|  | Diet Nutrition | Nutrition

The Nutritional Facts of Crimini Mushrooms

Crimini mushrooms have a lot more to offer than fantastic flavor -- they are also full of health-enhancing vitamins and minerals. These nearly fat-free fungi are sometimes called baby bellas. They look like a brown-colored version of the white button mushrooms so familiar to your produce section, and their nutritional facts might surprise you.

  1. Minerals

    • Criminis contain a great many minerals, including potassium and the antioxidants selenium, zinc and manganese. Antioxidants play an important role in protecting your body from the effects of aging and chronic diseases. Try some criminis in your salad -- 1 cup of raw mushrooms provides over 50 percent of your recommended daily allowance of selenium.

    Vitamins

    • Crimini mushrooms provide a host of vitamins to your body, too. In addition to the more common vitamins like niacin, B12 and vitamin D, criminis contain folate and choline. The United States Department of Agriculture's "Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010" points to the importance of folate for women of child-bearing age -- when taken before and during pregnancy it helps prevent birth defects in developing embryos. Choline is another member of the B vitamin family. It helps maintain healthy cell function and reduce inflammation.

    Selection and Cleaning

    • To get the highest nutritional benefit from mushrooms, select the freshest ones you can find, as produce loses nutritional content with age. Pick mushrooms that are firm, uniform in color and without bruises. Inspect the gills and stems carefully. Gills should be dry and paper-like, and stems should be firm and evenly colored. The jury is still out on whether mushrooms need to be washed -- some cooks prefer to brush them clean -- but if you do wash your mushrooms, wait until you're ready to eat them or cook with them. Criminis, like all mushrooms, are very porous, and will store water. This leads to spoilage if not quickly consumed.

    Storage

    • Crimini mushrooms keep their nutrient levels best when they're allowed to breathe, so store them in a paper bag wrapped in a damp cloth or a plastic bag. This also prevents them from drying out. Most mushrooms, criminis included, deteriorate and lose nutritional content when stored at room temperature. Properly stored, mushrooms should keep in top condition anywhere from 3 to 7 days.

Nutrition - Related Articles