Want To Make Meals More Nutritious? Just Add Mushrooms (Food)

Understanding the nutritional impact of adding a serving of mushrooms on usual intakes and population nutrient adequacy using NHANES 2011-2016 data

Researchers have identified another good reason to eat more mushrooms. New research , published in Food Science & Nutrition (January 2021) found that adding a mushroom serving to the diet increased the intake of several micronutrients, including shortfall nutrients such as vitamin D, without any increase in calories, sodium or fat.

Dr. Victor L. Fulgoni III and Dr. Sanjiv Agarwal modeled the addition of mushrooms to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2016 dietary data looking at a composite of white, crimini and portabella mushrooms at a 1:1:1 ratio; one scenario including UV-light exposed mushrooms; and one scenario including oyster mushrooms for both 9-18 years and 19+ years of age based on an 84g or ½ cup equivalent serving.

Key findings include:

• Adding an 84g serving of mushrooms increased several shortfall nutrients including potassium and fiber. This was true for the white, crimini and portabella 1:1:1 mix and the oyster mushrooms.
• The addition of a serving (84 g) of mushrooms to the diet resulted in an increase in dietary fiber (5%-6%), copper (24%-32%), phosphorus (6%), potassium (12%-14%), selenium (13%-14%), zinc (5%-6%), riboflavin (13%-15%), niacin (13%-14%), and choline (5%-6%) in both adolescents and adults; but had no impact on calories, carbohydrate, fat or sodium.
• When commonly consumed mushrooms are exposed to UV-light to provide 5 mcg vitamin D per serving, vitamin D intake could meet and slightly exceed the recommended daily value (98% – 104%) for both the 9 -18 year and 19+ year groups as well as decrease inadequacy of this shortfall nutrient in the population.
• A serving of UV-light exposed commonly consumed mushrooms decreased population inadequacy for vitamin D from 95.3% to 52.8% for age group 9-18 years and from 94.9% to 63.6% for age group 19+ years.

“This research validated what we already knew that adding mushrooms to your plate is an effective way to reach the dietary goals identified by the DGA ,” said Mary Jo Feeney, MS, RD, FADA and nutrition research coordinator to the Mushroom Council. “Data from surveys such as NHANES are used to assess nutritional status and its association with health promotion and disease prevention and assist with formulation of national standards and public health policy (CDC, 2020).”

Mushrooms are fungi – a member of the third food kingdom – biologically distinct from plant and animal-derived foods that comprise the USDA food patterns yet have a unique nutrient profile that provides nutrients common to both plant and animal foods. Although classified into food grouping systems by their use as a vegetable, mushrooms’ increasing use in main entrees in plant-forward diets is growing, supporting consumers’ efforts to follow food-based dietary guidance recommendations to lower intake of calories, saturated fatty acids, and sodium while increasing intake of under-consumed nutrients including fiber, potassium and vitamin D. Often grouped with vegetables, mushrooms provide many of the nutrient attributes of produce, as well as attributes more commonly found in meat, beans or grains.

Adding a mushroom serving to the diet increases the intake of several micronutrients, including shortfall nutrients such as vitamin D, without any increase in calories, sodium or fat. © John Valls/Mushroom Council

According to the USDA’s FoodData Central , 5 medium raw, white mushrooms (90g) contain 20 calories, 0g fat, 3g protein and are very low in sodium (0mg/<1% recommended daily value). Few foods naturally contain vitamin D, and mushrooms are unique in that they are the only food in the produce aisle that contain vitamin D. Specifically, one serving of raw, UV-exposed, white (90g) and crimini (80g) mushrooms contains 23.6mcg (118% RDA) and 25.52mcg (128% RDA) of vitamin D, respectively.

Mushrooms are one of the best dietary sources of sulfur-containing antioxidant amino acid ergothioneine and tripeptide glutathione Ergothioneine and glutathione contents in mushrooms depends upon the mushroom varieties, and oyster mushrooms contain more amounts of these sulfur-containing antioxidants than commonly consumed mushrooms: white button, crimini, or portabella mushrooms. The addition of a serving of commonly consumed mushrooms and oyster mushrooms would be expected to add 2.24 and 24.0 mg ergothioneine, respectively, and 3.53 and 12.3 mg glutathione, respectively, to the NHANES 2011-2016 diets based on published literature values.

At this time, the USDA FoodData Central database does not include analytical data on ergothioneine. However, the Mushroom Council is currently supporting research to analyze mushrooms for bioactives/ergothioneine for possible inclusion in USDA FoodData Central database.

More Research from the Mushroom Council Still to Come

With mushrooms growing in awareness and consideration among consumers nationwide, in 2019, the Mushroom Council made a $1.5 million multi-year investment in research to help broaden understanding of the food’s nutritional qualities and overall health benefits.

In addition to the analysis of mushrooms for bioactives/ergothioneine for inclusion in USDA FoodData Central database, additional research projects approved include:

• Health promoting effects of including mushrooms as part of a healthy eating pattern.
• Mushrooms’ relationship with cognitive health in older adults.
• Mushrooms’ impact on brain health in an animal model.
• Nutritional impact of adding a serving of mushrooms to USDA Food Patterns.

