ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. — ZephyrGills Farm is tucked in a quiet corner of Zephyrhills, with over a dozen types of mushrooms – most aimed at improving your health. 

What You Need To Know

  • Eric Roman started growing mushrooms six years ago. Originally, he said he had an interest in mushrooms after he learned about their health benefits 

  • He said mushrooms can serve as an aid to several health conditions including: Hypertension, diabetes, obesity and even depression

  • LINK: ZephyrGills Farm

“I think with the mushrooms is a dualistic thing. We’ve had the meat era, this is the mushroom era,” said farmer Eric Roman.

“Some people say it’s the decade of the mushroom. I think what people like about it is, it’s a good food source as well as medicine.”

Roman was born and raised on the land where he now grows mushrooms. He said his parents built his childhood house, nearly from the ground up. 

“My sister and I grew up here,” said Roman. “Really none of this would be possible without my parents. They support the farm and everything I’m doing here.” 

Roman started growing mushrooms six years ago. Originally, he said he had an interest in mushrooms after he learned about their health benefits.

Packed with sources of vitamins, some mushrooms are known to have huge health benefits for people, and you can legally grow them in your backyard.

“It’s not what we eat, it’s what we don’t eat,” said Roman. “Mushrooms can be an anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant ... zinc, copper, cholesterol. They also promote the growth of good bacteria while sort of discouraging bad bacteria. They support the immune system, regulate blood sugars and insulin levels.”

These are just a few of the benefits that Roman says comes with eating mushrooms, but it all starts with a fungus. 

“Here’s the fruiting chamber. The air is gonna come through here and it's gonna get humidified ... 70 degrees or lower,” explained Roman. “Between the temperature and humidity, that's it. The mushrooms do their own thing. There are some mushrooms that work better or worse with certain diets or issues.”

Roman said that his business doubled after recent studies revealed mushrooms can help with several health conditions including: Hypertension, diabetes, obesity and even depression.  

“I’m still learning a lot, there’s so much to learn," said Roman. “But I love that I can be a part of helping my community, in this way."