Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2020; 9(2): 2075-2078

E-ISSN: 2278-4136
P-ISSN: 2349-8234
www.phytojournal.com Mushrooms as source of dietary fiber and its
JPP 2020; 9(2): 2075-2078
Received: 15-01-2020 medicinal value: A review article
Accepted: 20-02-2020

Kanchan Kumari Kanchan Kumari

Department of Agriculture &
Food Processing Guru Nanak
Abstract
College, Budhlada, Mansa,
Mushrooms had long been used for medicinal and food purposes since decades. It is now known good
Punjab, India
health can be maintained by correct diet which controls and modulates many functions of human body, it
can reduce the risk of many diseases. Modern pharmacological research confirms large parts of
traditional knowledge regarding the medicinal effects of mushrooms due to their antifungal, antibacterial,
antioxidant and antiviral properties, besides being used as functional foods. Foods with dietary fiber are
in great demand now- a- days due to their various benefits. Mushrooms are valuable resources for food,
medicine and nutraceuticals. Edible mushroom has a rich dietary content but composition in edible
mushroom varies greatly with its morphological stages including fruit body, mycelium and sclerotium.
This paper sums up diverse beneficial health effects of mushrooms to humans, as a dietary fibre, and an
important source of medicines.

Keywords: Mushroom, medicinal value, dietary fiber and nutraceuticals

Introduction
Mushrooms are edible fungus that can provide several important nutrients. Mushrooms are the
only natural, non-fortified edible source of vitamin D and they contain beneficial minerals like
selenium, potassium, iron, copper, and phosphorus. These fungi also supply choline, a nutrient
that has been found to help improve sleep, muscle movement, memory, and learning.
Internally, choline works to maintain cellular membrane structure, support adequate fat
absorption, help transmit nerve impulses, and reduce chronic inflammation.

Table 1: Proximate Composition of mushrooms (n=3)

Raw materials Moisture (%) Protein (%) Fat (%) Ash (%) Crude Fibre (%)
Mushrooms 89.33±0.07 2.67 ± 0.12 0.21 ± 0.01 0.53 ± 0.02 5.78±0.04

Mushrooms and Health

A growing number of studies confirm that eating a variety of plant-based foods is linked with
reduced risk of lifestyle-related health problems. Like tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, and
other colorful vegetables, mushrooms are rich in antioxidants. Mushrooms are among those
plant-based foods that help us avoid obesity, heart disease, and mortality in general.

Cancer
Because mushrooms are rich in selenium, eating them helps boost liver enzyme function. This
liver action can help detoxify cancer-causing compounds. Additionally, selenium helps reduce
or prevent inflammation and stunt tumor growth rates. The vitamin D content in mushrooms
also lends itself to cancer inhibition; vitamin D has been demonstrated to help regulate the cell
growth cycle. Folate content helps with DNA synthesis and repair, which aids in preventing
cancer cells and DNA mutations from forming in the first place.

Heart Health
Cardiovascular health gets a boost from the potassium, vitamin C and fiber present in
mushrooms. Along with sodium, potassium helps to regulate blood pressure. Because
mushrooms are high in potassium and low in sodium, eating mushrooms can help decrease the
risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
Corresponding Author:
Kanchan Kumari
Department of Agriculture &
Diabetes
Food Processing Guru Nanak The high fiber content in mushrooms about 3 grams in one cup can help people with type 1
College, Budhlada, Mansa, diabetes lower their blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetics can see improved blood glucose,
Punjab, India lipids, and insulin levels. Diabetes is not a prerequisite to load up on fiber, however.
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Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry http://www.phytojournal.com

Current dietary guidelines recommend a daily intake of 25 Sources of dietary fiber

