New research has shown that mushrooms have the uncanny ability to play a protective role against cancer. Studies have argued that women who eat an average of one mushroom a day decrease their risk of breast cancer by 64%.

This is according to new research from a number of international groups including the Beckman Institute at the City of Hope Cancer Centre in California and the University of Australia in Sydney in collaboration with the medical faculty at the Zhejiang University in China.

Mushrooms are rich in anti-oxidants which contain more selenium (an anti-oxidant) than any other plant food. Selenium has been found to have anti-cancer affect on prostate cancer particularly, by getting rid of free radicals and defending the body against invading organisms.

Mushrooms can also assist in guarding against breast and prostate cancer as they contain fatty acids which inhibit the enzymes that have been linked to breast, ovarian, uterine and prostate cancers.

Mushrooms can act as a natural substitute for controlling oestrogen and offer alternatives to medication used to prevent breast cancer in women and treat breast cancer in women and men which are often with nasty side effects and cannot be taken chronically.

Part of the reason behind conducting research on the correlation between mushroom consumption and cancer is the high mushroom consumption per capita in China. Results from studies conducted have shown that the occurrence of breast cancer in China was five times lower than in developed Western countries with a lower mushroom consumption per capita.

World Cancer Day is observed globally on February 4 in an attempt to raise awareness of cancer and rally people in support of fighting the deadly disease.