From Latin fungus, a fungus is a eukaryotic organism that belongs to the kingdom Fungi . Fungi form a polyphyletic group (there is no common ancestor to all members) and are parasites or live on subjects Organic decomposing.
The walls cell phones of the fungi are formed by chitin . Those who bear fruit produce sporocarp (multicellular structures on which other structures are formed), as in the case of mushrooms .
Mushroom feeding is known as osmotrophy (Nutrients are absorbed from dissolved substances), while digestion is external and secretes enzymes. Thanks to its ability to break down the dead matter of animals and plants , fungi play an important role in biogeochemical cycles.
Humans use fungi in various fields. There are food fungi that provide proteins and vitamins such as pumpkin mushrooms (Boletus edulis), the chase them (Lactarius deliciosus) and the mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). Other fungi that are used in food preparation act as yeasts and allow the fermentation of bread and beer, for example.
There are fungi that are used as hallucinogens , usually for ritual purposes. Its properties also allow the development of medications with psychotherapeutic action.
It should be noted that not all fungi are beneficial for man. Some of them, such as Coniphara, rot wood, while microscopic fungi known as molds They affect various materials. Others are poisonous and potentially fatal if consumed as food.
The mycology It is the specialty of medicine and the botany which is dedicated to the study of fungi.
Medicinal properties
It is known that certain varieties of fungi are very beneficial for our Health, and some cultures use them to treat a large number of diseases. In Japan and China, for example, they have been using the healing properties of fungi for almost two millennia. Some of the best known are Shiitake (also known as Lentinula), Ganoderma lucidum, Cordiceps sinensis, Agaricus blazei and Grifolla frondosa, which have been among the products of habitual consumption in certain countries of the East for centuries.
Fungi are probiotics, that is, they collaborate with the restoration of the well-being and balance of the organism, fighting diseases through the care of our system immunological It should be mentioned that, like other natural products with medicinal properties, they can be consumed as part of the daily diet, which further accentuates their differences with a drug of industrial origin.
Pleurotus mushrooms are very popular in various parts of the world, especially in China and some countries in Europe, although they have also been known in America since the beginning of the 20th century. Its value nutritional It is very high, since they have a good amount of non-starchy carbohydrates and dietary fiber, especially chitin, which acts exceptionally by absorbing the fats present in the digestive tract. It should be mentioned that chitin and its derivatives are widely marketed to fight obesity.
Maybe one of your properties more important is that, according to many investigations, Pleurotus mushrooms are able to prevent the formation of certain tumors, as well as to delay it and prevent them from growing excessively; This is due to the fact that they have a large number of polysaccharides of complex molecular structure. It is believed that the action is to potentiate those cells that fight cancer, to achieve the elimination of the latter naturally, without side effects.
On the other hand, frequent consumption of these fungi helps decrease the level of fatty acids in our bloodstream and cholesterol in the liver In addition, they cause a favorable antiatherogenic effect, that is, they collaborate with the prevention of heart disease, thanks to the fact that they prevent the arteries from hardening.
