Most people either hate mushrooms or love them. If you're part of the latter group and are wondering whether there are carbs in mushrooms, here's what you need to know.
Tip
Mushrooms do have some carbs; the exact amount of carbs in mushrooms varies depending on the type of mushroom.
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Mushrooms are often grouped with the vegetable family; however they are neither fruits nor vegetables. They belong to a third category of organisms: the fungus category. That's right, mushrooms are fungi.
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According to the Colorado Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence, Agaricus mushrooms (which include white button mushrooms, portobello mushrooms and cremini mushrooms) are among the most popular mushrooms in the United States as well as around the world, along with oyster and shiitake mushrooms.
Carbs and Calories in Mushrooms
Mushrooms do have carbs; however their carb content is minimal. The amount of carbs and other nutrients varies slightly depending on the type of mushroom.
For instance, the USDA states that a 100-gram serving of white mushrooms has 3.26 grams of carbs. The carb content of portobello mushrooms is almost the same; a 100-gram serving has 3.87 grams of carbs. Oyster mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms have a slightly higher carb content; a 100-gram serving of oyster mushrooms has 6.09 grams of carbs and the same size serving of shiitake mushrooms has 6.79 grams of carbs.
Given that their carb content is so low, mushrooms are compatible with low-carb diets like the keto diet. They are also compatible with other weight loss diets, since their calorie content is also low. Hundred grams of white mushrooms has only 22 calories, per the USDA. The carbs and calories in mushrooms are also accompanied by several other nutrients.
Read more: Is Eating Too Many Mushrooms Dangerous?
Vitamin D and Other Nutrients
North Dakota State University Extension Service lists fiber, copper, potassium, selenium and B vitamins like folate, niacin and riboflavin among the nutrients in mushrooms.
In fact, a November 2014 study published in the journal Nutrition Today notes that mushrooms provide not only the nutrients typically found in fruits and vegetables, but also those found in meats and grains.
The study found that mushrooms can provide anywhere between 10 to 20 percent of your daily requirement of copper, niacin, pantothenic acid and selenium and over 20 percent of your daily requirement of riboflavin.
Colorado State University explains that some mushrooms are also rich sources of vitamin D. Many types of mushrooms contain ergosterol, which is a compound that gets converted into vitamin D when it is exposed to UV light. While this process happens naturally while the mushroom is growing, it can also be accelerated by suppliers, by exposing the mushrooms to UV light for 15 to 20 seconds.
A November 2015 study published in the Journal of Advanced Research notes that while vitamin D deficiencies are common, this nutrient is critical for bone formation and is also involved in the proper functioning of almost every other organ and tissue in the body, including the heart, brain, muscles, skin and immune system.
To help you increase your vitamin D intake, Colorado State University recommends looking for mushroom packets with labels that say "100 percent daily value of vitamin D" when you shop at the grocery store.
- Colorado Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence: “Mushrooms”
- USDA FoodData Central: “Mushrooms, White, Raw”
- USDA FoodData Central: “Mushrooms, Portabella, Raw”
- USDA FoodData Central: “Mushrooms, Oyster, Raw”
- USDA FoodData Central: “Mushrooms, Shiitake, Raw”
- Nutrition Today: “Mushrooms — Biologically Distinct and Nutritionally Unique”
- North Dakota State University Extension Service: “Prairie Fare: Mushrooms Offer Unexpected Nutritional Value”
- Colorado State University: “Mushrooms”
- Journal of Advanced Research: “Vitamin D and the Skin: Focus on a Complex Relationship: A Review”