Portobello Mushrooms: Nutrition, Benefits, How to Cook & Recipes

Portobello mushrooms are the mature caps of Agaricus bisporus, the same species as cremini and white button mushrooms, and they're a nutrient-dense everyday food: for 35 calories, a cup of grilled slices covers about half your day's copper, selenium and niacin.891 In the Western world today, we should be consuming more and more mushrooms because of their powerful benefits.10 I have always loved mushrooms and the research behind them.11

Food is the daily signal your cells read, and every plate either eases the oxidative stress and inflammation that wear on them or adds to it.12 Your body was designed to heal, and it meets that daily wear with protective compounds, some of which it can only get from food. A portobello brings several of them at once: ergothioneine, an antioxidant neither plants nor animals can make, which your body pulls into its cells through a transporter built just for it; glutathione; and selenium, the mineral your own antioxidant enzymes are built from.813214 Set out in the sun or under a UV lamp, a portobello even makes vitamin D, much the way your skin does.15 So cook them well, enjoy them grilled, roasted or stuffed several days a week, and in the colder months, when vitamin D levels tend to fall,16 reach for the UV-exposed ones.6

Advertisement

What is a portobello mushroom?

Turn a portobello over and you'll see what sets it apart from cremini and white buttons. It has a broad, meaty cap with dark brown gills fanned out underneath, which is why it grills like a steak and holds a stuffing so well. Cremini, sold as baby bellas, and white button mushrooms belong to the same species, and when researchers compared the chemistry of seven popular mushrooms, those three grouped together, with nearly the same amino acid profile, including all nine essential amino acids.8

Mushrooms are technically fungi, not plants, and that's part of what makes them different on your plate.18 They carry ergothioneine, which plants and animals don't make, and the beta-glucans and chitin that fungi build into their cell walls.81819

Portobellos are on the eat list in my book The Biblio Diet, alongside button, crimini, oyster, shiitake, lion's mane and hen of the woods mushrooms, and I note there that organic is best, fresh or dried.20

Portobello mushroom nutrition facts

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central FDC ID 169243 (portabella, grilled) at its 1-cup-sliced weight of 121 grams and FDC ID 169255 (portabella, raw) at its whole-cap weight of 84 grams; % Daily Value uses FDA adult label values.12221

Copper and selenium lead that list, and your cells put both to work every day. Selenium is built into the glutathione peroxidases, the enzymes your cells use to clear oxidative damage, and into the enzymes that activate thyroid hormone, so a cup of grilled portobello, with about half your day's selenium, supports both.141 Copper helps your body make energy, handle iron and build connective tissue.23 Niacin, the third big number, is vitamin B3, which your body uses to build NAD+, a molecule your cells need to make energy and one that falls with age.12

A cup of grilled slices has 4 grams of protein, and like cremini and white buttons, portobellos carry all nine essential amino acids.18 That makes them a nice addition to a meal's protein, so pair them with eggs, chicken, fish or beans, since most people do best with at least 30 to 40 grams of protein three times a day.24 Our guide to high-protein foods has plenty of options. With 2.7 grams of net carbs in that same cup, portobellos also fit easily into a keto diet.1

Unless they've been exposed to UV light, portobellos carry little vitamin D, about 17 IU in a cup of grilled slices, and sunlight or a UV lamp changes that dramatically, as you'll see in the benefits below.1

How do portobello mushrooms work in your body?

Ergothioneine is the compound that sets mushrooms apart from almost everything else you eat. Neither plants nor animals can make it, so the ergothioneine in your body comes from your diet, and mushrooms are the highest dietary source of it.825 Your cells can't simply soak it up, either, because their outer membranes keep it out. Instead, your body makes a transporter built for this one compound, like a door with a lock only ergothioneine fits, and the cells that carry the most of those doors, including immune cells and developing red blood cells, pull it in and hold on to it.13

Once inside, ergothioneine, an antioxidant sometimes called the longevity vitamin, builds up in the tissues most prone to oxidative stress, such as the liver, kidneys and brain, where it helps protect them.18

