Mushrooms, crimini

What's New and Beneficial About Crimini Mushrooms

• You can definitely make a difference in the health benefits you get from mushrooms by being extra careful with the temperature at which you store them. A recent study looked at color and texture changes in mushrooms over a 6-8 day period, including color changes that were associated with the mushrooms' phytonutrient content (discoloration was related to a reduction in these important nutrients). As temperatures moved closer and closer to room temperature (the researchers stopped at 59°F/15°C in their study), discoloration and hardening became more and more problematic. Prevention of discoloration and hardening required the researchers to take the temperature down all the way to 38°F/3°C over this 6-8 day period. Since 38°F/3°C is great temperature setting for your home refrigerator, what we're talking about here is careful refrigeration of mushrooms as soon as you've arrived back home from the grocery store. Leaving mushrooms out on the countertop is worth avoiding, and you never want to store them even temporarily in a cabinet.
• Like most mushrooms, crimini mushrooms can provide us with unique immune system support. But contrary to public belief, these common button-type mushrooms have recently been shown to surpass some of their more exotic mushroom counterparts (like shiitake or maitake mushrooms) in terms of immune system benefits. We've seen several recent studies that placed button mushrooms at the top of the mushroom list with respect to regulation of unwanted inflammation. Included here were studies on laboratory animals involving the development of arthritis--an area where we expect to see more news about the health benefits of mushrooms.
• Protection against cardiovascular disease has become an area of special research interest in crimini mushrooms. Along with extracts from oyster, shiikate, maitake, and white button mushrooms, extracts from crimini mushrooms have been found to reduce the binding of certain immune cells onto the lining of the aorta. When mushrooms reduce this binding, they also lower risk of damage to the aorta and risk of blood flow problems.
• For women who are at risk of hormone-dependent breast cancer, crimini mushrooms may be an important diet addition. These mushrooms have recently been shown to be a significant source of conjugated linolenic acid (CLA)—a unique type of fatty acid that can bind onto aromatase enzymes and lessen the production of estrogen. Since some breast cancer tumors are dependent upon estrogen for their growth, this blocking of the aromatase enzyme by the mushrooms' CLA may lower risk of this breast cancer type. The presence of CLA in mushrooms is fascinating, because we typically expect to find this type of fatty acid exclusively in animal foods like milk, cheese, and meats.
• Crimini mushrooms may sometimes be a valuable source of vitamin B12. Even though this B12 issue can be a little confusing, we believe it's important for you to know that recent studies have found significant amounts of vitamin B12 in some samples of fresh crimini mushrooms. The B12 in these mushrooms was apparently produced by healthy bacteria growing on the surface of the fresh mushrooms. Mushroom content of B12 varied significantly, and sometimes it varied from farm to farm. That kind of diversity makes sense to us because growing conditions for mushrooms can vary dramatically. Traditionally, we've thought about animal foods as being our only reliable source of vitamin B12. Animals tend to store up small amounts of this vitamin after it has been produced via being consumed in a food or produced by bacteria in their digestive tract. This way of thinking about vitamin B12 still holds true. However, it might also be smart for us to start thinking about fresh mushrooms (including fresh crimini mushrooms) as a potentially valuable source of vitamin B12. While we cannot ask fresh mushrooms for a vitamin B12 guarantee, we can count on them for a variety of other important health benefits, and along with these benefits, we may also be getting a boost in our B12 intake.

WHFoods Recommendations

People do not usually consider mushrooms, including crimini mushrooms, as a part of their meals that can offer great nutritional value. However, the nutritional value of crimini mushrooms may surprise you. One cup of crimini mushrooms provides a good, very good, or excellent source of 15 different vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant phytonutrients. To maximize their flavor and the retention of their nutrients it is important to not to overcook them. That's why we recommend healthy sautéeing crimini mushrooms for just 7 minutes to bring out their best flavor while maximizing their nutrient retention. For more on our Healthiest Way of Cooking crimini mushrooms see the How to Enjoy section. 

