It is no secret that specific foods are beneficial for various systems within the human body. The nourishment that we put in determines in whole the energy and health that we put out. When looking to enhance your immune system, mushrooms are an excellent source of immune boosting power.

Various mushrooms have various medicinal qualities. While it is projected that all mushrooms have powerful immune boosting properties, only a handful of mushrooms have been evaluated for their potency, potential, and properties. There are over 200 species of mushrooms with proven medicinal value, particularly immune enhancing properties, and cultures throughout the world have been using mushrooms for this particular purpose. Mushrooms have not gained the same popularity for the immune enhancing powers in the medicinal mushrooms.

The most popular medicinal mushrooms with immune enhancing properties include maitake, shiitake, and reishi. By nature’s glorious design, these three species of mushrooms are known to kill bacteria in the human body. Additionally, the Brazilian mushroom Agaricus blazei is also known for its ability to kill viruses and bacteria in the human body. Some of the latest research boasts that these particular species of mushroom are able to prevent virus proliferation in the body when consumed on a regular basis.

Mushrooms are vital in diet just as they are vital in the ecosystems they contribute to, as their secretion of digestive enzymes creates a recycle bin in nature. There are brand new theories which suggest the digestive enzymes in mushrooms actually have immune enhancing properties when consumed by humans. This would mean that a fresh mushroom would contain about 3 times the immune enhancing power of a cooked or otherwise prepared mushroom.

There are other natural substances within the structure of a mushroom that provide the immune system power of warding of illness such as antimicrobial substances. In its natural environment, the mushroom relies on these antimicrobial substances to prevent the mushroom from succumbing to bacteria, viruses, or microorganism from attacking them. When consumed by humans, these substances carry over into the digestive system and provide the same health effects for the human body. This is powerful information in a world that relies too heavily on antibiotics and other potentially harmful pharmaceuticals when the immune system does not fight off illness.