How Mushrooms May Mitigate Prostate Cancer

Mushrooms are a mighty medicinal mouthful for overall good health and long life. In particular, men in middle age and older should add a portion, or two, or three, to their meals weekly as a study in Japan has shown that regularly eating mushrooms may lower the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Just how significant is the risk of prostate cancer? Well, as reliable statistics on the incidence of prostate cancer in South African men are in short supply, the Prostate Cancer Association of South Africa references Globocan (Global Cancer Observatory), which states that “prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among men in over one‐half the countries of the world including the Americas, Northern and Western Europe, Australia/New Zealand, and much of Sub‐Saharan Africa. It is the leading cause of cancer death among men in 46 countries, particularly in Sub‐Saharan Africa and the Caribbean.”

A 2018 study by Prof Riana Bornman, Senior Research Professor at the University of Pretoria’s School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH) et al, looking at prostate cancer in black Southern African men of Bantu and Khoisan descent, found that ancestry is a real risk factor when it comes to prostate cancer. “The most common risk factors for prostate cancer include African ancestry, increasing age (from 50s onwards) and a family history of prostate cancer – on either the maternal or paternal side,” explains Prof Bornman.

This is backed by the recent work of Dr Matthew Benedict, Senior Lecturer and Medical Specialist in the Department of Family Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), who found that “prostate cancer and the mortality rates associated with it, particularly among black men, are on the rise in South Africa.”

He found that there is a “lack of prioritisation and emphasis on secondary prevention strategies tailored to prostate cancer. Additionally, the racial disparities in prostate cancer morbidity and mortality are exacerbated by inadequate representation of black men in research on this disease.”

Dr Benedict also points out that “factors such as dietary habits, lifestyle, and presentation time were associated with aggressive disease at diagnosis, and cultural beliefs influenced screening uptake among men.”

Besides regular screening, nutrition is one avenue being investigated worldwide in the fight against prostate cancer. Trials are currently ongoing at Saint John’s Cancer Institute (SJCI) in California to evaluate how tablets derived from white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) may be used to treat patients with prostate cancer. Results are still pending.

But when it comes to the 2019 Japanese study mentioned above, which was published in the International Journal of Cancer, it found that “compared with mushroom consumption of less than once per week, consumption once or twice a week was associated with an 8% lower risk of prostate cancer and consumption three or more times per week was associated with a 17% lower risk.

“This inverse relationship was especially obvious among participants aged ≥50 years and did not differ by clinical stage of cancer and intake of vegetables, fruit, meat and dairy products.”

Now the types of mushrooms consumed were not noted in this study, but adding any mushrooms to your meal roster has been shown to benefit health as they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, protein and other life-enhancing nutrients.

They’re also an easy and cost-efficient add-on to meals. How hard is it to slice a mushroom over a pizza, grill a couple of big browns to add to a stacked burger or even chop up roughly to throw into your favourite pasta sauce? Mushrooms take very little cooking and can even be enjoyed raw, and they pair well with every other savoury ingredient on the planet.

There are other ways mushrooms are a boon to men’s health too! These include:

• Lowering salt intake. Mushrooms are naturally very low in sodium, but add a big punch of flavour to meals. By using mushrooms to season meals rather than salt, blood pressure and other cardiovascular issues can be positively impacted.
• Lower cholesterol. Mushrooms are a wonderful substitute for red meat, both in texture and flavour. Eat them often, either as a meat replacement or as a way to lower the amount of overall meat you consume at any meal (as long as you’re getting your daily protein intake).
• Enhance memory and coordination. Studies have shown that eating more white button, portabellini and portobello mushrooms can improve brain function, from balance to memory!

With Father’s Day on Sunday, 16 June, ditch the cheesy gifts for a feast of moreish mushrooms that will do dad a world of good instead. You just have to decide if you’re more of a Steamed Eggs with Soy Butter Mushrooms or Peri-Peri Mushrooms & Chicken Livers on Rye Toast brunch crowd; or check out the SAMFA website for other celebratory mushroom dishes to make you salivate. One of our favourite recipes is the Mushroom & Sausage Baked Gnocchi:

Mushroom & Sausage Baked Gnocchi

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

± 450g sausages of choice
500g portabellini mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of chilli flakes
1 x 400g tin diced tomatoes
250ml stock
Handful basil leaves, roughly chopped
200g fresh spinach / Swiss chard

500g store-bought gnocchi

100g mozzarella, grated
100g parmesan, grated

Fresh basil, for garnish
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil, for cooking

Method

Preheat air fryer to 180˚C.

Place sausages in the air fryer and cook for ± 8 minutes for a chunky lamb/beef or pork sausage.
Set aside to cool and then cut into chunky slices.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large oven safe saucepan.
Add the mushrooms and cook until golden.
Remove and set aside.

To the same pan add the onion and cook until tender.
Add the garlic and chilli flakes.
Cook for a minute until fragrant.
Pour in the tomatoes and the stock.
Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes while you prepare the gnocchi.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.
Cook the gnocchi according to package instructions then drain.

Add gnocchi to the pan of sauce along with the mushrooms, sausage, basil and spinach.
Mix well and taste to adjust seasoning.

Preheat oven to 220˚C degrees.
Scatter the top of the saucepan with mozzarella and then parmesan.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.

Serve hot out of the pan with a crisp green side salad and enjoy!