Mushrooms, Crimini, raw
1.00 cup
(72.00 grams)

Calories: 16
GI: very low

NutrientDRI/DV

 copper40%

 selenium34%

 vitamin B227%

 pantothenic acid22%

 vitamin B317%

 phosphorus12%

 potassium9%

 zinc7%

 vitamin B16%

 folate5%

 vitamin B65%

 manganese5%

 protein4%

 choline4%

 vitamin B123%

This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Mushrooms, crimini provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Mushrooms, crimini can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Mushrooms, crimini, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Immune System Support

White blood cells play a key role in the health of our immune system, and without healthy and balanced activity on the part of our white blood cells, we cannot protect ourselves from diseases caused by microorganisms or from allergy-related problems. There are many important types of white blood cells, and these include monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells. All three types of immune cells have their activity levels shifted by substances found in crimini mushrooms! In a remarkable way, unique phytonutrients found in crimini mushrooms change the way these white blood cells go about their business. In some cases, they prevent white blood cells from becoming active when they would be better off remaining inactive. In other cases, they trigger white blood cell activity when more activity is needed. The list of immune-impacting phytonutrients in crimini mushroom is both unusual and lengthy. It includes beta-D-glucans, fucogalactans, APO (2-amino-3H-phenoxazin-3-one), p-tolyl-hydrazine, and a wide range of substances involving unique combinations of protein-plus-carbohydrate components. The role of a healthy immune system in helping protect us against arthritis, development of cancer, and development of cardiovascular disease has been examined with a focus on dietary mushroom intake, and evidence suggests that crimini mushrooms can help lower our risk of these health problems by supporting balanced activities among the white blood cells of our immune system.

One final note may be in order when thinking about crimini mushrooms and our immune system. One key nutrient for healthy immune system function is vitamin D, and crimini mushrooms do provide measurable amounts of this vitamin. However, the relationship of vitamin D to mushrooms can be complicated. The form of vitamin D most commonly found in mushrooms is ergosterol (sometimes called vitamin D1). This form of the vitamin is not active in humans as a hormone. With the help of sunlight, some of the ergosterol in mushrooms can be converted into ergocalciferol (sometimes called vitamin D2). However, since mushrooms do not require sunlight for growth, they are sometimes produced without exposure to light and, in this case, would not provide D2. (Some mushroom growers deliberately expose mushrooms that are being grown in the dark to a short burst of light that can help some of the D1 in mushrooms get converted into D2.) Even though D2 can be useful to our cells, this D2 form of vitamin D is still not the fully active hormonal form. That fully active form (vitamin D3, cholecalciferol) is not provided by mushrooms whether exposed to light or not. From our perspective, the bottom line for vitamin D and mushrooms is much like the bottom line for vitamin B12 and mushrooms. You cannot count on mushrooms to be helpful with your vitamin D requirements (just like you cannot count on them to be helpful in meeting your vitamin B12 requirements), but you may end up getting some bonus vitamin D (and vitamin B12) benefits from crimini mushrooms, along with their other amazing health-supportive nutrients.

Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Risk of many common health problems—including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer—is increased by the presence of chronic unwanted inflammation. Many factors can contribute to chronic inflammation, and these factors include overproduction of molecules in our body that tell it to launch an inflammatory response. If production of these molecules—called pro-inflammatory molecules—can be reduced, chronic inflammation can be reduced or sometimes prevented altogether. Intake of whole fresh mushrooms, mushroom extracts, and powdered/dried mushrooms has been shown to accomplish precisely this result—blocked production of pro-inflammatory molecules. In some studies, crimini mushroom appears to be a better blocker of certain pro-inflammatory molecules than its fellow mushrooms like shiitake and maitake. These anti-inflammatory studies have usually been conducted on laboratory animals, and have usually focused on pro-inflammatory molecules like IL-10 (interleukin-10), IL-12 (interleukin-12), and IFN-gamma (interferon-gamma). The results of these studies have been consistent and also clear: to avoid chronic overproduction of pro-inflammatory molecules, it's helpful to include crimini mushrooms in a diet.