That protection has been shown in lab and animal research, and a 2024 review proposes that low levels of ergothioneine in the body may raise the risk of cognitive decline, dementia, Parkinson's disease and frailty as we age.26

Portobellos bring a second line of defense too. USDA's analysis of portabellas found 5 milligrams of glutathione, the body's major antioxidant, and 2 milligrams of ergothioneine in every 100 grams, and Penn State researchers found both more concentrated in the cap than in the stem.225 The selenium in that cap feeds the glutathione peroxidase enzymes that put glutathione to work.14 I also count mushrooms among the foods most beneficial for supporting autophagy and cellular detoxification, your cells' cleanup and recycling process, because they're high in a compound called spermidine.27 In a Brazilian lab study, spermidine was the only amine found in fresh Agaricus bisporus, and cooking didn't lower it.17

This is how ergothioneine gets from a portobello into the cells that need it.

Oxidative stress wears on your cells every day, and because ergothioneine builds up over weeks of regular eating, portobellos do the most for you as a food you enjoy several days a week.1229

Portobello mushroom benefits

How many portobello mushrooms should you eat?

In Asia, people are encouraged to eat mushrooms three to five days a week. You can cook them, take them as a supplement or drink them as a tea, and in my view, however you can get mushrooms in your diet is a great way to go.7 Most Americans are a long way from that, eating less than 1.4 kilograms of these mushrooms a year, about one and a half medium mushrooms a week, so even a few portobello meals a week is a real step up.31

Portobello vs. cremini, white button and other mushrooms

Because portobellos, cremini and white button mushrooms are one species, they're close cousins on your plate, and you can use them almost interchangeably in cooking, choosing by size: white buttons and cremini for slicing into a sauté, portobellos when you want a big cap to grill or stuff.8

Per 100 grams, raw, from USDA FoodData Central (white button FDC ID 169251, crimini FDC ID 168434, portabella FDC ID 169255); none of the three UV-exposed.515222

Medicinal mushrooms are a different tool, and in my view, they have numerous benefits, but primarily they act as adaptogens and immunomodulators.10 That's the job of reishi, cordyceps, turkey tail and lion's mane, which you'll usually take as an extract, a tea or a powder, and our guide to adaptogenic mushrooms covers how each one is used. Maitake and shiitake sit in both camps, since you can take them as a supplement, an herbal tea or a tincture and also cook with them.10 Portobellos are your everyday food mushroom, the one you grill, roast and stuff for dinner, so there's room for both kinds in your week (our guide to mushroom nutrition covers many more).

How to choose, clean and store portobellos

How to choose portobellos

Look for firm, dry caps with a smooth surface, gills that look intact rather than soggy, and a clean, earthy smell, and pass on any that are slimy, shriveled or spotted. For vitamin D, look for a label that says UV-treated, UV-exposed or high in vitamin D, and buy organic when you can.

How to give portobellos sun

You can raise the vitamin D in portobellos yourself by slicing them, or setting whole caps gill-side up, in direct sun before you cook them. In a lab comparison, button mushrooms set out in direct sunlight reached 374 micrograms of vitamin D per 100 grams of dried mushroom, close to the 410 from a commercial UV lamp and far above the 5 in untreated mushrooms, and the sun did cost them 26% of their riboflavin.53 In the colder months, UV-treated portobellos from the store are the easier route to the same benefit.

How to clean portobellos

Wipe the caps with a damp cloth, or give them a quick rinse and pat them dry right away rather than soaking them, since a soggy mushroom won't brown well in the pan. Twist or cut off the tough stem, and save the stems for broth, since they still carry ergothioneine and glutathione, just less than the cap.25 If you're making a stuffed or creamy dish, you can scrape out the dark gills with a spoon so the filling stays light in color and less wet, but for grilling, the gills can stay.

How to store portobellos

Keep them unwashed in a paper bag in the refrigerator and use them within a few days, since a paper bag lets them breathe, while plastic traps moisture and turns them slimy.

