At the Heart of the Matter: How Mushrooms Can Improve Heart Health

Small things can lead to big changes. It’s a truth we’ve all heard over and over, to the point of ignoring it. To our own detriment, of course, even on topics as critical as heart health.

Lifestyle, exercise, smoking, stress, and genetics all play big parts in how healthy our hearts are, but we can control some of it, especially how often we exercise and what we eat.

There’s an easy, delicious and low-fuss life hack that can make a world of difference to your heart health – and that’s adding more mushrooms to your meals to replace around 50 percent of your meat consumption. South Africans love meat and while meat proteins are a healthy part of any diet, many South Africans are guilty of piling on meat with little room for other nutrients on their plates.

As long as you’re meeting the minimum of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for daily protein intake (0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight) you can start experimenting with replacing additional meat protein with something else. Think one steak and one chargrilled Portabello mushroom at a braai instead of a mountain of meat, or your beloved grandmother’s meatball recipe made with half minced meat and half finely chopped fresh mushrooms – still packed with flavour, but much better for your waistline and heart health.

And debilitating it is – it brings on depression due to medical anxiety, can affect all other areas of your wellness down to breathing and mobility, and can also be expensive to treat, leading to more stress and adverse mental load.

It’s just one small step, swapping out half of your meat (all red meats, poultry and fish) for simple store-bought mushrooms, which are highly economical (they cost substantially less than meat!) and easy to find on supermarket shelves. Another bonus is mushrooms are full of umami – the lovely savoury flavour we all crave that leaves us really satisfied.

In addition, mushrooms are a culinary marvel, adapting to all sorts of cuisines and cooking methods, and can be used as a meat replacement for vegetarians or even to bulk out meals so they stretch further.

Besides helping you cut saturated fat and calories to meet heart-healthy dietary guidelines, mushrooms have intrinsic qualities that make them good for your heart.

A 2020 systemic review of mushroom consumption and cardiovascular health in The American Journal of Medicine found that “edible mushroom consumption may have favourable effects on lipid profiles by changing some metabolic markers such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Moreover, edible mushroom consumption is probably associated with reduced mean blood pressure.”

This is backed up by a 2010 research paper from the Healthy Lifestyles Research Center, College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University. It found that “dietary mushrooms can be protective against cardiovascular disease (CVD)”.

Mushrooms are loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which all promote good heart health, while being naturally low in fat, cholesterol and salt.

The low sodium content is a real plus for those suffering from high blood pressure, as fungi can be used to flavour food.

“Mushrooms offer a brilliant taste alternative to salt because of their unique flavour known as umami,” explains the South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association (SAMFA). “Their natural glutamates give them a delicious, meaty flavour that makes them a favourite with both meat eaters and vegetarians.”

Even more reasons to eat more mushroom for heart health:

• Ergothioneine – this is a powerful, disease-fighting antioxidant present in all mushrooms, from basic button mushrooms to more exotic fungi. Writing for Verywellhealth.com last year, nutrition expert Lauren Manaker pointed out that “ergothioneine is linked to lower triglyceride levels and may help prevent the formation of arterial plaque – a key player in heart disease. One study showed a direct link between ergothioneine intake from diet and better cardiovascular function. The study also mentioned that higher ergothioneine plasma levels may suggest a lower risk of early death from diseases of the heart or blood vessels.”
• Beta-glucan – this is a type of soluble fibre “that forms a gel-like substance in the GI tract,” explains Manaker. This “might prevent the body from absorbing cholesterol from food,” notes WebMD.
• Vitamin D – mushrooms are the only plant source of this vital vitamin. They even have the ability to produce it after being harvested – just leave them on a windowsill in the sun for an hour before use! Low levels of vitamin D have long been linked to many heart issues, from coronary artery disease to atrial fibrillation.

Overall, the Cleveland Clinic declares mushrooms “a boon for healthy heart lovers. Their nutrients and plant-based compounds can help prevent plaque buildup in your blood vessels,” states the website.

Further good news is that mushrooms are safe to eat every single day, from your morning eggs to late-night snacks like . For more awesome recipe ideas, check out the SAMFA website.

And for World Heart Day on 29 September, you’ll find a host of moreish mushroom meals to make your heart health better here.

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Mushroom, Kale & Black Rice Bowls with Za’atar Tahini Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Black rice:
2 ¼ cups water
1 cup black rice
1 tsp salt

Za’atar tahini sauce:
115g tahini
125ml water
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp za’atar
1 clove garlic, finely grated
Good pinch of sea salt

1 large white onion, sliced
1 bunch / ± 200g kale or swiss chard, roughly chopped

500g mixed cultivated mushrooms, sliced into chunky pieces
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Toppings:
Thinly sliced radish
Chargrilled artichoke hearts, sliced
Lightly steamed asparagus stems

Olive oil, for cooking
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

For the rice:
Combine water, black rice, and salt in a medium-sized pot.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to low.
Cover and cook for about 30 to 35 minutes until the rice is tender and chewy and all the water has been absorbed.

Switch off the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes before fluffing and serving.

For the sauce:
Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and mix well.
Taste to adjust seasoning and set aside until serving.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan.
Add the onion and cook until tender.
Add the kale and cook until just wilted.
Season lightly.
Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add a fresh drizzle of olive oil to the pan and cook the mushrooms until golden brown.
Add the soy sauce and vinegar and toss to coat.

Divide black rice among four bowls.

Top the rice with the cooked onion and kale mix, the sautéed mushrooms and the rest of the delicious toppings.

Generously dollop the bowls with the za’atar tahini sauce and serve with the extra on the side and enjoy!

Image and Recipe Credit: The South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association