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Nutrition

Research

See below for a list of existing research on the nutrients in mushrooms and how they may help in disease prevention. This research is just the beginning of what is sure to be an exciting journey into a fuller understanding of mushrooms and your health.

Mushrooms & Your Health

Cancer

Over the last decade, City of Hope researchers identified and tested cancer-inhibiting compounds in the common supermarket mushroom. Their work has moved into clinical trials at City of Hope, including the areas of suppressed growth of breast cancer and prostate cancer cells. Click here to read the latest on City of Hope’s work with mushrooms.

Just Add Mushrooms

Researchers have identified another good reason to eat more mushrooms. Research, published in Food Science & Nutrition (January 2021), found that adding a mushroom serving to the diet increased the intake of several micronutrients, including shortfall nutrients such as vitamin D, without any increase in calories, sodium or fat.8 Read more here.

Weight Management

Mushrooms are hearty and filling. Preliminary research suggests increasing intake of low energy dense foods, meaning few calories given the volume of food, specifically mushrooms, in place of high energy dense foods like lean ground beef can be helpful with weight management as they promote daily energy by limiting fat intake and leaving you full and satiated after a meal.5 Click here to read the full study.

Sodium Reduction

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourages healthy dietary patterns that are low in sodium. Mushrooms are fat free, low in sodium and their inherent umami counterbalances saltiness and allows for less salt to be used in recipes. Learn more about the Culinary Institute of America’s work with mushrooms and sodium reduction.


This research section is organized by topics of interest. For nutrition composition of common edible and culinary mushrooms, see: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.


[1] Duyff, R. American Dietetic Association’s Complete Food and Nutrition Guide. Third Addition. Wiley & Sons. NJ. 2006.

[2] National Institutes of Health. Medline Plus. medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002414.htm

[3] Dubost, N.J., et al. (2006). Identification and quantification of ergothioneine in cultivated mushrooms by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 8, 215-22.

[4] Rop, O., lcek, J., & Jurikova, T. (2009). Beta-glucans in higher fungi and their health effects. Nutrition Reviews, 67, 624-631.

[5] 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.

[6] US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Legacy. Version Current: April 2018. Internet: http://www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata

[7] Phillips KM, Horst RL, Koszewski NJ, Simon RR (2012) Vitamin D4 in Mushrooms. PLoS ONE 7(8): e40702. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040702

[8] Fulgoni VL III, Agarwal S. Nutritional impact of adding a serving of mushrooms on usual intakes and nutrient adequacy using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2016 data. Food Sci Nutr. 2021;00:1–8. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.2120

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