Edible mushrooms have long been valued not only for their culinary appeal but also for their significant nutritional and medicinal properties. This review examines the chemical composition, nutritional value, and bioactive potential of various edible mushroom species. Mushrooms are rich in moisture, proteins, fibers, vitamins, minerals, and a diverse array of bioactive compounds, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, sterols, polysaccharides, and terpenoids. These components confer a range of health benefits, notably antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and immunomodulatory effects. Furthermore, the review emphasizes the industrial applications of mushrooms in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, agriculture, and biotechnology. Despite their benefits, certain mushroom species pose toxicological risks due to compounds like amatoxins and ibotenic acid, underscoring the importance of proper identification and consumption practices. This study aims to bridge traditional knowledge and modern scientific insights, thereby supporting the integration of mushrooms into functional foods and therapeutic regimens that enhance human health and well-being.
1 Introduction
A mushroom is the fleshy reproductive structure of a fungus, commonly emerging above the soil, characterized by a cap, stalk, and gills. Although some mushrooms are edible, several varieties are toxic, making accurate identification imperative. The name “mushroom” primarily denotes gilled fungi, such as the button mushroom, although it may also encompass other gilled or stemless fungi (1). Agaricus bisporus, commonly called mushrooms, is a member of the Agaricaceae family, exhibiting variations in shape, color, and characteristics among different species (2, 3). About 1.5 million fungi have been found, and 14,000 species of fungi can produce fruiting bodies considered as mushrooms, and only 200 species are referred to as an edible source of food (4). Most of the edible mushrooms are Agaricus, Auricularia, Hericium, Pleurotus, Cordyceps, Lactarius, and Pisolithus (5). Edible mushrooms are cultivated and grown from soil, trees, plant cuttings, or seeds. The duration of mushroom development varies among species; some, such as morels, require an extended period to mature, while others, like oysters, grow rapidly. The extensive cultivation of edible mushrooms is prevalent globally (6). The global consumption of mushrooms as a food source is prevalent. These are consumed for their delectable flavor and superior nutritional content (7, 8). The nutritional makeup of mushrooms consists of 85–95% moisture, 3–5% protein, 0.5% fat, and 6–10.9% minerals. Edible mushroom is an excellent source of essential amino acids, including leucine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, valine, and glutamine. Besides this, the protein content in edible mushrooms significantly contributes to promoting good health, as these mushrooms also contain nonessential amino acids, specifically gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which acts as a major neurotransmitter. Various vitamins are contained in significant quantities, including niacin, riboflavin, biotin, thiamine, pantothenic acid, and folic acid. A significant quantity of minerals, notably zinc, copper, iron, and potassium, is contained in fruiting bodies and regarded as a nutritious food source (9, 10). The extract of different parts of mushrooms exerts potential biological benefits against human disorders by anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-obesity, and many other pharmacological properties. The composition of phytochemical compounds of mushrooms helps to improve and promote human health. The phenolic constituents of edible mushrooms possess the ability to reduce the risk of multiple human disorders. The phenols, bioactive compounds, enzymes, peptides, protein, and other derivatives of phytochemicals have potential against free radicals and viral agents (6, 11). Mushrooms have been valued for centuries for their possible medicinal advantages as well as for their taste. Growing scientific curiosity in recent years has brought attention to the nutritional value and bioactive substances found in different kinds. The present research on the health-promoting characteristics of mushrooms—including their involvement in enhancing immunity, supplying vital nutrients, and providing possible anticancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects aims to be explored and synthesized in this paper Given growing worldwide focus on natural health products and functional meals, knowing how mushrooms contribute to human nutrition and health becomes very important. This study aims to close the gap between conventional wisdom and contemporary scientific discoveries by providing an understanding of how mushrooms could be successfully included in regular meals for better general health.
2 Chemical composition of edible mushrooms
2.1 Nutritional values of edible mushrooms
For millennia, edible mushrooms have been extensively consumed for their palatable flavor as well as their health-enhancing and therapeutic attributes (12, 13). Nutritional content in edible mushrooms includes protein, vitamins, minerals, fat-free, fiber, as shown in Figure 1. Protein in edible mushrooms plays an important role due to the presence of all essential amino acids, which are powerful components for human growth and development. It also plays a chief role in human muscle protein (14, 15). Several experimental studies proved that a wide range of carbohydrates have been found in edible mushrooms, mainly glucose and mannitol, and a minimum quantity of sucrose and fructose, also seen in the nutritional components of mushrooms.
Mushrooms contain polysaccharides, including β-glucans like lentinan and pleuran, which are abundant in Lentinula edodes and Pleurotus ostreatus. The β-glucan content in mushrooms typically comprises 20–45% of total carbohydrate (10–25 g/100 g dry weight) in some species (16). Due high proportion of insoluble dietary fiber (22 to 30%) in edible mushrooms, it helps to prevent constipation. Besides this, edible mushrooms also comprise 4 to 9% of soluble dietary fiber, which helps to lower the cholesterol level. Various studies have demonstrated that the Pleurotus ostreatus mushroom contains 4.1 g of dietary fiber (17–19). In addition to nutritional value, edible mushrooms are considered as most healthy and nutritious food.
The nutritional content of mushrooms varies from species to species due to different harvest stages and variations of the environment in which the species of mushrooms are grown (20). The consumption of edible mushrooms is high due to their nutritional and chemical composition importance in human dietary regimen. The oyster mushrooms have an oyster-like shape and are widely used for food due to their delicious taste, nutraceutical functions, and medicinal benefits (21). In several experimental studies, different methods of extraction were used to identify the nutritional, medicinal, and therapeutic properties of fruiting bodies like mushrooms (14, 22). They are enriched with a great source of all nutrients, but lipids comprise a low quantity in the nutritional composition of mushrooms.
The amount of fat concentration in the total dry weight of edible mushroom (Agarics bosporus) is 1.66 to 2.2%. Also, the major fatty acids present in the mushroom contribute to the prevention of arthritis and heart-related diseases. Linoleic acid, oleic acid, and palmitic acid are found in edible mushrooms in greater quantities, which are involved in maintaining blood pressure by lowering the cholesterol level (23, 24). Linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid found in high proportions in Calocybe gambosa, Hygrophorus marzuolus, and Pleurotus species, makes up 30–70% of mushroom fatty acids and 150–300 mg/g of total fat. It has significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, suppressing the synthesis of important pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and tumor necrosis factors (TNFs) (25). Ergosterol can also serve as a precursor for the synthesis of vitamin D in the human body. The antioxidant component tocopherols also aids in protection against the detrimental effects of free radicals and mitigates heart-related problems (26).
Read the full article in the PDF: Mushroom marvels
Noreen S, Sultan H, Hashmi B, Aja PM and Atoki AV (2025) Mushroom marvels: understanding their role in human health.
Front. Nutr. 12:1654911. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1654911