grams of fiber for women and 38 grams for men. Pears: Martin-Cabrejas et al. [7] evaluated dietary fiber
products prepared from pomaces. Pear pomace contained
Satiety and Weight Loss 43.9% total dietary fiber (DMB) Soluble dietary fiber in
The two kinds of dietary fiber in mushrooms are beta-glucans pomace was primarily high methoxyl pectin [7].
and chitin. They both increase satiety and reduce hunger
pangs. Oranges: Ting & Rouseff [8] analyzed the alcohol-insoluble
solids from peel and pulp remaining after production of juice
Immune Respons from two varieties of oranges and one variety of grapefruit.
The selenium content in mushrooms also helps boost your
immune system’s response because it stimulates t-cell Mango: Processing mangos yields 35–60% by-products
production. Mushrooms’ beta-glucans fibers also stimulate which are a potential source of dietary fiber [9].
the immune system, helping in fight cancer cells and prevent
tumors from developing. Olives: Valiente et al. [10] studied the composition and
enzymatic modification of the fiber fraction of olive cake, a
Definition of dietary fiber by-product of olive processing. Total dietary fiber content
The definition of dietary fiber proposed by Institute of was reported to be 800 g/kg dry matter with the majority
Medicines is that dietary fiber consists of non digestible being insoluble.
carbohydrates that have beneficial physiologic effects in
humans. Total fiber is the sum of dietary fiber and functional Carrots: The effect of blanching on characteristics of carrot
fiber [1]. pulp remaining after juice extraction was investigated by Bao
Traditionally, dietary fiber was defined as the portions of & Chang [11]. The blanched pulp contained 37–48% total
plant foods that were resistant to digestion by human dietary fiber, 4–5% protein, 8–9% reducing sugars and 5–6%
digestive enzyme; this included polysaccharides and lignin. minerals. Larrauri et al. [12] compared a fiber product prepared
More recently, the definition has been expanded to include from pineapple shells to commercial fibers made from apple
oligosaccharides, such as inulin, and resistant starches [2]. and citrus fruits. Pineapple shell fiber contained 70.6% total
The definition of dietary fiber (DF) proposed by American dietary fiber, the majority of which was insoluble. Xylose and
Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) defines Dietary glucose were the major neutral sugars detected in the fiber
Fiber is the edible part of plants or analogous carbohydrates product. Antioxidant activity of the pineapple fiber, which
that are resistant to digestion and absorption in the human was potentially due to the presence of the polyphenol
small intestine having beneficial physiological effects such as myricetin, was much higher than that detected in apple and
laxation, blood glucose attenuation [3]. citrus fibers. The pineapple fiber was also reported to have
More specifically, dietary fiber means carbohydrate polymers neutral color and flavor properties which could improve the
with ten or more monomeric units, which are not hydrolyzed acceptability of the product as a dietary fiber supplement [12].
by the endogenous enzymes in humans [4]. These non-
digestible carbohydrate (NDC) polymers should occur Mushrooms as source of Dietary Fiber
naturally in the food as consumed and have been obtained One type of fiber found in mushrooms is called beta-glucan
from food raw material by physical, enzymatic or chemical and is similar to the main fiber in oat products. Beta-glucan is
means and which have been shown to have a physiological beneficial for blood sugar and blood cholesterol management.
effect of benefit to health as demonstrated by generally While mushrooms may not be the best dietary source of fiber,
accepted scientific evidence to competent authorities [4]. they do provide additional nutrients such as the B vitamins
pantothenic acid, riboflavin and niacin, and the minerals
Types of fibers selenium, copper and potassium. Compared to other
Dietary fiber is frequently classified as soluble or insoluble. conventional sources of dietary fiber, such as cereals, fruits,
Soluble fibers dissolve in water and consist of pectins, gums legumes and vegetables, mushrooms or fungi are
and some hemicelluloses. Soluble fiber has been shown to be underutilized [13, 14].
effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and Edible mushrooms are a rich source of dietary fiber that have
diabetes by reducing total blood cholesterol and regulating various beneficial health effects to humans. Plant cell walls
blood sugar levels. Soluble fiber is found in foods like oat are major sources of dietary fiber, mushroom cell walls can
bran and barley bran. Fiber from over-the counter laxatives also be considered as dietary fiber. Mushroom cell walls
usually contain soluble fiber also in the form of psyllium. contain a mixture of fibrillar and matrix components which
Insoluble fibers do not dissolve in water and consist of include chitin (a straight-chain (1→4)-β-linked polymer of N-
cellulose, lignin and some hemicelluloses. Insoluble fiber has acetyl-glucosamine) and the polysaccharides such as (1→3)-
been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of colon β-D-glucans and mannans, respectively [15]. From nutritional
cancer and treating constipation. Whole grains are good value point of view, mushrooms are ranked after meat and
sources of insoluble fiber [5]. before vegetable; The results of experiments indicates that
Insoluble fiber, is found in foods like wheat bran, whole button mushroom contains 91.5% moisture, 3.7% protein,
grains, and all fruits and vegetables. It is often referred to as 4.2% carbohydrate, 0.3% fat and 1.25% ash [16]. The protein
roughage or bulk because it keeps the digestive system of mushroom is in the range of 24 to 44% on dry bases that
functioning normally. Insoluble fiber helps with constipation, contains 9 essential amino acids [17]. The amount of fat and
