Michael Davis
Mushrooms are a potential source of vitamin D, which is essential for health. Vitamin D is typically found in animal products, but mushrooms are one of the few non-animal sources of vitamin D, making them a valuable food for vegetarians and vegans. The vitamin D content of mushrooms varies depending on factors such as the type of mushroom, whether it is fresh or dried, and its exposure to UV light. While vitamin D2 is the most common form of vitamin D in mushrooms, with smaller amounts of vitamin D3, research suggests that vitamin D2 from mushrooms can effectively raise and maintain vitamin D levels in individuals with insufficient vitamin D status.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mushrooms with vitamin D3 | Funnel chanterelle, Cantharellus cibarius, Boletus edulis, Agaricus species, Button mushrooms, Agaricus bisporus, Oyster, Shiitake |
| Factors affecting vitamin D content | Type of mushroom, whether fresh or dried, drying method, length of storage, cooking procedures, whether whole or sliced, which part receives UV light |
| Vitamin D content | 3–30 μg D2/100 g fresh weight, 10.7 μg D2/100 g FW, 58.7 μg D2/100 g FW, 1.5 μg/100 g FW, 18 μg/75 g serve, 441 IU/100 g |
| Other | Mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D for vegans and vegetarians |
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What You'll Learn
- Mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D2, with smaller amounts of vitamin D3
- Exposing mushrooms to UV light increases their vitamin D content
- Wild mushrooms typically contain more vitamin D than commercially grown mushrooms
- The type of mushroom, whether fresh or dried, and cooking procedures impact vitamin D content
- Mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D for vegans and vegetarians
Mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D2, with smaller amounts of vitamin D3
The most common form of vitamin D in mushrooms is D2, and exposing mushrooms to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, such as sunlight or a UV lamp, can significantly increase their vitamin D content. This is because UV light triggers the synthesis of vitamin D in mushrooms. The vitamin D2 content in UV-exposed mushrooms may decrease with storage and cooking, but if consumed before the 'best-before' date, it is likely to remain above 10 μg/100 g fresh weight, which meets the recommended daily vitamin D intake.
Edible mushrooms like Agaricus bisporus can provide over 100% of the recommended daily vitamin D intake per 75 g serve (18 μg) when exposed to UV light. Other wild mushroom varieties, such as funnel chanterelles, Cantharellus cibarius, and Boletus edulis, also contain high levels of vitamin D2.
While vitamin D3 is the most common form of vitamin D in animal foods, vitamin D2 from mushrooms can still be an important part of a diet aimed at increasing vitamin D intake. Vitamin D-enhanced mushrooms are the only non-animal food product with substantial amounts of bioavailable vitamin D. They can be a primary source of dietary vitamin D for vegans and vegetarians, who often have limited options for obtaining vitamin D from non-fortified food sources.
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Exposing mushrooms to UV light increases their vitamin D content
Mushrooms are the only non-animal food source that provides a notable amount of vitamin D. However, commercially grown mushrooms contain very little vitamin D because they are often grown in the dark. Exposing mushrooms to ultraviolet (UV) light is a simple way to significantly increase their vitamin D content.
Mushrooms, like humans, produce vitamin D when exposed to UV radiation. Hanne L Kristensen, a food scientist at Aarhus University, explains that "when we humans are hit by UV light, our cholesterol starts producing vitamin D in the skin through a photochemical process. This is similar to what happens in the mushroom, but here it’s the ergosterol that’s converted into vitamin D by means of the energy from the UV light."
A 2015 study demonstrated the dramatic effect of UV irradiation on the vitamin D content of mushrooms. In this study, scientists blasted Shiitake mushrooms with UV radiation for two hours. As a result, the vitamin D levels in the mushrooms skyrocketed from 2.3% DV per serving to 100% DV per serving. That's a 4,600% increase in vitamin D content!
The type of UV light used, the duration of exposure, and the temperature can all impact the amount of vitamin D produced in mushrooms. For example, optimal conditions for generating vitamin D2 from button mushroom powder were achieved using a UV-B lamp with an irradiance of 1.36 W/m2 for 10 minutes at 26°C, resulting in 740 μg D2/g powder. Similarly, exposing freeze-dried, powdered shiitake mushrooms to 20 pulses of UV light produced 37 μg/g DM of vitamin D2, while 60 pulses generated 62 μg/g DM.
In addition to increasing vitamin D content, exposing mushrooms to UV light has other beneficial effects. The stress generated by UV irradiation can trigger mushroom cells to produce an abundance of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules. This may contribute to the potential health benefits of UV-irradiated mushrooms, such as their hypothesized role in preventing osteoporosis due to their combination of vitamin D and minerals that can positively impact bone density.
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Wild mushrooms typically contain more vitamin D than commercially grown mushrooms
Mushrooms are a source of vitamin D, which is essential for health. The two main dietary forms of vitamin D are D2, found in fungi and yeast, and D3, found in animals. While vitamin D3 is the most common form in animal foods, vitamin D2 is the most common form in mushrooms.