How to use and cook portobello mushrooms

Cooking is how portobellos are meant to be eaten, since it brings out their deep, savory flavor, and gentle cooking methods like steaming or sautéing can increase the bioavailability of certain nutrients.18 Cooking also lowers agaritine, a natural compound in these mushrooms that the safety section below explains.54

Grilled portobellos

Brush or marinate whole caps in olive oil, balsamic or apple cider vinegar, minced garlic and herbs such as thyme or rosemary for 15 to 30 minutes, then grill them over medium-high heat, gill-side down first, for 4 to 5 minutes a side, until they're tender and juicy.

Roasted, baked or stuffed portobellos

Fill the caps with cooked quinoa or wild rice, vegetables and a little goat cheese or sheep's-milk pecorino, and bake them at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until the caps are tender and the filling is hot.

Sautéed portobellos

Slice the caps and cook them in olive oil or ghee over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until they release their juices and turn golden, then finish with garlic, herbs and a pinch of sea salt.

Steamed or simmered portobellos

For a sensitive gut, steam sliced portobellos for a few minutes or simmer them in soups and broths, the warm, soft way of eating that's easiest on digestion.

Cooking UV-exposed portobellos

For the most vitamin D, sauté or bake UV-exposed portobellos rather than boil them. In a 16-week trial of 43 adults with prediabetes and low vitamin D, fresh UV-exposed mushrooms lost vitamin D2 in cooking.55 In a lab test of UV-exposed button mushrooms that were dried and then rehydrated, though, 95% or more of the vitamin D survived frying, baking and boiling, with frying and baking keeping the most.56

Portobello mushroom recipes

Portobellos are wonderfully versatile in the kitchen, big enough to stand in for a burger bun or a pizza crust and meaty enough to anchor a meal. These recipes use olive oil, ghee, goat and sheep's-milk cheeses and coconut aminos, with no added sugar. The first three come with full recipes, and 11 more ideas follow.

Balsamic grilled portobello caps

Grilled whole and served thick, these caps make a steak-style main, a side or the base for a burger.

Stuffed portobellos with quinoa, spinach and goat cheese

A stuffed cap makes a hearty meatless main, and it's a welcome dish on a Thanksgiving or holiday table too (our Thanksgiving side dishes have more ideas).

Portobello pizzas

The cap is the crust here, so you get a pizza night with no dough at all.

More portobello recipes and ideas

• Grilled portobello burger: a whole grilled cap as the star of the burger
• Stuffed mushrooms: stuffed mushroom caps for a party or holiday table
• Pecorino mushroom chicken: chicken and mushrooms with sheep's-milk pecorino
• Mushroom soup: a warming bowl for cold days
• Grilled veggie naan pizzas: one of our healthy grilling recipes, topped with grilled vegetables
• Our family's immune soup: the soup we make whenever someone at home has a cold or flu starts with chicken and chicken broth, carrots, celery and parsley, a bunch of garlic and onion and a load of maitake and shiitake mushrooms, finished with a little sea salt and a spoonful of miso, and sliced portobellos and their saved stems fit right in10
• Quinoa, black bean and mushroom burgers: the burgers in my book Ancient Remedies use chopped button or cremini mushrooms with black beans and quinoa flour, and chopped portobello works the same way57
• Portobello fajitas or tacos: sauté sliced caps with peppers, onions, cumin and lime, and serve them in lettuce cups or grain-free tortillas with avocado
• Spinach and goat-feta calzones: fold sautéed portobellos, spinach and goat or sheep's-milk feta into a gluten-free dough and bake until golden
• Tomato, goat cheese and basil stacks: layer grilled caps with thick tomato slices, fresh goat cheese and basil, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar
• Breakfast caps: bake a cap for 8 minutes, crack an egg into it, and bake another 10 to 12 minutes, until the white sets

Portobello mushroom side effects and safety

Once they're cooked, portobellos are a safe food for almost everyone, and these are the few things to keep in mind.