Since 2002, the Council has conducted research that supports greater mushroom demand by discovering nutrient and health benefits of mushrooms. Published results from these projects form the basis for communicating these benefits to consumers and health influencers.

Featured image: New research finds that adding a mushroom serving to the diet increased the intake of several micronutrients, including shortfall nutrients such as vitamin D, without any increase in calories, sodium or fat. © Mushroom Council

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Reference: Fulgoni, VL, Agarwal, S. Nutritional impact of adding a serving of mushrooms on usual intakes and nutrient adequacy using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2016 data. Food Sci Nutr. 2021; 00: 1– 8. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.2120 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fsn3.2120

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Provided by Filmharvest

Altering Mealtimes Could Prevent Development of Type 2 Diabetes – New Study Set to Investigate (Food / Medicine)

An innovative new study is set to examine if changing our mealtimes to earlier or later in the day could reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Led by Dr Denise Robertson, Professor Jonathan Johnston and post graduate researcher Shantel Lynch from the University of Surrey, the study, outlined in the journal Nutrition Bulletin, will investigate if changing the time we eat during the day could reduce risk factors such as obesity and cholesterol levels that are typically associated with the development of Type 2 diabetes. The team of researchers will also for the first time investigate, via a series of interviews with participants and their friends and family, the impact of such changes on home life, work/social commitments and whether co-habitants of those who make such modifications are influenced to alter their own meal timings/eating habits as a result.

During the unique 10-week study, 51 participants aged between 18- 65 years old who have been identified as having an increased/moderate/high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes will be split into three groups. The first, a control group, will be asked to make no changes to their eating habits; the second group will be required to restrict their eating times during the day to between 7am- 3pm; and the third group will limit their eating time to between 12-8pm.

Participants will regularly attend the Surrey Clinical Investigations Unit to monitor their blood pressure, waist and hip circumferences and provide blood and urine samples. A registered dietitian will also use specialist eye-tracking equipment to analyse participants’ eye gaze direction to identify and monitor any changes to food preferences over the course of the intervention. Previous research has shown that eye gaze direction is a strong signal of attention and preference behaviours.

Researchers will examine in detail results gathered from such visits to determine if changing the time meals are consumed to earlier or later in the day could reduce risk factors associated with Type 2 diabetes.

Senior scientist of the study Dr Denise Robertson, Reader in Nutritional Physiology at the University of Surrey, said: “Type 2 diabetes is a growing problem in the UK, with over three million people diagnosed and 12.3 million people at potential risk of developing the condition, which can increase the likelihood of developing serious problems with our eyes, heart and nervous system.

“Public health initiatives are often rolled out with a focus on prevention, but these have had limited success. We need to adopt different approaches in preventing this condition. A simple solution to this could be altering when we eat our meals, lessening the risk factors associated with the development of Type 2 diabetes.”

PGR student and registered dietitian Shantel Lynch said: “Treating Type 2 diabetes and its associated complications places a tremendous strain on the NHS. To ease such strain there needs to be more of a focus on prevention and tackling the areas, which are often lifestyle choices, that lead to the development of the condition.

“The possible benefits of altering mealtimes, such as weight loss, have become increasingly topical in nutrition-related research. However, there are still many unanswered questions and we hope to contribute to this field of research while finding out whether time-restricted feeding may help to reduce the risk of developing long-term illnesses like Type 2 diabetes, and how feasible it is to follow this diet in real life.”

Jonathan Johnston, Professor of Chronobiology and Integrative Physiology at the University of Surrey, said: “Changing our mealtimes limits our energy intake to a set number of hours in the day, which leads to an extension of the daily fast that generally happens overnight. This study will help us understand what time of day is optimal to eat to reduce our chances of developing Type 2 diabetes.

“We will also for the first time be investigating the impact of time-restricted feeding on individuals’ work, social and home life to understand the obstacles people encounter in adapting to new mealtimes, which may affect their ability to stick to the schedule.”

Reference: Lynch, S., Johnston, J.D. and Robertson, M.D. (2021), Early versus late time‐restricted feeding in adults at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes: Is there an optimal time to eat for metabolic health?. Nutr Bull. https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12479 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nbu.12479

Provided by University of Surrey

These Easy Tips Will Instantly Up Your Table Manners (Food)

Got fancy dinner plans in your future? Here are some easy, subtle ways to show your guests your good table manners.

When you arrive to your table, always offer your guest the better seat, or let them sit first and make sure they’re comfortable before seating yourself. Once you sit, place your napkin across your lap immediately, even if no food has made it to the table. If you need to get up to use the restroom or make a phone call, fold your napkin and place it on your seat. Only place your napkin on the table after the meal is finished. While eating, keep your drink to the right of your plate and your bread plate to the left of it. Regarding multiple sets of utensils, start from the outside and work your way in as the courses continue. When the meal is done, place your utensils on your plate and make sure the handles are pointed toward the right.

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This post is based on one podcast having an interview with an etiquette expert Jihan Murray-Smith.