hemorrhoids, and other digestive problems. Most fiber calorie in button mushroom is low and it can be considered as
containing foods include approximately one-third soluble and a good source of vitamins and materials especially iron, zinc,
two-third insoluble fiber [6]. selenium, potassium, and phosphorous [18, 19]. In addition to
high nutritional value, button mushrooms' medicinal
properties are proved. It is suggested that the reason for these
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properties might be related to the dietary fiber compounds Abah et al. (2010) [38] analysed the phenolics composition of
especially chitin and beta glucan which can be find in button A. bisporus methanolic extracts by High Performance Liquid
mushroom [20]. Mushroom also has anti oxidant properties Chromatography (HPLC) and found to contain rutin, gallic
because of phenolic compounds which will reduce the risks acid, caffeic acid and catechin which contributed to the
related to free radicals [21]. antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. Total phenol (280-
480mg/l) and ascorbic acid (2.0±1.0mg/g) contents also
Health benefits of mushroom DF contributed to its antioxidant activity. A. bisporus was a
Mushroom sclerotium has medicinal effects because of high natural source of antioxidant and antimicrobial agent against
level of β-glucans (>80% DM) that are beneficial to humans the tested organisms and had a potential as anticancer agent.
[22]
. Various researchers concluded that β-glucans can enhance Adedayo et al. (2010) [39] concluded that the inclusion of
human’s immunity by triggering strong immunomodulatory edible mushrooms into the diet had a hypocholesterolemic
mediated by cytokine production and signaling cascade as effect, perhaps due to dietary fibres such as beta-glucans
well as direct inhibition of cancer cells. [23–26]. High levels of which may increase intestinal motility, reducing bile and
dietary fiber intake lowers the rate of coroner heart disease, cholesterol absorption. The low pH (6.1 - 7.2) and low
stroke, and peripheral vascular disease .Jensen et al. [2004] titratable acid in the samples further suggests why they might
[27]
reported that an increased daily consumption of bran be edible; they were neither acidic nor basic so they were not
significantly decreased the risk of coronary heart disease in likely to contain toxins which could be harmful to man or
healthy adult men. Higher levels of fiber consumption lower animal.
the risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and dyslipidemia Mushrooms have been found effective against cancer,
in human beings. [Lairon et al. 2005] [28]. Theuwissen and cholesterol reduction, stress, insomnia, asthma, allergies and
Mensink [2008] [29] found that, many well-controlled diabetes (Bahl, 1983) [40]. Due to high amount of proteins,
intervention studies have shown that four major water-soluble they can be used to bridge the protein malnutrition gap.
fi ber types β-glucan, psyllium, pectin and guar gum
effectively lower serum LDL cholesterol concentrations, Conclusion
without affecting HDL cholesterol or triacylglycerol We may conclude about the diverse benefits of mushrooms
concentrations. Consumption of dietary fiber decreases towards humans by the words of the father of medicine that is,
energy absorption by diluting energy content of meal and Hippocrates “Let food be your medicine and medicine be
maintains other important nutrients [Lattimer and Haub 2010] your food”. This saying aptly suits mushrooms, as they have
[30]
. tremendous medicinal food, drug and mineral values, hence
Therefore, DF research has drawn much concern recently, they are valuable asset for the welfare of humans.
particularly in the growing nutraceutical industry [31, 32]. A high level of fiber intake has health-protective effects and
Different source of dietary fiber has different structures, disease-reversal benefits. Persons who consume generous
chemical composition, and physico-chemical properties and amounts of dietary fiber, compared to those who have
this would exhibit different nutritional, technological and minimal fi ber intake, are at lower risk for developing;
physiological benefits [33, 34]. Cardiovascular health disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity,
Gbolagade et al. (2006) [35] studied the mushrooms which and certain gastrointestinal diseases. Increasing the intake of
were growing in the wild were nutritious and important for high fi ber foods or fi ber supplements improves serum
medicinal purposes. Mushrooms had been considered as rich lipoprotein values, lowers blood pressure, improves blood
food because they contain protein, sugars, glycogen, lipids, glucose control for diabetic individuals, aids weight loss, and
vitamins, amino acids and crude fibres. They also contain improves regularity.
important mineral nutrients, which were required for normal In general, edible mushrooms are underutilized to be a source
functioning of the body. Infact, Bano suggested that food of dietary fiber at present. This would greatly facilitate the
value of mushrooms lies between meat and vegetables. application of mushroom DF as functional food ingredient or
Barros et al. (2007) [36] concluded, the chemical composition product that can provide various health benefits to humans in
and energy values of the Portuguese wild edible mushrooms the future. In today’s urban life, due to less mobility and
and indicated that they provide key nutrients such as protein, increased diseases, the consumption of these kinds of
unsaturated fatty acids, and carbohydrates. Being a good products as a rich source of fiber which might has direct
source of protein and carbohydrate, they fell between most effect on people’s health is suggested.
legumes and meat, and proved to be excellent foods that could
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