Our relationship with mushrooms is long and fascinating. But there are records going back to the Chinese Chow Dynasty, revealing that mushrooms were in use 3,000 years ago for food and medicine. They are high in B vitamins, phosphorus, and potassium. B-12 you need for the day. This is vital to know if you are a vegetarian or Vegan.
Modern researchers are now most focused on the medicinal and healing capabilities of mushrooms.
In the United States, several major discoveries in medicine were derived from lower organisms such as molds and yeast. The antibiotics penicillin, tetracycline, and auremycin, were considered miraculous drugs for treating infections and other communicable diseases. Cyclosporin, derived from a fungus that uses insects as a host, has contributed to the rapid advancements made with organ transplants. Cyclosporin suppresses the immune system of transplant patients,which in turn lowers the rate of tissue rejection. Interestingly enough, these same lower organisms are used to produce bread, beer, wine, cheese, organic acids, and vitamins.