Cook them. Like other cultivated Agaricus mushrooms, portobellos contain agaritine, a natural compound. In a lifelong study, Swiss mice fed uncooked mushrooms three days a week developed more tumors than untreated mice, though a 26-week test in a different mouse strain found no increase.5859 Using a mouse mutation test, researchers estimated the risk to people at the average Swiss intake of 4 grams of mushrooms a day at about two extra cancer cases per 100,000 lifetimes.60 Cooking brings agaritine down: frying cut it by 35% to 70% and dry baking by about 25%, and boiling for 5 minutes moved about half of it into the broth and broke down another 20% to 25%.54 It's most concentrated in the cap skin and gills, so make cooked portobellos your everyday habit.54

Allergy. Allergic reactions to mushrooms are uncommon, but they happen, including rare cases of anaphylaxis to this species, and cross-reactions between mushroom species have been seen.9 People with mold allergies can react to raw or lightly cooked mushrooms with an itchy throat and tolerate them well cooked, as one case report showed.61 If your mouth or throat itches after eating them, stop, and get emergency care right away for hives, swelling of the lips or throat, or trouble breathing; our guide to food allergy symptoms covers the signs.

Big servings and a sensitive gut. In the Minnesota trial, eating 226 grams of mushrooms twice a day brought more gut symptoms than meat on the first two days.32 Start with a cup, cook them well, and steam or simmer them if your digestion is sensitive.

Gout. Purine-rich vegetables weren't linked to gout in a study that followed 47,150 men for 12 years, and in a study that followed 19,830 adults in China for about four years, those who ate the most mushrooms were 12% less likely to develop high uric acid.6263 If you have gout, cooked portobellos in normal portions can stay on your plate as part of a low-purine diet.

Medications. Interaction check: Low. Portobellos have no known interactions with medications at food amounts.

