How to get a boost in Vitamin D this winter

Mushroom Education Series, Vitamin D

It’s Back-to-School time, which means schedules are about to fill up with science projects, after-school sports, homework, band practice, carpooling, and school discos.

Is your head spinning yet?

While life may seem chaotic and unpredictable, your meals don’t have to be.

We’ve taken the guesswork out of meal planning and rounded up a collection of easy, healthy mushroom dishes the whole family will love! (No school-age kids at home? No problem. You’ll still enjoy these simple yet delicious recipes!)

Tips to start:

  • Cut down time in the kitchen by purchasing pre-cut veg.
  • Blend mushrooms with meat to make meals go further (plus boost flavour and nutrition).
  • Opt for meals you can make ahead and freeze – freeing up your time during the week!

Creamy Mushroom & Bacon Triangles

Golden, flaky filo pastry filled with a creamy mix of mushrooms, crispy bacon, parmesan, and herbs. These bite-sized beauties are perfect for lunchboxes or after-school snacks. Best served warm, but just as delicious cold!

Teriyaki Mushroom Sushi Rolls

 Swap out seafood for umami-rich teriyaki mushrooms in these fresh and flavourful sushi rolls. Paired with creamy avocado and crisp cucumber, they’re a perfect lunchbox or snack-time winner!

 

Mushroom, Cheese & Vegemite Scrolls

A savoury Aussie twist on a classic scroll! Buttery dough (or easy puff pastry) rolled with umami-packed mushrooms, melty cheese, and a hit of Vegemite. Perfect for lunchboxes or an arvo snack.

 

Mushroom Omelette Wrap

A protein-packed, veggie-loaded brekkie wrap featuring fluffy eggs, savoury mushrooms, parmesan, and fresh greens. Quick to make and perfect for eating on the go!

 

With winter well and truly set-in here in Australia, we are all rugging up to spend time indoors out of the cold. Of course the (necessary, but not so fun) lockdowns are also keeping us inside for lengthy periods of time too.

With more of us spending less time in the sun, it’s no wonder the rate of vitamin D deficiency increases in winter.

Despite the fact that Australians are reported to spend over $100M dollars on vitamin D supplements every year, almost 1 in 4 Australians are considered vitamin D deficient1, with a further 43% considered insufficient2. I’m sure you will agree, these figures are quite alarming and something all Australians should be mindful of.

Getting your daily dose of vitamin D is easier, cheaper, and more delicious that you might think! In this article, we will explain why vitamin D is so important for our bodies, and how ordinary store-bought mushrooms can be naturally ‘supercharged’ with vitamin D – using the sun.

What is Vitamin D and why is it so important for our bodies?

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that supports our immune system and our metabolism. It also helps our body absorb calcium from our diets, which we all know is important to maintain strong bones and teeth. By helping our body absorb calcium, vitamin D may reduce the risk of osteoporosis, rickets, and related bone fractures. Research has also shown benefits beyond strong bones to include a decreased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and colorectal cancer.

In winter, the rate of vitamin D deficiency increases, as we spend less time out in the sun. Throughout the year, the incidence of vitamin D deficiency is particularly higher in people who are bed ridden, or those who do not spend time outside. Therefore the elderly, hospital patients, and office workers are some of the most at risk for vitamin D deficiency.

Did you know that just 3 mushrooms (100g) can provide 100% of our daily vitamin D needs - if they have been exposed to the sun?

 

Vitamin D mushrooms

How to ‘supercharge’ the vitamin D in your store-bought mushrooms at home.

We know our skin converts the sun into vitamin D, but it’s a little-known fact that mushrooms can produce vitamin D through a similar process. By placing our common store-bought mushrooms (i.e. white mushroom cups) out in the midday sun with their gill side up for just 15-minutes, the vitamin D levels in the mushroom drastically and naturally increase. We call this ‘tanning our mushrooms.’ It doesn’t change the texture, flavour or colour, it simply multiplies the vitamin D levels in the mushroom.

Portobello Mushrooms

 I can hear you saying, “But, how does this work?”

In technical terms, when sunlight hits the surface of the mushroom it stimulates the conversion of a natural substance called ergosterol (a component of the mushroom cell walls) to ergocalciferol vitamin D2. When the ‘tanned’ mushroom is consumed, this vitamin D2 converts to the active form of vitamin D through the bodies natural process for food, via our liver and kidneys.

Tanning our mushrooms is a simple and natural process, to ensure we are getting our recommended dose of vitamin D. Adequately sun-exposed mushrooms are as effective as taking a vitamin D supplement.

The great news is these new 'super charged' levels of vitamin D will remain in the mushroom for around a week if stored in the fridge and will even remain throughout the cooking process.

Getting our daily dose of vitamin D is easy. All we need to do is get in the habit of placing our mushrooms in the sun, for 15-minutes as soon as we get them home.

Really, that’s about as much time as it takes to unpack the groceries and organise the fridge!

This simple change of habit on your weekly grocery shop will ensure your mushrooms are naturally enriched with vitamin D. This is a really quick and easy step to help you and your family stay healthy this winter. Mushrooms are a natural, efficient and cost-effective way to ensure your family are getting enough of this very important vitamin.

Buy 'Vitamin D Enriched Mushrooms' in stores.

No time to tan your mushrooms yourself? Look out for mushroom packs labelled “Enriched with Vitamin D” in your local supermarket.

Farmers around Australia are now offering 'Vitamin D Enriched Mushrooms' in convenience packs of whole or sliced mushrooms. These mushrooms have been 'pre-tanned' to multiply their vitamin D levels. Vitamin D enriched mushrooms look and taste just like a normal mushroom, they are just better for you. 

Coles vitamin D mushrooms

AMGA Dietitian - Jane Freeman

Jane is an internationally regarded and experienced dietitian and nutritionist, is an IOC (International Olympic Committee) qualified sports nutritionist, Leiths qualified cook and an award-winning author.

As a practicing dietitian and director for CANutriton, a cancer specialist nutrition practice in Sydney, Jane is big mushroom lover and passionate about delivering practical nutrition advice that is easy to understand and adopt.

Jane Freeman - Dietitian

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Why Mushrooms Are a Great Choice for Growing Minds

Mushrooms contain a unique blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that the whole family needs. Just one serving of mushrooms (3-4 medium button mushrooms) provides a quarter (25%) of your daily needs for essential vitamins like riboflavin, biotin, niacin, and pantothenic acid, while also contributing to folate intake.

Mushrooms are often celebrated as a superfood, delivering a powerful nutritional punch that’s different from common vegetables. Why? Because mushrooms aren’t actually vegetables – they’re fungi! This unique classification means they offer an entirely different range of nutrients, making them an essential addition to any diet.

A serving of mushrooms (3 mushrooms/100g) provides more than 20% of the daily needs for six essential nutrients: riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, copper, and selenium. Plus, if mushrooms are exposed to sunlight for just 15 minutes, they can provide 100% of your daily vitamin D requirements—something no vegetable can match!

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER EASY DELIVIOUS MUSHROOM RECIPES HERE