Shiitake Mushrooms
– Shiitake mushrooms have a strong, earthy flavor that is sure to enrich any dish. Plus, their chewy consistency makes them a great addition to soups, pastas, and may even work as a “meat replacement” for those transitioning into a whole-foods, plant-based diet.
Same as other mushrooms, they are good sources of vitamins B2, B3 and B6, but they are particularly high in vitamin B5, which is key for the metabolism of fats. Shiitake mushrooms are good sources of some key minerals too, especially copper and selenium. This means that shiitake mushrooms support our brain health, our hormones, our reproductive function, our immune function, and even our hair, skin, and nails.
Don’t eat your shiitake mushrooms raw or undercooked because they have a substance called lentinin that may cause a skin rash named flagellate dermatitis in 1 in 50 people. Heat eliminates this compound, so it is perfectly safe to eat your shiitake mushrooms well cooked.
You can find shiitake mushrooms fresh, frozen or dried. Try our personalized nutrition calculator below to see just how much nutrition you and your family can get from adding shiitake mushrooms to your dishes.
Nutrition Calculator: Shiitake Mushrooms
Use our personalized nutrition calculator to discover the percentage of daily nutrition needs you and your family can get from eating shiitake mushrooms.
Nutrition needs vary according to age, sex, and whether women of reproductive age are pregnant or breastfeeding. Fill out the form below for yourself and for your family members to get personalized results.*
* Calculated as a percentage of the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) as established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Based on nutritional information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as an average of multiple cooked shiitake mushrooms samples.