Who doesn’t love a side of sautéed mushrooms along with their dinner? They’re juicy and delicious and add an earthy umami flavour to your dishes. Enjoy them raw in salads or roast them with other low carb veggies alongside beef or chicken.
Mushrooms aren’t just delicious, they’re nutritious as well. They offer a good dose of important nutrients, like B-vitamins, copper, vitamin D, and selenium. Mushrooms have anti-cancer properties and support the health of your brain and heart.
Keep reading to find out about the different types of mushrooms and how you can incorporate them into your low carb diet. Later in this article, you’ll find an amazing recipe for Keto stuffed mushrooms that you’re sure to love.
Are Mushrooms Keto Friendly?
A serving of 5 medium-sized mushrooms contains only 2 grams net carbs, making it a fantastic food option for strict low carb diets.
Whether you enjoy them sautéed, grilled, or stuffed, mushrooms make a low carb addition your ketogenic diet and a great way to add variation to your meal plan.
How Many Carbs are in Mushrooms?
A 100 gram serving of mushrooms contains only 2.3 grams of net carbs. Because mushrooms are low in carbs, they fall under the approved vegetables for the Keto diet. If you’re following a low carb diet, mushrooms make a great choice.
How Many Calories are in Mushrooms?
A 100 gram serving of mushrooms contains only 22 calories. It should be noted that frying or sautéing mushrooms in oil significantly increases the calorie content. One tablespoon of oil contains 100 calories.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving size: 100 grams of white, button mushrooms | |
| Calories 22 | |
| Total Fat 0.3 grams | 0% |
| Saturated fat 0.1 grams | 0% |
| Polyunsaturated fat 0.2 grams | |
| Monounsaturated fat 0 grams | |
| Cholesterol 0 milligrams | 0% |
| Sodium 5 milligrams | 0% |
| Potassium 318 milligrams | 9% |
| Total Carbohydrate 3.3 grams | 1% |
| Dietary fiber 1 grams | 4% |
| Sugar 2 grams | |
| Protein 3.1 grams | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 0% | Vitamin C | 3% |
| Calcium | 0% | Iron | 2% |
| Vitamin D | 1% | Vitamin B-6 | 5% |
| Cobalamin | 0% | Magnesium | 2% |
Health Benefits
Packed with Nutrients
Mushrooms are rich in B vitamins, riboflavin, folate, thiamine, vitamin D, pantothenic acid, and niacin. They also contain minerals like selenium, potassium, copper, iron, and phosphorus.
Supports Brain Health
A number of B vitamins in mushrooms are important for a healthy brain.
The choline in mushrooms can help with motor function, learning, and memory. Choline also plays a role in the transmission of nerve impulses.
Anti-Cancer Properties
According to the National Cancer Institute, the antioxidant activity in mushrooms may help prevent various forms of cancer.
Mushrooms also contain a small amount of vitamin D. There is some evidence that vitamin D may help prevent some kinds of cancer.
Research suggests that foods rich in choline like mushrooms can reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
Promotes Heart Health
The fiber, potassium, and vitamin C in mushrooms promote good cardiovascular health.
According to the American Heart Association, potassium-rich foods help regulate blood pressure and lower the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. In fact, it is recommended that people consume around 4,700 milligrams of potassium daily.
Plus, a type of fiber in mushrooms called beta-glucans may lower blood cholesterol levels. This fiber occurs in the cell walls of many types of mushrooms, like shiitake mushrooms.
Side Effects
Mushrooms found in grocery stores are generally safe for most people when eaten in normal food amounts as long as you are not allergic, but wild mushrooms can be deadly.
Although there are over a million species of mushrooms in the world, only 10 percent are safe to eat. Many types of wild mushrooms are poisonous. People who forage for wild mushrooms should be very careful and educate themselves on which are safe varieties. It is very important to choose the correct mushrooms and to wash and cook them well.
One type of mushroom, known as “magic mushrooms” causes hallucinations, delusions, irrational behavior and psychosis when ingested, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Types of Mushrooms
Although there are over 2,000 edible types of mushrooms, only a few are sold in American markets. These varieties include:
- white or “button” mushrooms
- brown cremini
- enoki
- morel
- chanterelle
- portobello
- shiitake
- oyster
- wood ear
Ways to Enjoy Mushrooms on Keto
Mushrooms can be incorporated into your low-carb diet in the following ways:
- Sauté mushrooms along with onions and peppers and serve alongside steak, chicken or pork.
- Add mushrooms to stir-fries, chilli, and sauces.
- Top a salad with fresh, raw sliced button white mushrooms.
- Grill and stuff Portobello mushroom caps with cream cheese and scallions.
- Add sliced mushrooms, scallions and ham to make a western egg omelette.
- Grill Portobello caps and top with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
- Add sliced mushrooms to cauliflower pizza and casseroles.
- Roast whole mushrooms along with other low carb veggies.
- Add Portobello mushroom tops to burgers or use them as a vegetarian patty instead of using ground beef.
Keto Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
Ingredients:
- 6 portabello mushroom caps, reserve stems
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 clove fresh garlic
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 4 ounces feta cheese
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet greased it with oil.
- Wash mushroom caps well and mushroom tops on your baking sheet.
- Mince the mushroom stems and garlic.
- Melt butter in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add your minced mushrooms and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes then incorporate the spinach into the skillet until wilted.
- Add feta cheese, basil, salt, pepper, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes and stir up the mixture until it is heated through.
- Spoon spinach mixture into each mushroom cap then sprinkle with Parmesan.
- Bake at 375 Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes or until filling browns and the mushrooms are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve.
Related Questions:
Are Mushrooms Good for Weight Loss?
Besides being low in calories, carbs and fat, mushrooms provide a good source of protein and fiber, both of which are beneficial for weight loss. Mushrooms are best prepared grilled rather than frying and only use a little oil to keep calories low.
A study conducted by the Department of Nutrition Science at the University of Buffalo found that Portobello mushrooms can aid in weight loss by regulating blood sugar levels. The regulation of glucose levels may be a benefit to those attempting to shed unwanted pounds.
Additionally, mushrooms have the ability to reduce inflammation in people with metabolic syndrome, a metabolic disorder linked to obesity.
Why are Truffles so Expensive?
Truffles are a type of mushroom used in gourmet cooking that are extremely expensive because it is quite difficult to farm them. They only grow in specific kinds of soil and against certain trees in the forest and dogs are used to sniff them out.
Because truffles grow inside tree roots, truffle seeds can’t just be planted anywhere. The most common variety are black truffles, which cost about $95 per ounce. The price of white truffles runs even higher, at around $168 per ounce.