The bottom line

Portobello mushrooms: frequently asked questions

References

1. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central: Mushrooms, portabella, grilled. FDC ID 169243 (SR Legacy, NDB 11243; 1 cup sliced = 121 g). Accessed November 4, 2026.
2. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central: Mushroom, portabella. FDC ID 2003598 (Foundation; ergothioneine and glutathione analyzed). Accessed November 4, 2026.
3. Cheskin LJ, Davis LM, Lipsky LM, Mitola AH, Lycan T, Mitchell V, et al. Lack of energy compensation over 4 days when white button mushrooms are substituted for beef. Appetite. 2008;51(1):50-7. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2007.11.007. PMID:18221822
4. Jeong SC, Koyyalamudi SR, Pang G. Dietary intake of Agaricus bisporus white button mushroom accelerates salivary immunoglobulin A secretion in healthy volunteers. Nutrition. 2012;28(5):527-31. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2011.08.005. PMID:22113068
5. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central: Mushrooms, portabella, exposed to ultraviolet light, raw. FDC ID 170143 (SR Legacy, NDB 11998). Accessed November 4, 2026.
6. Urbain P, Singler F, Ihorst G, Biesalski HK, Bertz H. Bioavailability of vitamin D₂ from UV-B-irradiated button mushrooms in healthy adults deficient in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D: a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011;65(8):965-71. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2011.53. PMID:21540874
7. Axe J. How to Prevent CANCER: 15 Proven Ways to Lower Your Risk. The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2026 (mushrooms three to five days a week at 34:19; however you can get mushrooms in your diet at 34:47; YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gsw5UuDlHDY&t=2059s).
8. Uffelman CN, Doenges KA, Armstrong ML, Quinn K, Reisdorph RM, Tang M, et al. Metabolomics Profiling of White Button, Crimini, Portabella, Lion's Mane, Maitake, Oyster, and Shiitake Mushrooms Using Untargeted Metabolomics and Targeted Amino Acid Analysis. Foods. 2023;12(16). doi:10.3390/foods12162985. PMID:37627983
9. Ali SB, Smith W. Agaricus bisporus mushroom anaphylaxis: A case report and review of the literature. J Allergy Clin Immunol Glob. 2024;3(4):100324. doi:10.1016/j.jacig.2024.100324. PMID:39282616
10. Axe J. 7 Mushrooms You Should Be Taking Daily. The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2025 (ergothioneine as an internal electrician at 6:31; maitake and shiitake as medicinal mushrooms you can also cook with at 7:10; his family's chicken vegetable broth for colds and flu at 7:19; culinary mushrooms are great for you at 11:32; medicinal mushrooms as adaptogens and immunomodulators at 12:05; more mushrooms in the Western diet at 53:59; YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8scAfhvOqsU&t=391s).
11. Axe J. This Study Found a $50,000 Cure in Your Body. (And It Activates NATURALLY). The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2026 ("I have always loved mushrooms" at 22:29).
12. Axe J. Heal Your Cells: The Mitochondrial Longevity Protocol. DrAxe.com protocol. 2026 (food as the daily signal your cells read; four phases, Clear, Charge, Renew and Sustain; the cellular nutrients ranked, with NAD+ support among them and spermidine among the honorable mentions; top 10 longevity foods and a 7-day meal plan).
13. Gründemann D, Hartmann L, Flögel S. The ergothioneine transporter (ETT): substrates and locations, an inventory. FEBS Lett. 2022;596(10):1252-1269. doi:10.1002/1873-3468.14269. PMID:34958679
14. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. ods.od.nih.gov
15. Keegan RJ, Lu Z, Bogusz JM, Williams JE, Holick MF. Photobiology of vitamin D in mushrooms and its bioavailability in humans. Dermatoendocrinol. 2013;5(1):165-76. doi:10.4161/derm.23321. PMID:24494050
16. Comboni LM, Glover ES, Napolitano SC, Fleet JC, Foti D, Olson MR, et al. Does Consuming Fresh Ultraviolet Light-Exposed Mushrooms Offset the Seasonal Decline in Serum Total 25OHD in Adults Classified as Overweight and Class I Obese? Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial. Foods. 2026;15(9). doi:10.3390/foods15091572. PMID:42121515
17. Reis GCL, Dala-Paula BM, Tavano OL, Guidi LR, Godoy HT, Gloria MBA. In vitro digestion of spermidine and amino acids in fresh and processed Agaricus bisporus mushroom. Food Res Int. 2020;137:109616. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109616. PMID:33233206
18. Axe J, Cole W. Heal Your Cells. 2026 (mushrooms as fungi; mushroom beta-glucans as immune modulators; ergothioneine, the longevity vitamin, in tissues prone to oxidative stress; gentle cooking and nutrient availability).
