus, and zinc. A 2015 Journal of the American College of Nutrition study found that eating dried shiitake mushrooms every day resulted in improved gut immunity and decreased inflammation as evidenced by less C-reactive protein (a biomarker for inflammation). Technically a fungus, the shiitake warrants a space in your refrigerator. So, we pulled together some mushroom recipes to help get your gut health on track. “Shiitake mushrooms have a positive effect on gut health because it blunts the signals of inflammation in the gut, which is critical for immune function and digestion,” says Dr. Robert Silverman, certified sports nutritionist and author of Inside-Out Health: A Revolutionary Approach to Your Body. “Add those Japanese medicinal mushrooms to your daily meals since they contain polysaccharides called glucans, which upregulate the immune system.” …