Wild mushrooms are often an excellent source of vitamin D2 due to their exposure to UV light from the sun. For example, wild edible Finnish funnel chanterelle mushrooms (Cantharellus tubaeformis (Bulliard) Fries) sampled in late summer and early autumn provided 3–30 μg D2/100 g fresh weight (FW). In contrast, commercially grown mushrooms, such as the button mushroom, often contain less than 1 μg D2/100 g FW because they are typically grown in darkness.
However, some commercial mushroom farms in the USA, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Australia expose fresh mushrooms to UV radiation, increasing the vitamin D2 content to at least 10 μg D2/100 g FW. This means that a 100 g serving of these mushrooms would provide 50–100% of the daily recommended vitamin D intake. Exposing dried mushrooms to UV-B radiation can also generate nutritionally useful amounts of vitamin D2, although this practice is not yet widespread.
Cooking methods and duration can affect the vitamin D2 content of mushrooms. For example, two types of wild chanterelle mushrooms retained at least 85% of their raw-state vitamin D2 content after being fried without oil for 5 minutes, while button mushrooms retained only 62–67% of their vitamin D2 content after being boiled in water for 20 minutes or oven-baked for 10 minutes.
While vitamin D2 from mushrooms can help increase vitamin D status in deficient individuals, it is not a direct substitute for vitamin D3. Meta-analyses have shown that vitamin D3 is more effective than vitamin D2 in increasing total vitamin D status, although the relationship is influenced by BMI and baseline vitamin D status. Nevertheless, vitamin D-enhanced mushrooms are the only non-animal food product with substantial amounts of bioavailable vitamin D, making them a valuable source of this nutrient for vegans and vegetarians.
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The type of mushroom, whether fresh or dried, and cooking procedures impact vitamin D content
Mushrooms are a source of vitamin D, which is essential for health. However, it's important to note that mushrooms produce vitamin D2, while vitamin D3 is the most common form found in animal foods. Vitamin D2 from mushrooms is still beneficial as it can help raise blood levels of vitamin D, but it may not be as effective as vitamin D3.
The type of mushroom and its preparation method can indeed impact its vitamin D content. Wild mushrooms, for example, funnel chanterelles, Cantharellus cibarius, and Boletus edulis, are excellent sources of vitamin D2 due to their exposure to UV light in nature. On the other hand, commonly consumed mushroom species like button mushrooms, which are grown in controlled environments, contain less vitamin D2.
To enhance the vitamin D content of commercially grown mushrooms, they can be exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight or a UV lamp. This process significantly boosts their vitamin D levels. One company claims that their Shiitake mushrooms, exposed to ultraviolet light, contain the most vitamin D of any other plant-related foods, with 9680 IU/100g. The USDA also reported that brown mushrooms exposed to UV light can contain up to 1,110 IU/87g.
Dried mushrooms, such as sun-dried Shiitake, also tend to have higher vitamin D content than their fresh counterparts. This is because the drying process, especially when done in the sun, can increase the vitamin D levels in the mushrooms. Rehydrating dried mushrooms may slightly decrease their vitamin D concentration per 100g, but the overall vitamin D content remains high.
Cooking procedures can also impact vitamin D content in mushrooms. While vitamin D2 levels in UV-exposed mushrooms may decrease with storage and cooking, consuming them before the 'best-before' date ensures that the vitamin D2 level remains above 10 μg/100 g fresh weight, which is higher than most vitamin D-containing foods.
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Mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D for vegans and vegetarians
Edible mushrooms such as Agaricus bisporus can produce over 100% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin D (10 μg/day) per 75 g serve (18 μg) when exposed to UV light. Other types of mushrooms that contain high amounts of vitamin D2 include wild funnel chanterelles (21.1 μg D2/100 g), Cantharellus cibarius (10.7 μg D2/100 g), and Boletus edulis (58.7 μg D2/100 g). Exposing commonly consumed mushroom species to UV radiation, such as sunlight or a UV lamp, increases their vitamin D content.
While vitamin D2 from mushrooms is not a direct substitute for vitamin D3, it can still effectively raise and maintain serum 25(OH)D2 concentrations. Research has shown that vitamin D-enhanced mushrooms can increase vitamin D status among those with deficient or insufficient levels. Additionally, mushrooms provide other valuable nutrients, like some B vitamins and trace minerals, and are naturally low in calories.
It is important to note that not all mushrooms will meet the criteria for being a good source of vitamin D. The type of mushroom, whether it is fresh or dried, the length of storage, and cooking procedures can all impact the vitamin D content. Commercially available mushrooms may have varying amounts of vitamin D due to differences in sun exposure and other factors during cultivation. Therefore, consumers should refer to the Nutrition Facts or their source for more information.
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Frequently asked questions
All mushrooms contain vitamin D2, with some containing small amounts of vitamin D3 and D4.
Mushrooms harvested from the wild have historically contained higher amounts of vitamin D in comparison to those grown commercially. Exposing mushrooms to ultraviolet (UV) light after harvesting increases their vitamin D content.
Button, oyster, and shiitake mushrooms have been the most widely studied for their vitamin D content.
The vitamin D content of mushrooms can be impacted by whether they are fresh or dried, the drying method used, the length of storage, and the cooking procedures used.
