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Mushroom Nutrition

When you think nutrition, think mushrooms.

The health benefits of mushrooms Striped hero element Curved white cut-off hero element

More of What You Need and Less of What You Don’t

Much more than pretty caps, mushrooms pack nutritional power that transforms them from a tasty bite to a valuable part of a balanced, nutritious diet. That’s no surprise to us, just as it wasn’t a surprise to the Romans, who saw mushrooms as the “Food of the Gods.”

Mushrooms have a high nutritional valueincluding potassium, selenium, copper, ergothioneine, and the B vitamins riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid. 

If that’s not a tasty enough mouthful, you can select mushrooms specially labeled as “High Vitamin D” for a healthy dose of this essential vitamin.

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Health Benefits

Mushrooms are the only significant source of Vitamin D in the produce department, as no other fruits and vegetables contain enough of this nutrient to be considered significant. However, not all mushrooms contain Vitamin D. Only those that were exposed to sunlight prior to packing are.

According to the FDA, we need 20 mcg of Vitamin D each day, and you can reach that level with only 10 Monterey Mushrooms® High Vitamin D mushrooms. 

Additionally, mushrooms are low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free, gluten-free, and very low in sodium — without compromising flavor! That’s exactly why mushrooms are incorporated into so many diet plans.

Mushroom Health Benefits

Mushrooms are mainstream for health and well-being. Studies have shown that mushrooms provide many health benefits, including support for your immune1, cardiovascular2, and nervous systems3, and much more! Let’s see how one serving of mushrooms (about 5 medium mushrooms) can give you the support you need.

Immune System Support 

There are a variety of foods that contain the micronutrients you need to support your immune system, and one serving of mushrooms can help you achieve your recommended daily value of:

  • Vitamin D. Fight off bacteria and viruses.4
  • Selenium. Protect against damage from free radicals.5 
  • Copper. Choose Baby Bellas and Shiitake.6

Try this One-Pan Chicken and Mushroom Recipe with High Vitamin D Baby Bellas for a triple dose of immune support from vitamin D, selenium, and copper.

Cardiovascular Health

Looking to support your cardiovascular system? One serving of mushrooms can help you reach your recommended daily value (DV) of: 

  • Niacin. Maintain healthy red blood cells.7
  • Selenium. Protect against cell damage that might lead to heart disease.8
  • Potassium. Make sure muscles, including the heart, function properly.7 

Add this Portabella Fajita recipe to your menu for three times the taste and three times these heart-healthy nutrients.

Cardiovascular Health

Looking to support your cardiovascular system? One serving of mushrooms can help you reach your recommended daily value (DV) of: 

  • Niacin. Maintain healthy red blood cells.7
  • Selenium. Protect against cell damage that might lead to heart disease.8
  • Potassium. Make sure muscles, including the heart, function properly.7 

Add this Portabella Fajita recipe to your menu for three times the taste and three times these heart-healthy nutrients.

Nervous System Support

The nervous system influences nearly every aspect of our health, so supporting it is vital. One serving of mushrooms provides key nutrients:

  • Riboflavin. Plays an important role in the nervous system.7
  • Pantothenic Acid. Makes sure the nervous system functions properly.7
  • Copper. Keeps nerves healthy.7

Ready for a recipe to support your nervous system? Try this Mapo Tofu with Pork and Mushrooms recipe made with Baby Bellas or White Mushrooms!

Nutritional Value of Mushrooms

For taste and health benefits, mushrooms are the way to go. You can’t go wrong with any of the varieties, but to help you make your selection, here is information about three of our favorites. 

For more information on the nutritional value of mushrooms, view our mushroom nutritional information chart.

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White Mushroom Nutrition

Serving size of 5 medium caps:

  • 20 calories
  • 0 grams of fat
  • 3 grams of carbohydrates
  • 1 gram of fiber
  • 3 grams of protein
  • 10 micrograms of vitamin D*

*Choose Monterey High Vitamin D Mushrooms for 50% daily value of this essential vitamin.

Baby-Bella-Mushrooms_adobespark

Baby Bella Mushroom Nutrition

Serving size of 5 medium caps: 

  • 20 calories
  • 0 grams of fat
  • 4 grams of carbohydrates
  • <1 gram of fiber
  • 2 grams of protein
  • 10 micrograms of vitamin D*

*Choose Monterey High Vitamin D Mushrooms for 50% daily value of this essential vitamin.

Shiitake mushrooms-1

Shiitake Mushroom Nutrition

Serving size of 3 ounces: 

  • 30 calories
  • 0 grams of fat
  • 6 grams of carbohydrates
  • 2 grams of fiber
  • 2 grams of protein

How They Stack Up

Let’s see how mushrooms compare with the recommended daily value (DV). The following information is sourced from FDA and USDA databases and summarized in our mushroom nutritional information chart. 

Iron

Your body needs iron9 for growth and development. Although Baby Bellas don’t provide a significant amount of iron per serving, 5 medium White mushroom caps contain 10% DV.

Potassium

A serving of White mushrooms contains 300 mg of potassium10, but Baby Bellas contain even more, with 380 mg per serving. Cut your banana purchase in half and add in some fungi!

B Vitamins

You’ll find plenty of B vitamins in mushrooms! White, Baby Bella, and Shiitake mushrooms provide significant amounts of riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid, which help give you energy by breaking down proteins, fat, and carbohydrates. A serving of Baby Bellas gives you the most bang for your buck for riboflavin11 (30% DV), but all three varieties come in at 20% DV for niacin12 and 25% for pantothenic acid13.

Selenium

Selenium5 is an antioxidant that helps protect body cells from damage. Baby Bellas lead the mushroom pack with 40% DV per serving, and Portabellas aren’t far behind. 

Copper

You want to make sure you're getting enough copper6 for healthy red blood cells, bones, and nerves. All it takes is one serving of Baby Bellas to reach 50% DV, and Portabellas contain 35% DV.

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  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684115/
  2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0367326X10001358?via%3Dihub
  3. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jnc.15767
  4. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/
  5. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-Consumer/, May 20, 2024.
  6. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Copper-Consumer/, Accessed May 20, 2024.
  7. 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.
  8. Phillips KM, Horst RL, Koszewski NJ, Simon RR (2012) Vitamin D4 in Mushrooms. PLoS ONE 7(8): e40702. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040702
  9. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-Consumer/, Accessed May 20, 2024.
  10. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Potassium-Consumer/, Accessed May 20, 2024.
  11. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Riboflavin-Consumer/, Accessed May 20, 2024.
  12. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Niacin-Consumer/, Accessed May 20, 2024.
  13. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/PantothenicAcid-Consumer/, Accessed May 20, 2024.

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