Vitamins

The vitamins in mushrooms

About one third of your riboflavin (vitamin B2) needs can be obtained from a serve of mushrooms (see Table 2). Riboflavin is involved in the release of energy from carbohydrate, protein and fat. It is uncommon to see mushrooms listed as a source of niacin (vitamin B3), yet it can provide a quarter of our daily needs. Niacin can also be made in the body from the amino acid tryptophan. The role of niacin in the body is closely related to that of riboflavin as it is involved in cell respiration and the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat and protein.

Table 2. B vitamins, minerals & other important compounds in mushrooms

Nutrient	Amount /100g	%RDI	Amounts in other foods/100g	Amounts in common vegetables/100g
Riboflavin (B2) mg	0.37	30	Milk (2% fat) 0.18	Parsley 0.33; broccoli 0.2; spinach 0.2;
Niacin equiv (B3) mg	3.7	23	Mince beef 4.2	Green peas 3.4; avocado 1.9; parsley 1.5
Pantothenic acid mg	1.15	20	Chicken thigh 0.92	Avocado 0.9; broccoli 0.5; sweetcorn 0.5
Biotin mcg	8.9	30	Milk (2% fat) 3.7	Broccoli 9.8; cauliflower 5.7; avocado 5.0
Folate mg	18	4.5	Spinach 120	Asparagus 114, Broccoli 49
Selenium mcg	15.4	22	Tuna tinned 80	Sweetcorn 1.3; celery 1.8
Copper mcg	342	20	Peanuts 564	Avocado 271; green peas 147
Potassium mg	310	10	Banana 345	Spinach 570; tomato 200; zucchini 150; cucumber 100
Phosporus (mg)	110	10	Roast lamb 325	Green beans 42; carrot 35; capsicum 20

mg = milligrams; mcg = micrograms
RDI = Recommended Dietary Intake (covers the daily needs of a nutrient)
source: NUTTAB 2006 Online

Pantothenic acid is involved in more than 100 different steps in making neurotransmitters, hormones and haemoglobin, while biotin is also involved in the normal metabolism including the production of glucose. Both vitamins work primarily as co-enzymes, compounds that allow enzymes to function properly. A serve of mushrooms will provide around 20% of your daily needs of these two vitamins.

Nutritional information:
Mushroom, ham & rocket pitta pizzas

Protein	30g
Fat	17g
Sat Fat	7g
Carb	55g
kJ	2070
B1	0.58mg
B2	0.53mg
B3	15mg