Nutrient-Loaded Mushrooms.

The article presents information on the findings of research regarding the nutritional content of overlooked culinary mushrooms. It reveals that they offer consumers key nutrients like copper, potassium, folate, and niacin. A study analyzed the carbohydrate, fat, fiber, protein, vitamin, and mineral contents, along with ergosterol, a precursor to vitamin D, of seven varieties of mushrooms--crimini, enoki, maitake, oyster, portabella, shiitake, and white button. Four varieties were analyzed raw, but portabella, shiitake, and white button mushrooms were analyzed after cooking--to determine the effect of cooking on their nutrient content. Most nutrients were fully retained, while a few dropped to 80-95 percent.