Mushrooms contain certain healthy ingredients. On the other hand, chicken is rich in a lot of ingredients that are essential for the human body. However, to maintain the ratio of healthy ingredients in your food, one should know what constituents of their diet are. So, mushroom vs. chicken: which one is best?
Keep in mind that focusing on a single might cause a deficiency of some ingredients essential for a healthy body. So, for your good health and proper fitness, one should learn all about mushrooms and chicken.
You should not use mushrooms and chicken as equivalent substitutes for one another. Read on to find out everything you need to know about mushrooms and chicken, their differences, nutritional value, and pros and cons.
You might also enjoy reading: Best 9 Mushrooms With The Highest Protein.
Table of Contents
Mushroom Vs. Chicken: Which One Has More Protein?
Like many other food constituents, protein is also a necessary part. Mushrooms have relatively low protein as compared to chicken.
If you are looking to increase your protein intake, chicken is better because it is high in protein than mushrooms. Chicken contains 31 grams of protein per 100 grams, and mushroom has 3.1 grams of protein per 100 grams.
Which Mushroom Has The Most Protein?
If you consider per calories basis, white mushrooms have the highest amount of protein. On the other hand, if you consider a per-weight basis, the oyster mushroom is the game-winner in this regard.
However, the amount of protein in mushrooms will also depend on the type of mushrooms. Here are the top 9 mushrooms that have the most protein.
How Much Protein Do You Need?
The general recommendation is that adults get a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day.
For example:
- A 140-pound (63.51 kg) person needs about 50 grams of protein each day.
- A 200-pound (90.72 kg) person needs about 70 grams of protein each day.
| Nutrients | Mushroom | Chicken |
| Protein Amounts per 100 grams | 3.1 g | 31.0 g |
Mushroom Vs. Chicken: Which One Has More Vitamins?
Vitamins play an essential role in keeping us healthy by helping to keep the body working properly, according to research.
Vitamin C
As you know, different vitamins are essential for the proper growth of bones, skin, and other body organs. Mushrooms are rich in multivitamins.
Mushroom contains more Vitamin C than chicken. Chicken has zero Vitamin C amounts, and mushrooms have 2.1 milligrams of Vitamin C per 100 grams.
Chicken is relatively low in vitamins. It doesn’t contain a remarkable amount of vitamin C and D. While its 100 grams has about 0.3 milligrams of vitamin E, 0.3 micrograms of vitamin K, and a significant amount of vitamin B.
| Nutrients | Mushroom | Chicken |
| Vitamin C | 2.1 milligrams | 0.0 milligrams |
Vitamin A
Chicken contains more Vitamin A than mushrooms. Chicken has 21.0 IU of Vitamin A per 100 grams, while mushrooms contain zero amounts.
| Nutrients | Mushroom | Chicken |
| Vitamin A | 0.0 IU | 21.0 IU |
Vitamin D
Mushroom contains more amounts of Vitamin D than chicken. Mushroom has 18.0 IU of Vitamin D per 100 grams, while chicken has zero Vitamin D.
| Nutrients | Mushroom | Chicken |
| Vitamin D | 18.0 IU | ~ |
Vitamins E and K
Mushroom contains more amounts of both Vitamin E and K than chicken. Mushroom contains 0.3 milligrams of Vitamin E and 0.3 micrograms of Vitamin K. Chicken has zero Vitamin of Vitamin E and K.
| Nutrients | Mushroom | Chicken |
| Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol) | 0.0 milligrams | 0.3 milligrams |
| Vitamin K | 0.0 micrograms | 0.3 micrograms |
Vitamins B6 and B12
Chicken contains more Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 than mushrooms. In addition, chicken is high in choline, about 85.3 milligrams per 100 grams, while mushrooms have 17.3 milligrams per 100 grams. On the other hand, mushrooms have zero Vitamin B12 and are low in Vitamin B6.
| Nutrients | Mushroom | Chicken |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1 milligrams | 0.6 milligrams |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.0 micrograms | 0.3 micrograms |
| Choline | 17.3 milligrams | 85.3 milligrams |
Mushroom Vs. Chicken: Which One Has More Fat?
Healthy fat helps provide your body energy, keeps cholesterol and blood pressure under control, protects your organs, helps cell growth, and helps your body absorb vital nutrients, according to Harvard experts.
Like some other ingredients, chicken is high in fats too. Its 100 grams has about 3.6 grams of total fat. This is the reason that categorizes chicken as heavy food.
Chicken is high in total fat (3.6 g per 100 grams), saturated fat (1.0 g per 100 grams), and monounsaturated fat (1.2 g per 100 grams). Mushroom has no significant amount of fat.
| Nutrients | Mushroom | Chicken |
| Total Fat | 0.3 grams | 3.6 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 0.0 grams | 1.0 grams |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.0 grams | 1.2 grams |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.1 grams | 0.8 grams |
Mushroom Vs. Chicken: Which One Has More Calories?
Understanding how many calories are in your food and drink can help ensure you are not consuming too much.
Chicken is high in calories, about 165 calories per 100 grams, and mushrooms have 22 calories per 100 grams.
| Nutrients | Mushroom (1) | Chicken (2) |
| Calories | 22.0 grams (92.1 kJ) | 165 grams (691 kJ) |
Mushroom Vs. Chicken: Which One Contains More Fiber?
Dietary fibers are one of the essential components of human food. These are beneficial for the proper growth of bones and other body parts.
Increasing fiber intake may lower blood pressure. In addition, a study found that fiber supplementation in obese people significantly improves weight loss.
Mushroom contains more dietary fiber than chicken. Mushroom includes 1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams, and chicken does not have significant amounts.
