LIFESTYLE NEWS - We’re made of memories–what we’ve experienced, wept and laughed over, and the tools we’ve learned to make us functioning, accomplished members of our families and society. So we’re all naturally keen to do everything in our power to make our brains and bodies, which house our memories, function optimally.
The key to this may be as simple as a liberal scattering of white button mushrooms in everyday eating.
A 2015 study was submitted to the peer-reviewed journal Nutrition Research that “daily supplementation with mushroom (Agaricus bisporus)improves balance and working memory in aged rats.”In fact, after just 8-10 weeks of eating mushrooms, there was an improvement in “balance, coordination, muscle strength, and learning and memory”.
Now who wouldn’t want that?
Agaricus bisporus is the scientific name for your average white button mushroom, easily bought in most supermarkets. And white button, portabellini and big brown or portabello mushrooms are the same mushroom, just at different stages of development. In a world with increasing rates of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, other 2022USstudypublished inBrain Sciences, and “conducted to bring attention to importance of environment”, found that the “white button mushroom diet appeared to ameliorate the spatial memory deficits seen in transgenic AD [Alzheimerdisease] mice as they increase in age.”
It would seem that adding mushrooms to your diet is a “no-brainer” for the health of your mind and memories. Fortunately, they are really easy to incorporate, as they are not only readily available, but they are a highly economical alternative to animal sources of protein in the diet. When it comes to Blue Zone eating, mushrooms are a staple.
The term Blue Zone, as defined by medical website Healthline, is “a non-scientific term given to geographic regions that are home to some of the world’s oldest people.”Writing on the Blue Zone site, Robert Beelman, PhD, professor of food science at Pennsylvania State University, describes mushrooms as disease-fighting stars.“In the past, food scientists like me often praised mushrooms as healthy because of what they don’t contribute to the diet; they contain no cholesterol and gluten and are low in fat, sugars, sodium and calories,” he notes.
“But that was selling mushrooms short. They are very healthy foods and could have medicinal properties because they are good sources of protein, B vitamins, fibre, immune-enhancing sugars found in the cell walls called beta-glucans, and other bioactive compounds.
SAMFA-Lamb & Mushroom Meatball Pitas
Serves 6
Ingredients:
Homemade tzatziki:
- 250ml / 1 cup Greek style / double cream plain yoghurt
- 1 Mediterranean cucumber,
- seeded and finely grated1 small clove garlic, finely grated
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill fronds, roughly chopped for the meatballs:
- 500g white button mushrooms
- 500g lean beef mince
- 1 large free-range egg
- ½ onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp sea salt
To serve:
- Greek salad
- 6 wholewheat pitas
- 2 Tbsp za’atar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for serving
- Vinegar of choice, for serving
Method:
For the tzatziki:
- Squeeze out all the liquid from the grated cucumber and place it in a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Mix and taste to adjust the seasoning.
- Keep in the fridge until serving.
For the meatballs:
- Blitz the mushrooms in a food processor or finely chop.
- Heat a large dry frying pan over medium heat and cook the mushrooms until they release all their liquid and are dry and turning golden on the edges.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Allow to cool slightly
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