Fiber

Mushrooms are a good source of chitin and betaglucan, fibers that lower cholesterol and improve cardiovascular health. A laboratory animal study published in the 2012 issue of the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms found that pink oyster mushrooms reduced total cholesterol, triglycerides and lowdensity lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol and prevented arterial plaque formation. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results. A compound in shiitake mushrooms, called critadenine, helps the liver process cholesterol.