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Nutrients in Mushrooms + 6 Healthy Recipes
Learn about the nutrients in mushrooms.
What makes a recipe great in your book? The flavor? Convenience? Approval of your family? How about the nutrients it provides your body?
There are certain micronutrients in the foods we eat that play a key role in supporting the immune system.1 Read on to learn how the nutrients in white button, crimini and portabella mushrooms can help feed your immune system, and discover delicious ‘shroom-filled recipes to add to your menu!
Nutrients in White Buttons
The most popular mushroom variety in the U.S., white button mushrooms are extremely versatile and easy to find. Plus, they’re an excellent source of copper, containing 0.285 mg per five medium mushrooms, which is 32% of the recommended daily value (DV).2 Copper is used by the body to make energy, connective tissues and blood vessels, and to help maintain the nervous and immune systems.3
Both vitamins D and C are important for maintaining a healthy immune system. Fatty fish, such as salmon, and mushrooms* are both excellent sources of vitamin D (salmon/66% DV)2 while broccoli and sugar snap peas bring the vitamin C (220% DV4 and 42% DV1, respectively). Supercharge your immune system and add some heat to the dinner table with this nutrient-packed meal that’s ready in just 40 minutes.
Take the convenience of a store-bought rotisserie chicken and add in veggies that contain vitamins important for immune health1 like the vitamin D of the mushrooms*, the vitamin A in the spinach (16% DV per 8 oz. serving2) and the vitamin C in potatoes (16% DV per 6 oz./170 g serving) for a deliciously healthy and simple weeknight meal.
White Button Tips:
- Slice, sauté or cook in almost any way...or enjoy them raw!
- You don’t need recipes to get white buttons on your plate. Put them on pizza, burgers and salads or toss them in pasta, quesadillas, stir-fries, soups, stews or omelets. The possibilities are endless.
Nutrients in Criminis
When you want a deeper, meatier mushroom flavor, turn to criminis. They not only provide a delicious taste, they are also an excellent source of selenium. Just four crimini mushrooms contain 20.8 mcg of selenium, which is 38% RDA.2 Selenium protects the body from infection and damage caused by free radicals.5
Two nutrients that support the immune system shine in this recipe -- selenium and vitamin B12. Crimini mushrooms bring the selenium, while one large egg is an excellent source of vitamin B12 (20% DV/0.5 mcg).
All the comforting flavors of lasagna with less work! Lasagna soup is packed with selenium superstars crimini mushrooms (38% DV)2, vitamin C-rich tomatoes (40% DV)4 and spinach (44% DV)2, and al dente lasagna noodles. Add protein with a dollop of ricotta (5g per ¼ cup serving) and a sprinkle of mozzarella — you’ve got yourself a delicious, nutrient-dense (yet still oozing with cheesy goodness) weeknight meal!
Crimini Tips:
- Like white buttons, crimini mushrooms are super versatile. Sauté, broil, roast or cook them in almost any way.
- Crimini’s hearty, full-bodied taste makes them an excellent addition to beef, wild game and vegetable dishes.
Nutrients in Portabellas
Portabellas are the largest variety in size and have a deep, meaty texture. Plus, they’re full of nutrients like vitamin D. Just one whole UV light-exposed* portabella mushroom contains 23.9 mcg of vitamin D, which is 120% RDA.2 Vitamin D helps build and maintain strong bones by helping the body absorb calcium.6
Feed your immune system with meaty, vitamin D-rich portabella mushrooms.* Add in the benefits of Greek yogurt, including protein (9g/100g serving)2 and probiotics (such as Lactobacillus acidophilus), along with vitamin C-powered bell peppers (190% DV) and tomatoes (40% DV)2 and have a real super-gyro sandwich.
Using portabellas in The Blend™ = layers upon layers of tasty satisfaction. These super-sized criminis (yes, criminis and portabellas are essentially the same mushroom, just different sizes!) are also an excellent source of selenium which happens to go great with zinc, of which lean ground beef is an excellent source (36% DV per 3 oz. serving)2. Time to get blending!
Portabella Tips:
- Portabellas are delicious grilled, broiled, roasted or even stuffed.
- Their deep flavor, hearty texture and large size makes them a great vegan/vegetarian alternative, whether making fajitas, burgers or even steak.
Keep the nutrients coming! Find more recipes, tips and easy ways to feed your immune system.
* Check the mushroom package label to see if the mushrooms have been exposed to UV light for maximum vitamin D -- up to 118% DV2.
1 https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/immunity. Written in March 2016 by: Giana Angelo, Ph.D. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. Reviewed in February 2017 by: Catherine Field, Ph.D. Professor of Nutrition, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta. This link leads to a website provided by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. The Mushroom Council® is not affiliated or endorsed by the Linus Pauling Institute or Oregon State University. Accessed November 19, 2020.
2 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019.
3 https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Copper-Consumer/, accessed November 22, 2020.
4 https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/nutrition-information-raw-vegetables
5 https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-Consumer/, accessed November 22, 2020.
6 https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/, accessed November 22, 2020.
