Magic mushrooms have earned all the hype recently, but regular mushrooms like white button, shiitake, and portobello also have tremendous health benefits. People who eat mushrooms may have a lower chance of developing anxiety and depression, according to a large observational study.
The study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, used dietary and mental health data from more than 24,000 participants to draw the association between mushroom consumption and lower odds of depression.
“Mushrooms are a potent source of antioxidants, such as ergothioneine and potassium, which could reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. These are known to be risk factors for depression,” says Xiang Gao, MD, PhD, a professor and director of the Nutritional Epidemiology Lab at The Pennsylvania State University and a co-author of the study.
Gao tells Verywell that people who incorporate mushrooms into their diet have a 43% lower likelihood of having depression.
Source: Verywell Health
