Mushroom Mystery: Yeast Or Not?

Mushrooms and yeast are both fungi, a group of eukaryotic organisms that also includes molds. Fungi are neither animals nor plants, and biologists have put them in their own category. They are used extensively in food preparation, biotechnology, and medicine. Mushrooms, for example, have been used in traditional Chinese medicine, while yeast is used in the production of bread, beer, wine, and medicine. However, while mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi, yeasts are single-celled microorganisms.

Mushrooms are a type of fungus

Mushrooms are the spore-producing, fruiting bodies of fungi. They come in a variety of shapes, colours, and sizes. The spores of mushrooms are made of chitin, the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth. Fungi are important in human medicine and are used in more than half of the 20 most profitable products in human medicine, including statins and antibiotics. They are also used in food preparation and preservation, such as in the making of bread, cheese, and soy sauce, as well as in wine and beer production.

Fungi play an essential role in ecosystems, and life would not exist without them. In forests, they make up 90% of living things by mass, and on agricultural land, they make up 50%. They acquire their food by absorbing dissolved molecules, secreting digestive enzymes into their environment. Fungi do not photosynthesize; instead, they grow and spread through spores, which may travel through the air or water.

While mushrooms are a type of fungus, they do not contain yeast. Yeasts are single-celled microorganisms that are also classified as members of the fungus kingdom. They are used in the fermentation process to make food and beverages such as bread, beer, wine, and spirits. Yeast microbes are believed to be one of the earliest domesticated organisms, with evidence of their use in ancient Egyptian and Israeli cultures.

Yeast is also a type of fungus

Mushrooms do not contain yeast. However, yeast is indeed a type of fungus. Yeast is a eukaryotic, single-celled microorganism classified as a member of the fungus kingdom. There are about 1,500 known species of yeast, most of which are in the phylum Ascomycota, with only a few being Basidiomycota. Yeasts are found worldwide in soils and on plant surfaces and are especially abundant in sugary mediums such as flower nectar and fruits. They can also be found in the gut flora of mammals and some insects, and even in deep-sea environments.

Yeasts, including Candida albicans, Rhodotorula rubra, Torulopsis, and Trichosporon cutaneum, have been found living in between people's toes as part of their skin flora. Certain strains of some yeast species produce proteins called yeast killer toxins, which allow them to eliminate competing strains. This can be advantageous in applications like treating yeast infections and winemaking.

Yeast is commonly used in the production of bread, beer, and wine. In food manufacturing, yeast causes fermentation and leavening by feeding on sugars and producing alcohol (ethanol) and carbon dioxide. Brewer's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a type of budding yeast commonly used in the baking and brewing industries. It ferments sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol.

Yeast sizes vary depending on species and environment, typically measuring 3-4 μm in diameter, although some yeasts can grow up to 40 μm. Most yeasts reproduce asexually by mitosis, specifically through the asymmetric division process known as budding. During budding, a small bump protrudes from a parent cell, enlarges, matures, and then detaches. This process is distinct from the reproduction of molds, which grow hyphae.

Fungi are not animals or plants

Fungi, including mushrooms, are not animals or plants. Fungi were historically classified as plants, but this was due to the limitations of the tools and views available at the time. Fungi are now recognised as their own kingdom of life, distinct from plants and animals.

Fungi have a unique method of feeding that distinguishes them from plants and animals. Unlike plants, fungi do not photosynthesise, and unlike animals, they do not ingest their food. Instead, they live inside their food and secrete enzymes to dissolve nutrients, which they then absorb. Fungi also lack chloroplasts, which are necessary for plants to produce their own food from sunlight.

Fungi and plants also differ in their cell structure. Plants have cell walls made of cellulose, while fungi have cell walls made of chitin, a substance also found in insect exoskeletons. Animals, meanwhile, do not have cell walls at all.

Fungi are more closely related to animals than to plants, sharing a common ancestor in the form of an opisthokont, a cell with a posterior flagellum. However, fungi are unique in their own right and are not simply a subset of animals or plants.

While mushrooms do contain complex chemicals that can impact immune activity, they are not the same as yeast. Yeast issues cannot be resolved by simply cutting out mushrooms from one's diet. Mushrooms can even have anti-microbial effects on candida species that have developed resistance to common antifungal medications.

Fungi have important uses in medicine

Mushrooms are neither good nor bad for health; they are a fascinating food group with a rich cultural history. They offer huge benefits when used thoughtfully. For instance, mushrooms have prebiotic effects on the microbiome and impact Th1/Th2 balance, obesity and blood glucose control.

Fungi, in general, have important uses in medicine. Some fungi naturally produce antibiotics that kill or stop the growth of bacteria. In 1928, researcher Alexander Fleming discovered antibiotics when he found that a fungus, Penicillium rubens, was growing on a petri dish of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. No bacteria grew around the fungal colonies. This led to the discovery of the potent antibiotic penicillin, which fights bacterial infections.

Another life-saving compound, cyclosporine, is produced by the fungus Tolypocladium inflatum. It reduces the immune response of the body, enabling organ transplantation and cosmetic surgery. Lovastatin, produced by the soil-borne fungus Aspergillus terreus, is used in medicines that lower high blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The fungus Griseofulvin is used to treat dermatophytes, and micafungin is an antifungal agent. Mycophenolate, derived from fungi, is used to prevent tissue rejection, and rosuvastatin reduces cholesterol. Fungi also produce antiviral, immunomodulatory, antitumor, antioxidant, radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory, antihyperlipidemic or antihypercholesterolemic, hepatoprotective, and antidiabetic agents.

Fungi also help plants grow and protect them against pests and drought. They improve nutrient and water availability to plants and can act as natural defenders of crops from parasites, replacing chemical pesticides.

Mushrooms can be used in anti-candida protocols

Mushrooms are neither inherently good nor bad for you. However, they can be a beneficial component of an anti-candida diet when used thoughtfully. Candida infections are caused by a yeast-like substance related to fungi. While it is true that candida infections thrive in the presence of sugar, it is not true that candida infections are caused by the consumption of yeast or sugar.

Fungi do not eat other fungi, and candida infections do not feed on yeast. Instead, they primarily feed on sugars and can also catabolize fats and proteins. For this reason, simply cutting out sugar will not resolve a yeast infection, and removing all carbohydrates can be detrimental to your health.

Medicinal mushrooms have been found to have antifungal properties, including efficacy against candida. They are also low in sugar and contain prebiotics, promoting beneficial probiotic bacteria growth. Some of their active ingredients can positively influence or improve immunological function. Certain mushrooms, such as shiitake and oyster mushrooms, have been found to have antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Extracts of Agaricus bisporus mushrooms, or white button, crimini, and Portobello mushrooms, were found to have antifungal activity against Candida yeast species.

However, it is important to note that the proteins in mushrooms can cause a cross-reaction in some people. If your immune system has manufactured antibodies against proteins in candida albicans, it may react to the proteins in dietary mushrooms, leading to an inflammatory response (a type B allergic reaction or 'food intolerance'). This has been observed in about 1 in 15 people.

Therefore, while mushrooms can be beneficial for most people on an anti-candida diet, it is always recommended to consult a healthcare professional or qualified practitioner before starting any new supplementation or treatment regimen.

Frequently asked questions