19. Dikeman CL, Bauer LL, Flickinger EA, Fahey GC Jr. Effects of stage of maturity and cooking on the chemical composition of select mushroom varieties. J Agric Food Chem. 2005;53(4):1130-8. doi:10.1021/jf048541l. PMID:15713030
20. Axe J. The Biblio Diet. 2025 (food list: fungi and mushrooms, organic best, fresh or dried, including button, oyster, shiitake, lion's mane, hen of the woods, crimini and portabello).
21. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels. fda.gov
22. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central: Mushrooms, portabella, raw. FDC ID 169255 (SR Legacy, NDB 11265; 1 whole = 84 g; 1 cup diced = 86 g). Accessed November 4, 2026.
23. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Copper: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. ods.od.nih.gov
24. Axe J. Top 10 Reasons You're Not Healing. The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2025 (at least 30 to 40 grams of protein three times a day).
25. Kalaras MD, Richie JP, Calcagnotto A, Beelman RB. Mushrooms: A rich source of the antioxidants ergothioneine and glutathione. Food Chem. 2017;233:429-433. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.04.109. PMID:28530594
26. Halliwell B, Cheah I. Are age-related neurodegenerative diseases caused by a lack of the diet-derived compound ergothioneine?. Free Radic Biol Med. 2024;217:60-67. doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.03.009. PMID:38492784
27. Axe J. The Hidden Reason Your Body Can't Heal Itself! The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2026 (the foods most beneficial for autophagy at 35:35; mushrooms and spermidine at 35:52; YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ua16ytOgTc&t=2135s).
28. Weigand-Heller AJ, Kris-Etherton PM, Beelman RB. The bioavailability of ergothioneine from mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) and the acute effects on antioxidant capacity and biomarkers of inflammation. Prev Med. 2012;54 Suppl:S75-8. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2011.12.028. PMID:22230474
29. Calvo MS, Mehrotra A, Beelman RB, Nadkarni G, Wang L, Cai W, et al. A Retrospective Study in Adults with Metabolic Syndrome: Diabetic Risk Factor Response to Daily Consumption of Agaricus bisporus (White Button Mushrooms). Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2016;71(3):245-51. doi:10.1007/s11130-016-0552-7. PMID:27193019
30. Smith E, Ottosson F, Hellstrand S, Ericson U, Orho-Melander M, Fernandez C, et al. Ergothioneine is associated with reduced mortality and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Heart. 2020;106(9):691-697. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2019-315485. PMID:31672783
31. Uffelman CN, Schmok JN, Campbell RE, Hartman AS, Olson MR, Anderson NL, et al. Consuming Mushrooms When Adopting a Healthy Mediterranean-Style Dietary Pattern Does Not Influence Short-Term Changes of Most Cardiometabolic Disease Risk Factors in Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Adults. J Nutr. 2024;154(2):574-582. doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.12.026. PMID:38135005
32. Hess J, Wang Q, Gould T, Slavin J. Impact of Agaricus bisporus Mushroom Consumption on Gut Health Markers in Healthy Adults. Nutrients. 2018;10(10). doi:10.3390/nu10101402. PMID:30279332
33. Hess JM, Wang Q, Kraft C, Slavin JL. Impact of Agaricus bisporus mushroom consumption on satiety and food intake. Appetite. 2017;117:179-185. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2017.06.021. PMID:28647383
34. Poddar KH, Ames M, Hsin-Jen C, Feeney MJ, Wang Y, Cheskin LJ. Positive effect of mushrooms substituted for meat on body weight, body composition, and health parameters. A 1-year randomized clinical trial. Appetite. 2013;71:379-87. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2013.09.008. PMID:24056209
35. Volman JJ, Mensink RP, van Griensven LJ, Plat J. Effects of alpha-glucans from Agaricus bisporus on ex vivo cytokine production by LPS and PHA-stimulated PBMCs; a placebo-controlled study in slightly hypercholesterolemic subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010;64(7):720-6. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2010.32. PMID:20197785
36. Zwaan W, Mensink RP, Baars JJP, van Peer AF, van den Heuvel EGHM, Godschalk R, et al. The effects of Agaricus bisporus strain MES01706 on influenza vaccination responses: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled intervention study in men and women aged 60 years or older. Food Funct. 2026;17(16):7152-7161. doi:10.1039/d6fo00915h. PMID:42475253
