Eating (& enjoying) more mushrooms of late has led me to take a look at their nutritional value. Their Vitamin D content as well as absorption of is fascinating. Plus other benefits as outlined in these two excellent articles.

Nutritional value and health benefits

From medicalnewstoday.com

Mushrooms are classified as vegetables in the food world, but they are not technically plants. They belong to the fungi kingdom. Although they are not vegetables, mushrooms provide several important nutrients.

The key to getting enough vitamins and minerals in the diet is to eat a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables. In many cases, a food that lacks color also lacks necessary nutrients, but edible mushrooms, which are commonly white, prove quite the contrary.

This feature is part of a collection of Medical News Today articles on the health benefits of popular foods. It provides a nutritional breakdown of mushrooms and an in-depth look at their possible health benefits, how to incorporate more mushrooms into your diet and any potential health risks associated with their consumption.

From besthealthmag.ca

5 Health Benefits of Mushrooms

Increase your vitamin D

Yes, vitamin D! Mushrooms are the only fruit or vegetable source of this critical vitamin. Like humans, mushrooms produce vitamin D when in sunlight. Exposing them to high levels of ultraviolet B just before going to market converts more of the plant sterol ergosterol into the so-called sunshine vitamin. In the U.S., portobellos fortified with vitamin D are already being sold, with a three-ounce (85-gram) serving providing about 400 IU of vitamin D (Osteoporosis Canada recommends that adults under 50 get 400 to 1,000 IU daily). William Stevens, CEO of the trade organization Mushrooms Canada, says, “A couple of Canadian producers are already testing this procedure.” He adds that “high D” or “sunshine” mushrooms should be in stores here in about six months or so.

(at the ‘READ MORE’ link click red double arrows to right like so … << … 2 … >> … sometimes these articles with a ton of ads and arrows everywhere I find get confusing … )