Mushrooms Are Packed with Vitamins

Mushrooms Are Packed with Vitamins

Most people think that mushrooms have no nutritional value. "How could they be nutritious when they are grown in... you know what!" is the most common response that I get when I tell people that they are infact very good for you.

Not only does a 1/2 cup of mushrooms satisfy your one daily serving of Fruits and Vegetables as recommended by Canada's Food Guide, but it also provides lots of B Vitamins.

Here, we’ve listed the nutrient amounts and % Daily Values (%DV) of these important water-soluble vitamins for a ½-cup serving of cooked, sliced white button mushrooms.

Folate
11 mcg (3% DV)
• Plays an essential role in building new body cells, by helping to make DNA and RNA.
• Works with vitamin B12 to form hemoglobin in red blood cells. Prevents megaloblastic anemia.
• The DRI for women of child-bearing age is 400 micrograms. Folate is essential for lowering the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida in developing fetuses.

Niacin
2.2 mg (11% DV)
• Important for the metabolism of carbohydrate and fatty acids.
• Acts as a coenzyme or cosubstrate in many biological reduction and oxidation reactions. Required for energy metabolism.
• Helps enzymes function normally.

Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
0.8 mg (8% DV)
• Acts as a coenzyme in fatty acid metabolism.• Has numerous other essential roles in energy metabolism.

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
0.25 mg (15% DV)
• Required for the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids and lipids, and supports antioxidant protection.
• Changes the amino acid tryptophan in food into niacin.
• Enzyme cofactor fundamental to all areas of metabolism particularly that of carbohydrate and fatty acids.

Thiamin (vitamin B1)
0.05 mg (3% DV)
• Plays essential roles in carbohydrate metabolism and neural function.

Vitamin B6
0.02 mg (1% DV)
• Primarily involved in metabolism of amino acids.
• Helps produce other body chemicals including insulin, hemoglobin and antibodies that fight infection.

So eat up your mushrooms! They are packed full of great vitamins that are vital to your well being.