Mushrooms are edible fungus that can provide several important nutrients. The many kinds of mushroom have varying compositions and nutritional profiles.
From puffballs to truffles, mushrooms can range from everyday fare to a costly delicacy. People can buy them fresh, canned, or dried.
In 2015, each person in the United States consumed, on average, around 3 pounds of mushrooms and in the India only around 200-300g of mushroom consumed, according to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center. Beyond the diet, mushrooms feature in some types of traditional medicine trusted source. In this article, learn about the nutritional contents and possible health benefits of eating mushrooms. We also give some tips on preparing and serving them and describe the risks.
Health Benefits
Mushrooms contain protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These can have various health benefits. For example, antioxidants are chemicals that help the body eliminate free radicals. Free radicals are toxic byproducts of metabolism and other bodily processes. They can accumulate in the body, and if too many collect, oxidative stress can result. This can harm the body’s cells and may lead to various health conditions.
Among the antioxidant agents in mushrooms are:
Cancer
The antioxidant content in mushrooms may help prevent trusted source lung, prostate, breast, and other types of cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Some sources have suggested that selenium may help prevent cancer, but a Cochrane review, from 2017, found no evidence to confirm this. Mushrooms also contain a small amount of vitamin D. There is some evidence trusted source that vitamin D supplementation may help prevent or treat some kinds of cancer, though according to a 2018 report, the effect may vary from person to person. Choline is another antioxidant in mushrooms. Some studies trusted source have suggested that consuming choline can reduce the risk of some types of cancer, but at least one other study trusted source has indicated that it may increase the risk of prostate cancer. It is worth noting that consuming a nutrient as a supplement is not the same as consuming it in the diet.
Diabetes
Dietary fiber may help manage a number of health conditions, including type 2 diabetes. A 2018 review trusted source of meta-analyses concluded that people who eat a lot of fiber may have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. For those who already have it, fiber may help reduce blood glucose levels.A cup of sliced, raw mushrooms, weighing 70 grams trusted source (g), provides almost 1 g of fiber. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults consume 22.4-33.6 of dietary fiber each day, depending on sex and age. Mushrooms, beans, some vegetables, brown rice, and whole-grain foods can all contribute to a person’s daily requirement of fiber.
Heart health
The fiber, potassium, and vitamin C in mushrooms may contribute to cardiovascular health. Potassium can help regulate blood pressure, and this may decrease the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association Trusted Source (AHA) recommend reducing the intake of added salt in the diet and eating more foods that contain potassium. According to current guidelines trusted source, people should consume around 4,700 milligrams (mg) of potassium each day. Mushrooms appear on the AHA’s list of foods that provide potassium. A 2016 study trusted source concluded that people with a vitamin C deficiency were more likely to experience cardiovascular disease and suggested that consuming vitamin C may help prevent this illness. They did not find evidence that vitamin C supplements can reduce the risk of this type of disease. There is some evidence trusted source that consuming a type of fiber called beta-glucans may lower blood cholesterol levels. Beta-glucans occur in the cell walls of many types of mushrooms. The stem of the shiitake mushrooms is a good source trusted source of beta-glucans.
In pregnancy
Many women take folic acid, or folate, supplements during pregnancy to boost fetal health, but mushrooms can also provide folate. A cup of whole, raw mushrooms contains 16.3 micrograms trusted source (mcg) of folate. Current guidelines recommend that adults consume 400 mcg trusted source of folate each day.
Other Benefits
Mushrooms are rich in B vitamins, such as:
B vitamins help the body get energy from food and form red blood cells. A number of B vitamins also appear to be important for a healthy brain. The choline in mushrooms can help with muscle movement, learning, and memory. Choline assists in maintaining the structure of cellular membranes and plays a role in the transmission of nerve impulses. Mushrooms are also the only vegan, nonfortified dietary source of vitamin D. Several other minerals that may be difficult to obtain from a vegan diet — such as selenium, potassium, copper, iron, and phosphorus — are available in mushrooms.
Nutritional content
Many types of mushroom are edible, and most provide about the same quantities of the same nutrients per serving, regardless of their shape or size. The table below shows how much of each nutrient a 96-g cup of whole, raw mushrooms provides. It also shows how much of each nutrient adults should consume every day, depending on their sex and age.
Mushrooms also contain a number of B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, B-6, and B-12.
Tips for preparing mushrooms
There are around 2,000 edible varieties of mushrooms, but only a handful are available on the American market. They include:
Seasonal varieties available at farmer’s markets and some grocery stores include:
Some people pick wild mushrooms, but it is essential to know which are edible, as some contain deadly toxins.
When buying fresh mushrooms, chose ones that are firm, dry, and unbruised. Avoid mushrooms that appear slimy or withered. Store mushrooms in the refrigerator. A person should not wash or trim them until it is time to cook with them.
The Environmental Working Group, which assesses foods for their pesticide contents, placed mushrooms that grow in the U.S. in its 2019 list of the 15 cleanest foods, referring to relatively low traces pesticides. However, people should still wash and clean them carefully before using them to remove any soil and grit. If necessary, trim the ends of the stalks. You can use mushrooms whole, sliced, or diced. To incorporate more mushrooms into the diet, try:
To prepare dried mushrooms, leave them in water for several hours until they are soft.