Mushroom spores are grown on grains, usually rye. However, they can also be grown on wheat or a combination of grains. This means that they contain a trace amount of gluten.
Majority gluten-free dieters do not react to mushrooms. However, the small percentage of individuals who are highly intolerant to gluten, may react.
Washing mushrooms does not help remove the gluten. The gluten grows inside the mushrooms and cannot be removed. It is similar to those with a high intolerance to mold. You wouldn’t serve them anything that has had mold on it.
Consuming mushrooms is just one reason why you may experience a gluten reaction. Have you ever reacted to mushrooms? Tell us all about it in the below comment area. Let us all learn from your experiences..
To everyone replying saying this makes sense and saying thanks for answering why they have GI issues after consuming mushrooms: a majority of mushrooms are high in FODMAPs. If you have GI issues (like “IBS” etc) mushrooms are prone to causing further intentional distress. Just because you have diarrhea after eating mushrooms, and this editor claims it’s from gluten, doesn’t verify the editor’s claim.
“Spores are spawned to grain so the mushrooms have gluten” skips so many steps in a mushroom lifecycle, such as the mycelium that completely covers all grain substrate. There is no scientific sources or data in this post. Please take what you read and research it yourself instead of just believing whatever you read. (Including what I’ve typed, even. Challenge everything)
Best regards,
A mycologist
I just came across this post and am amazed how much supposition people have regarding gluten contamination of mushrooms from their growth media.
Mushrooms and all fungi only take in the nutrients they need to grow and reproduce and (unlike animals) all the ‘digestion’ of their ‘food’ (substrate or growing medium) takes place OUTSIDE the organism itself. Fungi excrete enzymes that digest the required nutrients from the media and then absorb what’s needed from the digested mass. there is no way gluten can possibly be ‘ingested’ by fungi, much less transmitted to the fruiting body (mushroom).
As an amateur mycologist and an individual with celiac disease I dispute this reasoning. The edible fruiting body commonly called a mushroom does not grow directly from spores, but rather from the mycelia – a root-like structure that comprises the majority of fungal mass. There’s no logical chemical way for gluten molecules to transit from growth medium to mature fruiting body via the mycelia. In addition, only some fungi can be grown to maturity on a grain-husk substrate. Most fungi are very specific in the materials they can consume. Common button mushrooms – Agaricus bisporus – do not thrive on grains. That said, there’s plenty of evidence of individuals having sensitivity to fungi, but it’s not celiac sensitivity.
I do react to mushrooms but didn’t realise it was because they contain gluten, so it’s really helpful to have that information.
I have often said to people including my GP that I have a really bad stomach ache and exploding diarrhea after eating mushrooms and no one has been able to give me an answer until now. Thank you so much for clearing this enigma for me. xxx <3
If I eat a mushroom here and there (such as in spaghetti sauce or on a salad) I don’t react, but I have noticed that I get abdominal discomfort if I consume a large amount of mushrooms (such as sautéed mushrooms on steak). Interesting.
I’m allergic to molds since early childhood (long past) and recently I learned about so-called harmless citrus acid added to many foods, which is also grown on mold! Can’t help but wonder if these growers realize how they limit “healthy” foods from diets of those with food allergies! Argh!