37. Zhang S, Tomata Y, Sugiyama K, Sugawara Y, Tsuji I. Mushroom Consumption and Incident Dementia in Elderly Japanese: The Ohsaki Cohort 2006 Study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2017;65(7):1462-1469. doi:10.1111/jgs.14812. PMID:28295137
38. Feng L, Cheah IK, Ng MM, Li J, Chan SM, Lim SL, et al. The Association between Mushroom Consumption and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study in Singapore. J Alzheimers Dis. 2019;68(1):197-203. doi:10.3233/JAD-180959. PMID:30775990
39. Ba DM, Gao X, Muscat J, Al-Shaar L, Chinchilli V, Zhang X, et al. Association of mushroom consumption with all-cause and cause-specific mortality among American adults: prospective cohort study findings from NHANES III. Nutr J. 2021;20(1):38. doi:10.1186/s12937-021-00691-8. PMID:33888143
40. Ba DM, Gao X, Al-Shaar L, Muscat J, Chinchilli VM, Ssentongo P, et al. Prospective study of dietary mushroom intake and risk of mortality: results from continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2014 and a meta-analysis. Nutr J. 2021;20(1):80. doi:10.1186/s12937-021-00738-w. PMID:34548082
41. Glover ES, Napolitano SC, Comboni LM, Fleet JC, Olson MR, Foti D, et al. Effects of Consuming Ultraviolet Light-Exposed Mushrooms on Self-Reported Indices of Brain Health and Performance-Based Cognition in Middle-Aged and Older Adults. Foods. 2025;14(18). doi:10.3390/foods14183148. PMID:41008122
42. Zajac IT, Barnes M, Cavuoto P, Wittert G, Noakes M. The Effects of Vitamin D-Enriched Mushrooms and Vitamin D3 on Cognitive Performance and Mood in Healthy Elderly Adults: A Randomised, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2020;12(12). doi:10.3390/nu12123847. PMID:33339304
43. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central: Mushrooms, portabella, exposed to ultraviolet light, grilled. FDC ID 169377 (SR Legacy, NDB 11939). Accessed November 4, 2026.
44. Cashman KD, Kiely M, Seamans KM, Urbain P. Effect of Ultraviolet Light-Exposed Mushrooms on Vitamin D Status: Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Reanalysis of Biobanked Sera from a Randomized Controlled Trial and a Systematic Review plus Meta-Analysis. J Nutr. 2016;146(3):565-75. doi:10.3945/jn.115.223784. PMID:26865648
45. Stephensen CB, Zerofsky M, Burnett DJ, Lin YP, Hammock BD, Hall LM, et al. Ergocalciferol from mushrooms or supplements consumed with a standard meal increases 25-hydroxyergocalciferol but decreases 25-hydroxycholecalciferol in the serum of healthy adults. J Nutr. 2012;142(7):1246-52. doi:10.3945/jn.112.159764. PMID:22623385
46. Axe J. 10 Signs You Have a Vitamin D Deficiency (How to Boost Vitamin D Naturally). The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2024 (vitamin D foods are not a replacement for sunshine at 24:22; UV-treated cremini mushrooms at 24:49; vitamin D3 as the most effective supplement form at 25:23; YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DppCtWANKjo&t=1462s).
47. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central: Mushrooms, brown, italian, or crimini, exposed to ultraviolet light, raw. FDC ID 168557 (SR Legacy, NDB 11936; 1 cup whole = 87 g). Accessed November 4, 2026.
48. Hashemi Yusefabad H, Hosseini SA, Zakerkish M, Cheraghian B, Alipour M. The effects of hot air-dried white button mushroom powder on glycemic indices, lipid profile, inflammatory biomarkers and total antioxidant capacity in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized controlled trial. J Res Med Sci. 2022;27:49. doi:10.4103/jrms.JRMS_513_20. PMID:36092487
49. Uffelman CN, Chan NI, Davis EM, Wang Y, McGowan BS, Campbell WW. An Assessment of Mushroom Consumption on Cardiometabolic Disease Risk Factors and Morbidities in Humans: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2023;15(5). doi:10.3390/nu15051079. PMID:36904079
50. Lee DH, Yang M, Giovannucci EL, Sun Q, Chavarro JE. Mushroom consumption, biomarkers, and risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study of US women and men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019;110(3):666-674. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqz057. PMID:31172167
51. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central: Mushrooms, white, raw. FDC ID 169251 (SR Legacy, NDB 11260). Accessed November 4, 2026.
52. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central: Mushrooms, brown, italian, or crimini, raw. FDC ID 168434 (SR Legacy, NDB 11266). Accessed November 4, 2026.
