Mushrooms have been used for thousands of years as both food and medicine. They can supply the diet with vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein, while fighting cancer. The nutrition they supply is touted as cholesterol-lowering and immunity-enhancing. Some mushrooms, such as the portabella, contain good amounts of antioxidants, which help reduce the risk of certain diseases. Mushrooms have the ability to be an important nutritional component of your diet.
Vitamin D
White button and shiitake mushrooms contain small amounts vitamin D. One serving of cooked shiitake mushrooms has 13 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin D. Mushrooms cannot usually fulfill your vitamin D requirement, but they can provide an added bonus. Recently, mushroom growers have begun to treat mushrooms with ultraviolet B light to increase their vitamin D content. Fresh Sun Bella mushrooms contain 100 percent of the recommended daily intake for vitamin D in a 3 oz. serving.
Other Vitamins
Many edible mushrooms contain significant amounts of B-complex vitamins, although the amounts vary between varieties and even between farms. Shiitake mushrooms can be an excellent source of vitamins B2, B3, B5 and B6, while enoki mushrooms contain B1, B2, B3, B5 and B9. Also, many mushrooms contain bioavailable vitamin B-12, both on the surface and in the flesh of the mushroom. Luckily, mushrooms retain nutrients when you cook them, unlike other foods.
Minerals
Most mushrooms contain considerable amounts of minerals, especially copper. One cup of stir-fried white button mushrooms supplies your body with about one-third of the recommended daily intake, or RDI, of copper. Also, mushrooms contain selenium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium, although not in quantities as high as copper. A medium portabella mushroom can have more potassium than a banana. One raw oyster mushroom contains 11 percent of your daily iron requirement.
Fiber
Mushrooms contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. With fiber content at 8 to 10 percent per dry weight of mushrooms, they are a good source of dietary fiber. Just 5 oz. of button mushrooms can supply 3.4 percent of your daily fiber requirement, while one cup of portabella mushrooms supplies 11 percent. Fiber is ideal for weight management and a healthy digestive system. Containing only 100 calories per ounce, mushrooms become a healthy addition to your diet.
Protein
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, most mushrooms contain 2 to 3 g of protein per ounce, whether they are cooked or uncooked. Because the protein content is fairly low, mushrooms cannot be a significant source of protein, but they can be a healthy alternative if your diet is already sufficient in protein-rich foods. In vegetarian diets, mushrooms add a meaty texture to meals, which can make meals more satisfying.
Additional Nutrients
In testing for antioxidants in mushrooms, it was found that portabella and button mushrooms rival the red pepper, which contains the highest known levels of antioxidants in the vegetable kingdom. Also, mushrooms contain disease-fighting phytochemicals, which have been linked to lowering breast cancer risks in women and possibly prostate cancer in men. Mushrooms have been used in Chinese medicine for their immune-enhancing abilities for thousands of years, especially shiitake and reishi mushrooms.
References
- Nutraingredients.com; "Make Room for Mushrooms in Antioxidant Rankings"; June 2006
- Mushrooms Canada: Mushrooms Are Good For You -- You Know Why?
- United States Department of Agriculture; "Vitamin D-Rich Mushrooms -- A Research Success"; Marcia Wood; November 2008
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; "Vitamin B-12 is the Active Corrinoid Produced in Cultivated White Button Mushrooms"; S.R. Koyyalamudi et al.; July 2009
- United States Department of Agriculture; "Nutrient Data on Mushrooms Updated"; Rosalie Marion Bliss; August 2006
- Vegetarian-Nutrition.info; "Health Benefits of Mushrooms"; Winston Craig; 2003
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