Breast Cancer Prevention: Which Mushroom is Best?

In this landmark study to find out which vegetable was best at suppressing the activity of the enzyme used by breast cancer cells to undermine our defenses, mushrooms came out number one—but that was just for plain white mushrooms. If that’s how regular mushrooms roll, then think how good the exotic varieties may do.

So they put them to the test, comparing regular mushrooms to wood ear, crimini, oyster mushrooms, Italian brown, enoki, button mushrooms (which are just baby versions of regular white mushrooms), stuffing mushrooms (which are just big white mushrooms), shiitake, chanterelle, and portobello.

We already know what this one is here. Remember, 60 to 65% drop? White mushrooms, the original. Most of these other mushrooms are stuck up there in celery/carrot-land. But one beat out our regular fun guy. Which one do you think it was? Wood ear, crimini, oyster, Italian brown, enoki, button, stuffing, shiitake, chanterelle, or portobello?

I never would have guessed this one. Better than plain white mushrooms? Big plain white mushrooms!

In conclusion, these studies suggest that daily intake of the common white button mushroom may have a significant cancer preventive effect with regard to breast cancer development. White button mushrooms are relatively inexpensive, and readily available in markets across the United States, and therefore are a feasible addition to any dietary plan.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Dianne Moore.

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Images thanks to Mushroom Council; Wildman Steve Brill; perfection.com.au; alibaba.com;faqs.org; and ifood.tv