The sun is (almost) always shining in The Bahamas. Plenty of natural sunlight is great for afternoons at the beach but did you know the sun can boost the vitamin D levels in mushrooms?
No matter what diet you follow or the foods you eat, the best source of vitamin D is the sun. Vitamin D from mushrooms is vegan and extremely bioavailable, which means our bodies can actually absorb the vitamin.
Some of the benefits of getting enough D include:
– Boosts our immune system
– Maintains healthy bones
– Good for teeth & oral health
– Assists in calcium absorption
– Promotes heart health
– Regulates insulin levels
– Keeps energy levels & mood up
Most mushrooms contain vitamin D before they are exposed to sunlight, including varieties like button, mistake, morel, chanterelle, oyster, and shiitake.
You can expose mushrooms to the sun to increase their vitamin D levels. It’s recommended that mushrooms are exposed gills up to the sunlight for at least eight (8) hours but up to fourteen (14) hours.
The vitamin D levels in 100 grams of organic shiitake mushrooms went from 100/IU to nearly 46,000/IU after being sunned with their gills up for two days, six hours each day.
Mushrooms such as morels and chanterelles have more D to begin with since they typically grow outside. After being exposed to sunlight, their post-UV exposure levels soar.
Ready to sun your mushrooms? Click here for a how-to guide.
