Uncover the nutrients and 5 healthful benefits of ear mushrooms

Have you ever seen a mushroom that is dark brown and looks like an ear? Yes, just like the shape, this mushroom is called the ear mushroom. These black mushrooms are often added to stir-fries or made into soups. Intrigued by the benefits of ear mushrooms for body health? Check out the following explanation.

Nutritional content and benefits of ear mushrooms

Ear mushroom which has a Latin name Auricularia polytricha often referred to as black fungus. This fungus is dark-blackish brown with an irregular shape, but looks like a human ear. You can easily find them on tree trunks. Unlike other mushrooms, ear mushrooms are crunchy and chewy when eaten and are very popular in Asian cooking.

Apart from being delicious and easy to process, this mushroom has nutrients that are important for the health of the body. Here are the various benefits of ear mushrooms.

1. Prevent Alzheimer's disease

Reporting from the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, eating ear mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, button mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms has been linked to protection against dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Nutrients from mushrooms are able to inhibit the beta site enzyme which is responsible for releasing beta-amyloid peptides, compounds that can be bad for the brain.

Alzheimer's disease is a condition of decreased brain function that usually occurs in the elderly (elderly). People with this condition will be very weak in remembering, thinking, speaking, and making decisions.

2. Potential to treat body cells

Mushrooms have few calories and fat, but are high in protein. One glass of ear mushrooms provides 80 calories with less than 1 gram of fat and 2.6 grams of protein. Protein content helps the body to build body cells that have been damaged.

In addition, this mushroom also contains sodium, which is 10 mg per glass. Sodium itself is a mineral that functions to maintain fluid balance in the body.

3. Maintain weight

Mushrooms are included in a row of foods that are high in fiber. One cup of ear mushrooms provides 19.6 grams of dietary fiber. Every day adult men need 38 grams of fiber, while adult women need 30 to 32 grams of fiber. So, one cup of these mushrooms can meet half the fiber needs per day.

Fiber in food is very good for digestive health, namely by helping bowel movements so that it can prevent you from constipation. In addition, foods that are high in fiber can make you full longer so it is perfect for those of you who are on a diet.

4. Prevent anemia

One bowl of mushrooms has 1.7 mg of iron. This mineral is essential for producing red blood cells. In addition, iron also produces proteins such as hemoglobin and myoglobin which play a role in transporting oxygen from the lungs to all tissues. Lack of iron in the body can cause anemia. Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, and dizziness.

Women who have anemia are likely to have difficulties during pregnancy because more blood cells in the body are needed for the formation of the fetus. That is why iron is one of the nutrients that must be fulfilled in preparation for pregnancy. Iron is also known to reduce the risk of STDs in women who are menstruating.

5. Increase endurance

One more benefit of ear mushrooms that you shouldn't miss, which is to support the immune system and increase the body's ability to fight stress. Ear mushrooms contain vitamin B2 which is also called riboflavin. This vitamin converts carbohydrates into glucose as a source of energy later. In addition, this vitamin also nourishes hair, skin, eyes and liver to stay healthy.

Riboflavin also acts as an antioxidant that protects the body from free radical damage. This means that ear mushrooms can prevent you from premature aging and make you more immune to heart disease and cancer.