common mushroom types

1. Mushrooms are an excellent source of B vitamins, selenium, and potassium. These important vitamins and minerals help to break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
2. Mushrooms protect cells from damage that might lead to heart disease and high blood pressure.
3. Mushrooms are one of the lone plant sources of vitamin D, a vitamin that contributes to bone health, building your immune system, and regulating cell growth.
4. Mushrooms are a low calorie food because they are made up of 90% water. They are also fat-free, cholesterol-free, low in sodium, and full of fiber.

   Summary of Mushroom Key Findings from the Mushrooms and Health Summit

1. Mushrooms have a unique nutrient composition: naturally low in calories, fat and cholesterol, they’re the only source of vitamin D in the produce aisle; provide B vitamins and potassium (8% DV); and are a valuable source of micronutrients and antioxidants such as ergothionene and selenium.
2. Mushrooms, when substituted for meat in meals, can potentially assist weight control in obese adults; short term data and data from up to 1 year duration show this utility of mushrooms resulted in lower overall energy and fat intake and better success at losing/maintaining weight over time compared to those who only ate meat.
3. Mushrooms are a proven enhancer of both innate and adaptive immunity through consumption.
4. Mushrooms, when exposed to ultraviolet light for a few seconds, can provide 100 percent of the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin D.
5. Mushrooms’ functional sensory and culinary properties – such as being rich in umami with a hearty, meaty taste and increasingly versatile – have them perfectly positioned to help Americans move towards healthier, plant-based menus and food choices.
6. Mushroom cultivation is environmentally-friendly and requires minimum input of water and chemical additives to yield year-round crops.