Wondering what your favorite fungi can do for your nutrition goals? Curious if adding mushrooms to your plate is a healthy choice?
The answer is a resounding YES!
Keep on reading to discover all the reasons why mushrooms are a nutritious food to choose.
Light & Flexible
Mushrooms fit into just about any diet or nutrition plan thanks to their inherently healthy characteristics:
- Low in calories.
- Very low in sodium.
- Fat free.
- Cholesterol free.
Key Nutrients
Mushrooms have important nutrients that support the healthy function of your body, such as:
- Selenium: An important nutrient for healthy immune function, selenium works as an antioxidant to protect body cells from damage that might lead to heart disease, some cancers and other diseases of aging.[1]
- B Vitamins: Mushrooms provide the B vitamins riboflavin and niacin, which help to provide energy by breaking down proteins, fats and carbohydrates, and also support healthy function of the nervous and immune systems.[2,3,4]
- Vitamin D: Many people fall short on their vitamin D intake, but mushrooms that have been exposed to UV light can support by converting ergosterol to vitamin D, just like our skin makes vitamin D from sunlight.[5,6] No other item in the produce aisle can do that!
- Copper: Helps make red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. Copper also aids in keeping bones and nerves healthy.[4]
- Potassium: Assists in controlling blood pressure and plays a role in making sure nerves and muscles, including the heart, function properly.[4]
The specific amounts of these nutrients can vary among varieties. Learn more about the nutritional content of each variety here.
Helpful In Weight Management
Despite being low in calories and fat free, mushrooms are hearty and filling. Preliminary research shows that increasing intake of foods like mushrooms that are less energy dense, meaning there are few calories given the volume of the food, in place of high-energy-dense foods, like lean ground beef, can be helpful with weight management because they promote daily energy while limiting fat intake and leaving you full and satisfied after a meal.[7]
Learn more about the nutrition benefits of mushrooms and get cooking with tasty ‘shroom-filled recipes.
The post Are Mushrooms Good For You? first appeared in The Foundation for Fresh Produce’s Have A Plant® blog.
Written by: The Mushroom Council
The Mushroom Council is composed of fresh market producers or importers who average more than 500,000 pounds of mushrooms produced or imported annually. The mushroom program is authorized by the Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act of 1990 and is administered by the Mushroom Council under the supervision of the Agricultural Marketing Service. Research and promotion programs help to expand, maintain and develop markets for individual agricultural commodities in the United States and abroad.
REFERENCES
[1]“Selenium in diet.” Medline Plus, National Institutes of Health, www.nlm.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002414.htm
[2] https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Niacin-Consumer/
[3] https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Riboflavin-Consumer/
[4] Duyff, R. American Dietetic Association’s Complete Food and Nutrition Guide. Third Addition. Wiley & Sons. NJ. 2006.
[5]Emberger, Sylvia. “Mushroom – Shedding Light on Their Nutritional Value.” Have A Plant, Produce For Better Health, fruitsandveggies.org/stories/mushroom-shedding-light-on-their-nutritional-value/.
[6] https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/
[7]Cheskin LJ, Davis LM, Lipsky LM, Mitola AH, Lycan T, Mitchell V, Mickle B, Adkins E. Lack of energy compensation over 4 days when white button mushrooms are substituted for beef. Appetite. 2008:51;50-57.
About The Foundation For Fresh Produce And Have A Plant® Movement
The Foundation for Fresh Produce’s vision is to grow a healthier world by changing the trajectory of human health. The produce industry has the potential to provide solutions for many of the world’s greatest health and economic challenges – especially those surrounding nutrition and hunger.
The Foundation focuses on improving the appeal of fruit and vegetables as an integral part of people’s diets, supporting the development of infrastructure and supply chain solutions that provide easier access, and establishing strategic alliances that enable children and families to form healthier eating habits.
The transformative Have A Plant® Movement inspires consumers with compelling reasons to believe in the powerful role fruits and vegetables can play to fuel happy, healthy and active lifestyles.
