They’re a tasty addition to all sorts of dishes, but mushrooms can be made even healthier if left in one place before cooking.
Mushrooms are packed with various vitamins, including vitamin B and vitamin D, and now food experts say it’s possible to boost their nutritional value by 20 times with a simple trick.
Elliot Webb, a mushroom expert at Urban Farm-It and author of Growing Mushrooms at Home, says exposing mushrooms to sunlight before cooking can dramatically boost their nutritional content to make them an even greater powerhouse of vitamin D.
Mushrooms typically contain around one to two micrograms of vitamin D, but leaving them in direct sunlight for up to 30 minutes before eating can multiply that amount by as much as 20 times.
Webb explains: “Mushrooms contain a compound called ergosterol, which transforms into a precursor of vitamin D when exposed to ultraviolet light.
“This means that simply placing mushrooms in direct sunlight for a short time before eating them can significantly enhance their vitamin D content. Just 15 to 30 minutes of sun exposure to your mushrooms can make a meaningful difference.
The NHS says that from around late March to the end of September, most people should be able to make all of the vitamin D that their body needs from sunlight on their skin, but from October to early March, we typically don’t make enough from sunlight alone.
As such, many people rely on supplements to boost their vitamin D intake during these periods, but this natural approach can serve as an easy and cost-effective alternative.
Webb adds: “Sun-enhanced mushrooms are an excellent source of vitamin D, especially for those following plant-based diets. This method is widely recognised in Scandinavian countries, where wild mushrooms naturally exposed to sunlight have long been valued for their nutritional benefits.
“Research has shown that even exposing dried mushrooms to UV light can generate nutritionally significant amounts of vitamin D. In commercial settings, UV lamps have been used to enhance mushrooms in just seconds, making this a viable solution to address vitamin D deficiencies.”
Beyond vitamin D, mushrooms offer a wide range of additional health benefits and are a good source of antioxidants, fibre and essential minerals.
To make the most of your mushrooms at home and boost their nutritional value, Webb suggests placing fresh mushrooms on a sunny windowsill for between 15 to 30 minutes, turning them occasionally for even exposure, before cooking.
Webb says: “This method is simple, natural, and requires no extra cost. By making this small change, people can increase their vitamin D intake and enjoy the many health benefits that mushrooms provide.”
