From Newsweek
New research reveals that mushrooms are “without a doubt” the highest known single source of the antioxidants ergothioneine and glutathione, which are both associated with anti-aging properties.
A team of researchers from Pennsylvania State University found that mushrooms are surprisingly full of both compounds, and that some of the 13 species they tested contained vastly higher levels than others. Common white button mushrooms, for instance, had low levels of the two antioxidants compared to some other mushrooms but still higher levels than your average non-mushroom food. The winner “by far” was the wild porcini mushroom, which is convenient since it’s also delicious. And even though some foods lose their health benefits when you cook them, the antioxidants in the mushrooms appear heat-stable and thus unaffected. The research was recently published in the journal Food Chemistry.
Sounds good, doesn't it? I looked up the price of porcini mushrooms. At Walmart, porcini mushrooms are priced at $57 a pound. Really? $57 a pound? Yes. So food research finds porcini mushrooms are fabulous anti-aging agents. Great. However, few besides the rich can afford them or are willing to pay $57 a pound. Yes, at $57 a pound, I'd rather get old.