Mushroom facts

Considering that it’s National Mushroom Month, here are some mushroom facts.

Who’ eating all those mushroom?

  • More likely to be women
  • Men consume more when they do eat mushrooms
  • 70 to 79 year olds eat the greatest quantity: 27.8 grams of mushroom-containing foods per sitting!
  • More Westerners eat mushrooms, as do those with greater than a high school education
  • Most prefer mushroom in a cooked side dish
  • Younger people and those with less than a high school education prefer mushrooms with beef or on pizza

Health profile of a mushroom consumer

  • Healthier
  • Better nutrient profile
  • More likely to meet the Recommended Daily Allowances of common nutrients
  • Eat more daily servings of vegetables
  • Maintained more healthy body weights
  • More bouts of depression

Effect of substituting mushrooms for meat

  • Reduced fat, sodium and cholesterol
  • Levels of vitamin D significantly increase

Source: 2003 report to the National Mushroom Council

Hi, I’m JR

John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.