Mushrooms and Human Health

Mushrooms constitute a traditionally very important vegetable relish, which is passionately enjoyed by many rural village communities in Africa. These biota are highly treasured for their unique flavour, their agreeable texture, and their pleasant feel to the tongue. In most societies in Africa, the villagers know which mushrooms are fit for human consumption, and which should not be touched. They also know which species grow in which types of ecosystems, which are medicinally potent, and which are fatally poisonous; and they patiently and enthusiastically hunt the edible species during rainy seasons. They sell some of their finds in the various rural and urban markets, for cash income.

Occasionally, mistaken identities also occur. Poisonous species are sometimes confused with edible varieties. Deaths due to mushroom poisoning are thus not uncommon. Consequently, some individuals decide to avoid the eating of mushrooms altogether. Unfortunately, they don't realize what nutritional benefits they miss by such decisions. Poisonous mushrooms are actually relatively few: they represent less than 1% of the known mushroom biota. Most villagers in Africa are not aware that mushrooms can be farmed. In fact, one can guarantee the safety of farmed mushrooms for consumption, since poisonous species are excluded in mushroom agronomy ventures.

In this booklet, the two sides of mushrooms are presented. The many nutritional benefits of the various species are highlighted. The medicinal attributes of selected genera and species are described: both as preventive and curative medicine. Few people are aware of the impressively high protein levels of some mushrooms, and of their excellent nutritional balance. Mushrooms contain all the essential amino acids. Few people are aware of the high levels of vitamins in mushrooms, and also of their rich content of inorganic mineral nutrients. But what comes out most vividly and most tantalizingly, is the novel information on the expanding global use of mushrooms as potent nutriceuticals, by virtue of their unique natural products, which are increasingly being shown to be effective in promoting the body's immunoresponse systems, in enhancing the body's defence against various types of cancers, against some viral infections, and in retarding disease. These healing agents have extra-ordinarily low toxicity, even at high doses. They can, indeed, profoundly improve the quality of human health.

Scientific studies on the dietary supplements derived from medicinal mushrooms such as Ganoderma lucidum, Schizophyllum commune, Coriolus, etc., and also from edible mushrooms such as Lentinula edodes, Auricularia auricula-judae, etc., abundantly demonstrate that men and women of all ages, can significantly benefit from regularly eating mushrooms and mushroom products. This is especially so for individuals working under long days and stressful conditions; and those who periodically need to regulate their blood cholesterol levels, to normalize their blood pressure, or to undergo therapy for still joints, or to enhance their body's defence systems. The reader will, no doubt, find the booklet interesting, reader-friendly, informative, and enlightening.

With the great promise which mushrooms offer towards enhancing the body's health, especially when used as dietary supplements, I am most encouraged by the efforts which the authors of the booklet are making towards promoting public awareness on the many potential uses of Africa's mushrooms and other biota. I sincerely commend them. I sincerely commend also the University of Namibia for spearheading this vision. I furthermore sincerely commend and thank UNDP Africa and UNOPS New York, for providing funding support for this important initiative and Regional Project (RAF/99/ 021). The booklet is an eye-opener. I recommend it to a wide spectrum of readers, to educational institutions, to people in the medical field, to policy makers, and to entrepreneurs in the business sector.

Dr. Libertina Amathila
Minister Ministry of Health and Social Services
Republic of Namibia