Mushroom has more sugar than chicken. Mushroom has 1.7 grams of sugar per 100 grams, and chicken has zero amounts of sugar.
Proper intake of sugar helps in normal body growth. However, high sugar legal may cause high cholesterol that may result in diabetes and other disorders. 100 grams of mushrooms contains almost 1.7 grams of sugar.
Chicken is very low in sugar, which makes it healthy for your body.
| Nutrients | Mushroom (1) | Chicken (2) |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.0 grams | 0.0 grams |
| Starch | 0.0 grams | 0.0 grams |
| Sugars | 1.7 grams | 0.0 grams |
Mushroom Vs. Chicken: Which One Contains More Carbohydrates?
Both mushrooms and chicken are slightly low in Mushroom and contains 3.3 grams of total carbs per 100 grams, and chicken has zero amounts of carbohydrates.
Mushrooms have a relatively high amount of carbohydrates than chicken. One will take about 3.3 grams of carbohydrates by taking 100 grams of mushrooms.
Chicken is low in carbohydrates. It doesn’t feature a significant amount of this nutritional constituent.
| Nutrients | Mushroom | Chicken |
| Total Carbohydrate | 3.3 grams | 0.0 grams |
Mushroom Vs. Chicken: Which One Contains More Cholesterol?
Chicken has more cholesterol than mushrooms. Chicken has 85.0 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams, and mushrooms do not contain significant amounts.
Chicken is very high in cholesterol, which is another reason for its being heavy food. 100 gram of chicken has about 85 milligrams of cholesterol which are far more than that in mushrooms.
| Nutrients | Mushroom (1) | Chicken (2) |
| Cholesterol | 0.0 milligram | 85.0 milligram |
Mushroom Vs. Chicken: Which One Contains More Minerals?
The essential minerals needed to stay healthy include calcium, iodine, chloride, copper, cobalt, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc, sulfur, fluoride, manganese, and selenium.
The most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that everyone aims to meet their nutrient requirements via a healthy eating habit that contains nutrient-dense forms of foods.
Chicken has 15.0 milligrams of calcium per 100 grams, and mushroom has 3.0 milligrams of calcium.
Chicken has about 1.0 milligrams of iron per 100 grams, and mushroom has 0.5.0 milligrams of iron.
Both mushrooms and chicken are high in potassium. Chicken contains 256.0 milligrams of potassium per 100 grams, and mushroom contains 318.0 milligrams of potassium.
- Calcium: Like many other minerals, calcium is an essential nutrient that helps in the proper growth of the body. 100 grams of mushrooms have about 3 milligrams of calcium. Being a heavy food, chicken is rich in different minerals. Its 100 grams has about 15 milligrams of calcium.
- Iron: Being a light food, mushrooms contain little iron. It contains only 0.5 milligrams of iron in its 100 grams. Chicken is far richer in iron than mushrooms. Its 100 grams has almost 1 milligram of iron.
- Potassium: One can take a high amount of potassium in the form of mushrooms as these are rich in potassium minerals. Its 100 grams has about 318 milligrams of potassium. Like other minerals, potassium mineral is high in chicken. Its 100 grams contains almost 256 milligrams of potassium which is far less than mushrooms.
- Energy: Mushrooms are considered lighter than chicken as these contain fewer amount of nutrients. As far as energy is concerned, 100 grams of mushrooms contain 22 calories which is far less than that of chicken.
See also: Is Mushroom a Fruit or Vegetable? (Here’s the truth!)
| Minerals | Mushroom (1) | Chicken (2) |
| Calcium | 3.0 milligrams | 15.0 milligrams |
| Iron | 0.5 milligrams | 1.0 milligrams |
| Magnesium | 9.0 milligrams | 29.0 milligrams |
| Phosphorus | 86.0 milligrams | 228 milligrams |
| Potassium | 318 milligrams | 256 milligrams |
| Sodium | 5.0 milligrams | 74.0 milligrams |
Which is Better, Chicken or Mushroom?
Mushrooms provide B vitamins, riboflavin, and niacin, particularly for people who don’t eat meat. Additionally, most mushrooms are also an excellent source of selenium and potassium. Also, mushrooms contain low calories and sodium and have virtually no fat and cholesterol.
- Both chicken and mushrooms are rich in potassium.
- Chicken is an excellent source of protein.
- Chicken breast contains more Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.
The egg has far more protein than the mushroom. If you wanna take protein-rich food, always give priority to eggs over mushrooms, as eggs have 306% more protein than mushrooms. 100 grams of egg has almost 12.6 grams of protein, while a of mushrooms has only 3.1 grams of protein.
See also: Best Ways To Count Your Calories When Cooking With Olive Oil (Find out how!)
Which Has More Protein, Mushroom or Egg?
Eggs, whether they are raw or cooked, contain far more protein than mushrooms. The table below includes the protein content in 100 grams of raw, fried, and scrambled eggs and the protein content in 100 grams of raw mushrooms, data collected from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient database.
| Nutrients | Raw Egg | Scrambled Egg | Fried Egg | Raw Mushroom |
| Protein | 10.9 grams | 9.99 grams | 13.6 grams | 3.09 grams |
Final Thoughts
Both chicken and mushrooms are rich in different nutritional constituents. However, chicken is usually treated as a heavy food due to its richness of essential nutrients. In contrast, mushrooms are taken as light food due to the low quantity of different nutritional elements that these have.
If one wanna use heavy food, chicken is the ideal choice, while mushrooms are good as a lighter one. One should learn the basic nutritional value of both these foods for a proper intake.
