Top Pizza with This to Keep Arteries Clear
Turn your pizza into a heart-friendly treat by halving the cheese and loading on this artery-loving topping instead: mushrooms.
Yep, a study had researchers wondering if mushrooms may have the power to stop artery-narrowing atherosclerosis before it even starts. Good news for your next pizza party and for your ticker.
Disease Interrupted
In the recent lab study, researchers noticed that bathing human aorta cells in mushroom extract seemed to interrupt two different inflammation-induced cellular processes known to trigger plaque buildup inside blood vessel walls. It's not clear why the extract had this effect, but it could be due to any one of a number of nutrients in the fungi, including polyphenols, selenium, copper, and an antioxidant called ergothioneine. All of these nutrients may play a role in quelling inflammation and blocking the cellular mechanisms that trigger atherosclerosis. (Make better-for-you pizza tonight with this recipe from EatingWell: Wild Mushroom Sage Pizzettas.)
Mushroom Magic
Picky about mushrooms? No worries. The study used a wide array of varieties, including the very popular white button mushrooms easily found in most grocery stores. Use them to top pizzas, add them to stews for more flavor, or simply saute and serve them on the side of whatever else you're cooking. More research is needed to confirm the artery benefits, but since mushrooms are low-cal and nutritious, you've got little to lose in adding them to your meals. (Find out how mushrooms also help you slash calories.)
RealAge Benefit:
Training your taste buds to love foods that thwart aging can make your RealAge at least 3 years younger. Take the RealAge Test!