53. Simon RR, Phillips KM, Horst RL, Munro IC. Vitamin D mushrooms: comparison of the composition of button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) treated postharvest with UVB light or sunlight. J Agric Food Chem. 2011;59(16):8724-32. doi:10.1021/jf201255b. PMID:21736377
54. Schulzová V, Hajslová J, Peroutka R, Gry J, Andersson HC. Influence of storage and household processing on the agaritine content of the cultivated Agaricus mushroom. Food Addit Contam. 2002;19(9):853-62. doi:10.1080/02652030210156340. PMID:12396396
55. Mehrotra A, Calvo MS, Beelman RB, Levy E, Siuty J, Kalaras MD, et al. Bioavailability of vitamin D2 from enriched mushrooms in prediabetic adults: a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2014;68(10):1154-60. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2014.157. PMID:25117997
56. Cardwell G, Bornman JF, James AP, Daly A, Dabos G, Adorno P, et al. Effect of household cooking on the retention of vitamin D(2) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D(2) in pulse UV-irradiated, air-dried button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). Food Chem. 2023;424:136387. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136387. PMID:37224637
57. Axe J. Ancient Remedies. 2021 (Quinoa, Black Bean, and Mushroom Burgers, pp. 342-343).
58. Toth B, Erickson J. Cancer induction in mice by feeding of the uncooked cultivated mushroom of commerce Agaricus bisporus. Cancer Res. 1986;46(8):4007-11. PMID:3731070
59. Pilegaard K, Kristiansen E, Meyer OA, Gry J. Failure of the cultivated mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) to induce tumors in the A/J mouse lung tumor model. Cancer Lett. 1997;120(1):79-85. doi:10.1016/s0304-3835(97)00292-9. PMID:9570389
60. Shephard SE, Gunz D, Schlatter C. Genotoxicity of agaritine in the lacI transgenic mouse mutation assay: evaluation of the health risk of mushroom consumption. Food Chem Toxicol. 1995;33(4):257-64. doi:10.1016/0278-6915(94)00142-b. PMID:7737599
61. Gauld R, Walter G, Zhu R. Pollen food allergy syndrome secondary to molds and raw mushroom cross-reactivity: a case report. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2024;20(1):2. doi:10.1186/s13223-023-00865-5. PMID:38178177
62. Choi HK, Atkinson K, Karlson EW, Willett W, Curhan G. Purine-rich foods, dairy and protein intake, and the risk of gout in men. N Engl J Med. 2004;350(11):1093-103. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa035700. PMID:15014182
63. Zhang T, Rayamajhi S, Meng G, Zhang Q, Liu L, Wu H, et al. Edible mushroom consumption and incident hyperuricemia: results from the TCLSIH cohort study. Food Funct. 2021;12(19):9178-9187. doi:10.1039/d1fo00650a. PMID:34606546
64. Ba DM, Ssentongo P, Beelman RB, Muscat J, Gao X, Richie JP. Higher Mushroom Consumption Is Associated with Lower Risk of Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. Adv Nutr. 2021;12(5):1691-1704. doi:10.1093/advances/nmab015. PMID:33724299
65. Lee DH, Yang M, Keum N, Giovannucci EL, Sun Q, Chavarro JE. Mushroom Consumption and Risk of Total and Site-Specific Cancer in Two Large U.S. Prospective Cohorts. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2019;12(8):517-526. doi:10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-19-0101. PMID:31164344
66. Twardowski P, Kanaya N, Frankel P, Synold T, Ruel C, Pal SK, et al. A phase I trial of mushroom powder in patients with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer: Roles of cytokines and myeloid-derived suppressor cells for Agaricus bisporus-induced prostate-specific antigen responses. Cancer. 2015;121(17):2942-50. doi:10.1002/cncr.29421. PMID:25989179
67. Chen S, Oh SR, Phung S, Hur G, Ye JJ, Kwok SL, et al. Anti-aromatase activity of phytochemicals in white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). Cancer Res. 2006;66(24):12026-34. doi:10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-06-2206. PMID:17178902
68. Adams LS, Phung S, Wu X, Ki L, Chen S. White button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) exhibits antiproliferative and proapoptotic properties and inhibits prostate tumor growth in athymic mice. Nutr Cancer. 2008;60(6):744-56. doi:10.1080/01635580802192866. PMID:19005974

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS

Doctor of Natural Medicine · Founder, DrAxe.com

Dr. Axe is a certified doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, and multiple New York Times bestselling author. He has spent 20+ years in clinical practice helping people heal at the root cause and founded one of the most-visited natural-health platforms in the world.

Read the full bio →

This article is for educational purposes. See our medical disclaimer.