Mushroom Nutrition Facts: A Plant-based Source Packed With Nutrients

“A mushroom grows in silence but nourishes loudly.” This proverb says all about these mushrooms. Though small, it is a package of nutrients that provides antioxidants, boosts immunity, improves digestion, and supports heart health. Do you know? The word mushroom is derived from the word mousseron, which means moss. It belongs to the fungi kingdom and is not considered a vegetable. There are edible and poisonous mushrooms. 

In this blog, we will learn about mushroom nutrition facts, the different types of mushrooms, and how their nutrients help us maintain our health. 

Mushroom Nutrition Facts & Health Benefits

There are several benefits of having mushrooms. They provide us with a variety of nutrients that provide us with several health benefits. 

1. Vitamins

1. Mushrooms are rich in vitamins, especially B and D. Vitamin D helps absorb calcium and maintain strength, reduces inflammation, and boosts immune function. 
2. You don’t need to rely on sunshine or supplements in your diet, adding this to your diet will do it all. 
3. When it comes to Vitamin B they have, Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B5, and B7 (Pantothenic Acid & Biotin), Vitamin B9 (Folate). It helps in energy production and forming red blood cells.

2. Minerals

1. Mushrooms contain various minerals, such as potassium, selenium, copper, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, and iron. 
2. These minerals help to regulate our blood pressure, keep our blood cells from being damaged, increase our metabolism, and keep our bones strong.

3. Proteins

1. Mushrooms contain a high amount of protein with all nine amino acids
2. This helps us to reduce fatigue and promote muscle recovery. 

4. Fiber 

1. The mushrooms contain insoluble fibers such as chitin and β-glucans. 
2. It helps to maintain a healthy digestive system, supports gut health, and regulates bowel movements. 
3. It helps to maintain blood sugar levels, supports weight management, and reduces cholesterol. 
4. All these benefits make it an excellent source of dietary fiber. 

5. Antioxidants

1. Antioxidants such as Ergothioneine and Glutathione are present in the mushrooms. 
2. These types of antioxidants help to reduce our inflammation, help in detoxification, and maintain our cellular health.

6. Carbohydrates

1. Mushrooms contain whole carbs, especially fiber which makes it a healthy diet option. 
2. These carbs prevent from spiking of blood sugar, support weight management, and keep us healthy from within and outside. 

7. Water

1. The mushroom consists of 90% water in it, which will keep you hydrated. 
2. It also reduces your stress, improves your skin, hair, and nails, and helps your body to absorb nutrients faster. 

These are some of the mushroom nutrition facts that will support your health and prevent you from diseases such as cancer, diabetes, any kind of inflammatory & heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. You can include mushrooms in your diet in the right proportion to enjoy all these benefits. 

Types of Edible Mushrooms

In the above section, we learned about mushroom nutrition facts, here, we will get to know about some of the most popular edible mushrooms eaten worldwide. They contain all the above-mentioned nutrients in some amount. These mushrooms are preferred for their flavor and texture. 

1. Button Mushroom: This type of mushroom contains lots of B12 and protein that vegetarians require especially. 
2. Cremini Mushrooms: They contain bacteria that help to keep your digestive tract clean and healthy. 
3. Portobello Mushroom: They have non-nutritive compounds like polysaccharides, polyphenols, and carotenoids that stop cancerous cell growth. They help to maintain our gut health and prevent older people from suffering from harmful diseases such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). 
4. Shiitake Mushroom: These mushrooms are useful to fight cancer, boost immunity, and support heart health. Eating shiitake mushrooms will provide you with lots of B5 and copper. 
5. Oyster Mushroom: These mushrooms are a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It reduces the risk of cancer, improves metabolism and immunity, and maintains proper cholesterol levels. 

We hope you have got some information about mushroom nutrition facts present in these mushrooms. 

Tips to Include Mushroom in Your Diet

The taste of mushrooms is earthy, and this taste is required in our meals so that we get an instant connection with nature. You can grill them, bake them, saute them add them to whichever dishes you choose. 

Here are some options for meals and snacks you can consider. 

•  Vegetable Salads, soups
•  Stir-fries
•  Pastas, Pizzas, Burgers, Wraps, Tacos and Rissoto
•  Eat it with scrambled eggs, omelets, and meatballs 
•  Just grill & eat the mushrooms 
•  Fried rice 
•  Delicious mushroom curry

Happy Eating!

Final Thoughts

Mushrooms are a powerhouse of nutrients that have around 15 vitamins and minerals, which give us numerous benefits. Various types of mushrooms are present, with different nutritional values. In the end, any type of edible mushroom is a good choice as it provides us with an array of benefits and protects us from several diseases.