Ease Winter Blues with Superfoods

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 25 million Americans suffer from the "winter blues" each year, a seasonal condition brought on by dark winter days, an influx of holiday bills and the pressure to adhere to lofty New Year's resolutions. Transcend the seasonal blahs with a healthy diet filled with nutrient-rich foods, like mushrooms, to increase happiness and health.

Mushrooms' versatility, taste and health benefits are the reasons registered dietitians and authors Lyssie Lakatos and Tammy Lakatos Shames consider themselves mushroom fans:

• Mushrooms' meaty texture makes them a great option for a vegetarian main dish, but they can also be added to everyday salads, pastas and casseroles. "I incorporate mushrooms into nearly every meal I cook because they make it easier to get those much-needed vitamins and powerful antioxidants," says Lyssie.
• They amplify flavor without adding significant calories, cholesterol or fat. "Mushrooms are a staple to help reach healthy resolutions, whether you've vowed to lose weight, cut back on sodium, eat more vegetables, or work more superfoods into your diet," adds Tammy.

Shedding Light on the Many Health Benefits of Mushrooms

• Load Up on Vitamin D: Vitamin D, also known as the "sunshine vitamin," is an essential nutrient recognized for its role in bone health. All mushrooms have vitamin D. Further, mushrooms are the only source of vitamin D in the produce aisle, and the exception to the rule that plant-based diets don't naturally contain vitamin D.
• Maintain a Healthy Immune System: Mushrooms are a leading source of selenium within the produce aisle and they are one of the best dietary sources of ergothioneine, two antioxidants known for their roles in helping to maintain the immune system.
• Reach Weight Management Goals: Low in calories and fat-free, mushrooms can be an ideal substitute for meat, thanks to their hearty texture. Preliminary research suggests that swapping mushrooms for meat can be an effective method for reducing daily energy and fat intake while still feeling full and satiated after meals.
• Manage Sodium: Mushrooms are rich in umami (the 5th taste known for its savory, brothy, rich or meaty taste sensation), which counterbalances saltiness to allow for less salt to be used in meals or entrees without compromising taste. 
• Help Your Heart: Mushrooms are cholesterol-free and a valuable source of potassium, a nutrient that helps control blood pressure; in fact, white button mushrooms (stir-fried with water) have more potassium than a banana, per serving.
• Get Energized: Mushrooms are full of B vitamins, including riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid, which help to provide energy by breaking down proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
• Mushrooms & Breast Cancer Research: Scientists at City of Hope were some of the first to study the potential effects of white button mushrooms on cancer in animals and are now applying this research to human clinical trials. Visit mushroominfo.com for more information.

For additional nutrition information or to receive news, recipes and blogs from the Mushroom Council, visit www.mushroominfo.com and follow the Mushroom Channel on Facebook and Twitter.

About The Mushroom Council:

The Mushroom Council is composed of fresh market producers or importers who average more than 500,000 pounds of mushrooms produced or imported annually. The mushroom program is authorized by the Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act of 1990 and is administered by the Mushroom Council under the supervision of the Agricultural Marketing Service. Research and promotion programs help to expand, maintain and develop markets for individual agricultural commodities in the United States and abroad. These industry self-help programs are requested and funded by the industry groups that they serve. For more information on the Mushroom Council, visit mushroomcouncil.org.

SOURCE The Mushroom Council