Antioxidant Benefits

There are two outstanding types of antioxidant support provided by crimini mushrooms. The first type involves their nutrient composition, and the second type involves their impact on oxidative metabolism. In terms of nutrients, you don't have to look far to find key players in antioxidant world: crimini mushrooms provide an excellent amount of selenium, and a very good amount of zinc and manganese. All three minerals are critical antioxidant nutrients and are also required for the functioning of antioxidant enzymes. The antioxidant content of crimini mushrooms also includes some unusual antioxidant molecules. The best studied of these molecules is ergothioneine (technically identified as 2-mercaptohistidine trimethylbetaine). Ergothioneine is an amino acid-like molecule that has not only been shown to have antioxidant properties but to also specifically help prevent oxidative damage to DNA (our genetic material) and proteins.

In addition to providing us with these key antioxidant nutrients, mushrooms also impact our oxidative metabolism. Intake of crimini mushrooms and crimini mushrooms extracts has been studied in relationship to the activity of several oxidative enzymes, including SOD (superoxide dismutase), CAT (catalase), and GPO (glutathione peroxidase). Most of these oxidative enzyme studies have been conducted on animals, including mice, rats, and chickens. Addition of mushroom to the animals' diets in relatively small amounts has been shown to increase enzyme activity and in the case of GPO, to increase the cell's supply of glutathione (GSH) itself. In the minds of many researchers, GSH may be a central antioxidant in many cellular activities.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Since the health of our circulatory system depends on great antioxidant protection and effective regulation of inflammation, it is not surprising to see crimini mushrooms providing impressive cardiovascular benefits. This mushroom is simply to rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients to go unheralded in this cardiovascular area. As might be expected, research studies show that crimini mushrooms can help protect us from cardiovascular disease by protecting our blood vessels from oxidative damage as well as chronic inflammation. This protection has been specifically shown with respect to the aorta--our body's largest blood vessel. Cardiovascular protection by crimini mushrooms extends beyond these antioxidant and anti-inflammatory areas, however. Research studies on laboratory animals with high blood levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides (TGs) have also shown that daily intake of crimini mushrooms over a period of 1-2 months can reduce levels of all three blood fats (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and TGs.

The cardiovascular benefits from crimini mushrooms also involve their B vitamins. In addition to being an excellent source of vitamins B2, B3 (niacin), and B5 (pantothenic acid), crimini mushrooms are a very good source of vitamin B1, and good source of vitamin B6, folate, and choline. As described earlier in this profile, these mushrooms also sometimes provide us with a significant amount of vitamin B12. The B vitamin choline (about 19 milligrams per cup) is also provided by this B vitamin-rich food. One hallmark risk factor for cardiovascular disease (especially atherosclerosis) is an elevated level of homocysteine. This amino acid lies at the intersection of many complicated metabolic pathways important to the healthy function of our cardiovascular system. Deficiencies of vitamins B6 and B12 or folate can increase our risk of elevated homocysteine and, along with it, our risk of cardiovascular disease. By providing us with these critical homocysteine-balancing B vitamins, crimini mushrooms provide us with yet another tool for improving our cardiovascular health.

Anti-Cancer Benefits

A fascinating twist in the story of crimini mushrooms, immune support, and anti-inflammatory benefits involves cancer cells. In some ways, cancer cells can be considered the opposite of healthy cells. With healthy cells, we want to avoid chronic inflammation, and we want our immune system to maintain a sense of respect for the miraculous functioning of each healthy cell. With cancer cells, the situation is somewhat reversed. In the case of cancer cells, we would like our immune system to be unusually active and to send out white blood cells that can dismantle and deactivate cancerous or cancer-like cells.

