Introduction
Do mushrooms have fiber, well yes it does in moderate amounts along with various nutrients. Mushrooms are fungi. Most varieties are edible and add a distinct taste to various dishes. Mushrooms contain B vitamins ( B2, B3, B5, folate, niacin), and vitamin D. It contains minerals like potassium, copper, phosphorous, iron, and selenium. They are high in protein content and low in fat content. Mushrooms are rich sources of antioxidants. Thus it helps protect the body from harmful radicals. In this article, we will know in detail about mushrooms.
Understanding dietary fiber
Dietary fibers are edible parts of plants or analogous carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are cellulose, pectin, and hemicelluloses. By nature, they are nonstarch polysaccharides. These resist digestion and absorption by the small intestine and are fermented in the large intestine. There are two types of dietary fibers:
1. Soluble fiber
Which dissolves in water forming a gel-type substance. It is referred to as soft fiber.
2. Insoluble fiber
This holds onto water. It provides bulk to stool and is referred to as roughage. It promotes bowel regularity and decreases constipation.
Dietary fibers help in the adsorption of organic molecules like bile acids, carcinogens, and neutral sterols. It facilitates their fecal excretion.
Mushrooms are a potential source of Dietary fiber
The glucan presents all the characteristics of dietary fiber, they are indigestible by gastrointestinal enzymes. Though an underrated and underutilized food, in recent years these dietary fibers have drawn a lot of attention. The glucans have immunomodulatory and anticarcinogenic properties. It has many nutritional benefits and promotes a healthy gut microbiome and cognition power (reduces the risk of dementia).
Types of fiber found in mushrooms
- Mushroom is the fruit of the fungus. It has got two parts, the cap and the stem. The cap and the stem have different levels of dietary fiber. In some varieties of mushrooms, beta-glucans are higher in stem (stipe) than in pileus (cap).
- Among the carbohydrates, dietary fiber is the main component of the mushrooms. It constitutes about 18 to 50% of its dry weight
- Dietary fibers in mushrooms are constituted mainly of water-insoluble ones. They are chitin, beta-glucans, and mannans. Beta–d- glucans is the most common polysaccharide found in the cell walls of mushrooms.
- The level of water-soluble dietary fibers is less than 10 % of the dry weight. They are trehalose, mannitol, glycogen, and glucose.
- The polysaccharide (beta-glucans) is a unique structure. It differs markedly from the cellulosic components of the plant cell.
Health benefits of Dietary fiber in Mushrooms
1. Promoting digestive health with mushroom fiber
The water-insoluble dietary fibers add bulk to stool and prevent constipation. The water-soluble dietary fibers help improve digestion and support gut health. It acts as a prebiotic ( a food for beneficial gut bacteria). The dietary fibers can stimulate the growth of beneficial strains of bacteria like lactobacillus, and bifidobacterium. These prevent the chances of colon cancer and IBS.
2. Fiber and weight management
Dietary fibers delay gastric emptying. Dietary fibers in mushroom delays absorption in the small intestine. This provides a feeling of fullness and helps avoid overconsumption of calories.
3. Blood sugar regulation
The dietary fiber beta glucans slow down carbohydrate digestion and absorption. It helps to prevent diabetes by improving glycemic control and glucose tolerance. Thus it increases insulin sensitivity.
4. Heart health
High levels of cholesterol can cause fatty deposits in blood vessels. This can stop blood flow to the heart. The dietary fiber beta-glucan has a hypolipidemic effect. It binds to bile acids and cholesterol increasing their faecal excretion. Thus it decreases plasma and tissue cholesterol levels. This is how it prevents cardiovascular diseases.
Cooking and preserving fiber in mushrooms
Mushrooms are cooked by boiling, frying, and grilling. These cooking methods tend to vary the composition of fiber content in different types of mushrooms. Dietary fibers are lost if mushrooms are fried. Boiling improves the dietary fiber content. So proper selection of cooking methods is necessary to preserve the benefits of fibers.
Incorporating Mushrooms into a fiber-rich diet
Should be taken regularly (about 45 gms). Dishes like soups, salads, and sandwiches can have mushrooms. All the meat preparations can be substituted with mushrooms because of their good protein content as well as dietary fibers. Mushrooms can also be added to extrusion snacks (pasta, noodles) made from refined or starchy carbohydrates.
Q&A
1. Are mushrooms good source of fiber?
Yes, mushrooms are a very good source of fiber.
2. Are mushrooms fiber free?
No, the fibers occur naturally in the cell wall of the mushrooms. A mushroom is not a plant or animal product. So it is not fiber-free.
3. Is mushroom a carbohydrate or a fiber?
Mushroom is a fiber.
4. Are mushrooms fiber or protein?
Mushrooms are fibers.
Summary
- Do mushrooms have fiber, yes it has a rich content of dietary fiber in their cell wall.
- These are types of polysaccharides namely chitin and beta glucanes.
- Cellulose a plant derivative is distinctly different from these fibers.
- The polysaccharides present in mushrooms provide all the nutritional characteristics of dietary fiber.
- Mushrooms contain B vitamins ( B2, B3, B5, folate, niacin), and vitamin D . It contains minerals like potassium, phosphorous, iron, and selenium. They are high in protein content and very low in fat content. Mushrooms are rich sources of antioxidants.
- Mushrooms are potential sources of dietary fibers though underrated and not fully utilized. The content of dietary fibers varies from species to species and also in the cap and stem parts.
- The dietary fibers in mushrooms have numerous health benefits like weight management, diabetes control, and promoting healthy gut bacteria.
- Care should be taken to preserve the fiber content in mushrooms. It should be incorporated into our daily dishes adequately.
CONCLUSION – Mushrooms are a rich source of dietary fiber. It is a fungus and not a plant or animal product. Most species are edible and have numerous health benefits.
Reference
Fungal cell wall – Structure, synthesis, and assembly by J.r. Herrera