Can You Lose 5 Pounds A Year With Mushrooms?
The initial evidence says yes.
Here’s why…
Mushrooms are a low energy-density food.
By substituting a 4-ounce Portabella mushroom for a high energy-density food like a 4-ounce hamburger every time you would normally eat a hamburger for one year, you may be able to save over 18,000 calories or about 5 pounds a year.
At least, that would happen for men according to a new study by John Hopkins Weight Management Center.
By observing how much study participants ate when they had mushroom vs. meat meals, the researchers found that energy or calorie intakes were much higher with meat.
Specifically, 420 calories more per day when eating meat entrees.
But the participants didn’t seem to prefer one type of meal over the other. They ate lunch entrees of sloppy Joes, chili, lasagna or napoleons. One week, these entrees were made with beef; the next week, they were made with mushrooms.
Mushrooms are also a good source of vitamin D. If you read my last article, then you know that not getting enough vitamin D may increase your risk of death by 26%.
Mushrooms also provide selenium, niacin, and riboflavin. Plus they’re low in calories — about 20 for 4 to 5 white button mushrooms.
So if these preliminary results are duplicated in other studies, you just may have a delicious and nutritious way to lose an extra 5 pounds a year with mushrooms.
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