Mushrooms and the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines

"The U.S. mushroom industry has spent the past two decades investing in scientific research to better understand the nutrient composition and benefits of mushrooms. One result of that research has been the creation of a very practical culinary concept we call “The Blend” – the idea that combining ground meat with finely chopped mushrooms creates more nutritious, delicious versions of iconic American dishes, such as burgers."

A study published in the Journal of Food Science explored the flavor-enhancing properties of mushrooms and found that blending finely chopped mushrooms with ground meat enhances flavor and nutrition. For example, a traditional ground meat recipe prepared with 50 percent mushrooms and 50 percent meat can:

• Reduce calorie, saturated fat and sodium intake;
• Add nutrients like vitamin D, potassium, B-vitamins and antioxidants;
• And enhance overall flavor, thanks to mushrooms’ natural umami.

If the 2020 Dietary Guidelines once again aim to guide Americans to increase their vegetable consumption, while decreasing saturated fat and sodium intake, I’d like to offer the mushroom industry’s Blend concept as inspiration."

"School nutrition programs are collaborating with food manufacturers and USDA Foods to increase student consumption of vegetables and legumes while reducing sodium. School meals, based on the Dietary Guidelines, are served to more than 30 million students at lunch daily and to another 14 million students at breakfast.

School meal planners have learned how to balance student acceptance with enhanced nutrition – lowering fat, cholesterol and sodium by serving cost-effective, flavorful entrées that blend meat proteins with vegetables like mushrooms, peppers and onions. These efforts are influencing student eating patterns at school and beyond. Blending meat and vegetables also helps to reduce overall food waste in schools and to establish an early foundation for the healthy eating patterns that are known to help reduce the burden of chronic diseases."

September is National Mushroom Month

• Share social media content from the mushroom experts at MushroomCouncil.com to celebrate a #MushroomADay. Daily themes include:
  • Monday: Meal-prep Mondays
  • Tuesday: It’s Tuesday Night Somewhere with Melissa d’Arabian
  • Wednesday: Bon Appétit “Blendsday” Recipes
  • Thursday: Nutrition Tips & Tricks from Registered Dietitians
  • Friday: Recipes from mushroom partners: USA Pulses, American Egg Board, National Pork Board and the Idaho Potato Commission