The flu season is the time of runny noses and fevers, which is never fun to deal with when the world is so busy. Luckily, there are always experts willing to devote their time to new ways of preventing illnesses. As it turns out, mushrooms might be the key to help fight off the flu.
Scientists have discovered that a compound found in mostly fungi can shield against lung-related issues that the flu can inflict. Beta Glucan, a fiber found in the cell walls of mushrooms, yeast, barley, wheat, and oats, is the key ingredient for this immunity. The fiber can essentially reprogram immune cells in our bodies to prevent lung inflammation and overall improve lung functionality.
The researchers responsible for the discovery were led by a team from McGill University in Canada. The team injected a concentrated compound of beta glucan into infected mice. The mice given the compound were found to have better lung functions and had lower risk of death. These results are promising, but human trials have yet to occur and might give us better insight into how we can implement this for ourselves.
Mushrooms have always been a natural oddity, but it seems that their potential is almost limitless due to how little we know about them. Their dietary benefits have largely been recorded, but their utility beyond being tasty are still being discovered. It serves as a good reminder of how unique our planet is and how it has all that we need to improve our lives and make a difference in our future.