In some situations, it can also be helpful for inflammatory activity to be increased in cancer cells. Increased activity of pro-inflammatory molecules (for example, prostaglandin E2, also called PGE2) can sometimes cause a cancer cell to shift itself over into a process called apoptosis (programmed cell death). In this case, the cancer cell can be prevented from causing more disruption among healthy cells.

The immune system's ability to actively detect and deactivate cancer cells (or potentially cancerous cells) and the inflammatory system's ability to help trigger apoptosis in cancer cells (or potentially cancerous cells) are abilities that can be enhanced by intake of crimini mushrooms. We've seen recent studies on laboratory animals as well as lab studies on different cancer cell lines that show significant anti-cancer benefits from crimini mushroom extracts and also from dried, powdered crimini mushrooms. (Extracts and dried powder forms are used to enable measured consumption by the laboratory animals.)

Of special interest in this health benefits area have been studies on breast cancer and prostate cancer. In the case of breast cancer—especially hormone-related breast cancer—it may be the presence of a special fatty acid called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) in mushrooms that is especially important. CLA may be able to bind onto aromatase enzymes in the cancer cells and lessen their ability to produce estrogen. Since some breast cancer tumors are dependent upon estrogen for their growth, this blocking of the aromatase enzyme by the mushrooms' CLA may help prevent or control this type of tumor. In the case of prostate cancer, blocking of the aromataseenzyme by CLA has also been a research focus since prostate cancer cells are known to producearomatase enzymes. Blocking of a second type of enzyme (called 5-alpha reductase) by mushroom extracts has also been a focus of prostate cancer studies. It's important to remember that most types of cancer begin their development in situations where there has been chronic unwanted inflammation related to lack of anti-inflammatory nutrients and also in situations where there has been chronic unwanted oxidative stress due to lack of antioxidant nutrients. By providing us with their unique mix of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients, crimini mushrooms may be able to help us decrease our cancer risk not only for breast and prostate cancer, but for other cancer types as well.

DESCRIPTION

Crimini mushrooms are a coffee-colored variety of the world's most commonly eaten mushroom, commonly called the "button" mushroom. The names "white button," "crimini" and "portobello" all refer to this same scientific category of mushroom, Agaricus bisporus. Different strains (also called "isolates") of Agaricus bisporus are used in commercial mushroom production along with varied growing conditions and varied time periods of cultivation to produce different varieties this of widely loved food. White button varieties are typically obtained from select strains that can be harvested at a relatively immature stage of growth. Strains used to produce crimini mushrooms are typically harvested at an intermediate growth stage. Baby bella mushroom, mini bella mushroom, baby portobello mushroon, and portobellini mushroom are other names for crimini mushrooms. Crimini mushrooms are also sometimes referred to simply as "brown mushrooms." Portobello mushrooms are crimini mushrooms that have been allowed to grow to full maturity.

Mushrooms are as mysteriously unique as they are delicious. While often thought of as a vegetable and prepared like one, mushrooms are actually fungi, a special type of living organism that has no roots, leaves, flowers, or seeds. Technically speaking, mushrooms are not vegetables. In fact, technically speaking, mushrooms are not even plants! Mushrooms do not require either soil or light in order to grow. All that's required is decaying organic matter of some kind, including the kind found in decaying wood, decaying leaves, or manure. While mushrooms can be cultivated, they easily grow wild in many regions of the world due to their unusual and fairly simple growth requirements.

The unique nature of mushrooms as a fungus that grows on decaying matter is one of the reasons that we encourage purchase of certified organic mushrooms. Growth media used in the commercial production of non-organic crimini mushrooms can be inconsistent in terms of quality, and we believe that your risk of contamination with pesticides, heavy metals, and other unwanted substances will often be lowered through the purchase of certified organic mushrooms. (At present, there are no organic certification standards created exclusively for mushroom production. But at the same time, many organic standards created for production of all foods apply to the growing of organic mushrooms as well. For example, regulations for the composting of manure in production of certified organic mushrooms are stricter than the regulations for the composting of manure in production of non-organic mushrooms.)