Raw morels contain roughly 30 calories, 3.1 grams of protein, and 12.2 mg of iron per 100 grams (68% of the daily value) — more than 24 times the iron content of raw white button mushrooms, according to USDA FoodData Central. That density, combined with notable copper, vitamin D, and fiber content, makes morels a nutritionally distinctive wild mushroom rather than just a culinary luxury item.
Macronutrient Profile: Low Calorie, Notable Protein and Fiber
A 100-gram serving of raw morels delivers approximately 30 calories, 3.1 grams of protein, 5.1 grams of carbohydrates, and 2.8 grams of fiber, based on USDA Standard Reference data. That fiber content is meaningful for a mushroom — most cultivated varieties provide considerably less per equivalent serving — and the protein-to-calorie ratio is high enough that morels contribute more usable protein per calorie than many vegetables.
In practice, morels are eaten in relatively small portions given their price and seasonal scarcity, so their absolute contribution to daily protein or fiber intake is modest. Their nutritional value is better understood as unusually dense per gram rather than as a primary macronutrient source in a typical diet.
Much of that fibre is chitin, the structural polysaccharide of fungal cell walls, which behaves as an insoluble fibre in the human gut. It's also part of why mushrooms feel more substantial than their calorie count suggests, and part of why some people find a large serving heavy.
Iron: The Standout Mineral
Morels contain 12.2 mg of iron per 100 grams (68% of the daily value), compared to just 0.50 mg per 100 grams in raw white button mushrooms — over 24 times more, based on USDA nutrient data for both species. This places morels among the more iron-dense foods available, plant-based or otherwise, on a per-gram basis.
Iron from mushrooms is non-heme iron, the plant-derived form that's absorbed less efficiently than the heme iron found in meat. Pairing morels with a source of vitamin C can improve non-heme iron absorption, a well-established dietary interaction that applies to morels the same way it applies to spinach or lentils.
Two honest caveats belong with that impressive number. Non-heme iron absorption typically runs in the range of a few percent to around fifteen percent depending on the meal and the eater's iron status, so 68% of the daily value on paper delivers considerably less in practice. And wild mushrooms grow in soil, which means part of a measured mineral figure can reflect adhering soil rather than mushroom tissue — a known complication in wild fungi nutrient analysis. The direction of the finding holds; the precision deserves a little scepticism.
Copper: A Second Standout Mineral
Copper reaches 0.62 mg per 100 grams in raw morels, about 69% of the daily value — another mineral where morels outperform many common foods on a per-gram basis. Copper is a cofactor for enzymes involved in iron metabolism and connective tissue formation, which pairs functionally with morels' already-high iron content rather than working independently of it.
That pairing isn't incidental. Copper-dependent enzymes are required to load iron onto transferrin for transport, which is why copper deficiency can produce an anaemia that doesn't respond to iron alone. A food supplying both at high density is a more coherent nutritional package than either figure looks in isolation.
Vitamin D: Unusual for a Non-Fortified Food
Raw morels contain approximately 5.1 micrograms of vitamin D per 100 grams (26% of the daily value), predominantly as vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), based on USDA data. Most non-fortified foods outside of fatty fish and egg yolks contain negligible vitamin D, which makes morels a notable exception among fungi — vitamin D content in mushrooms generally depends on UV exposure during growth, whether from natural sunlight or, in cultivated species, deliberate UV treatment.
Because wild morel vitamin D content can vary with UV exposure conditions in their specific growing environment, the USDA figure represents an average rather than a guaranteed amount in every specimen. Even accounting for that variability, morels remain one of the more vitamin D-relevant mushrooms in typical USDA nutrient comparisons.
The D2-versus-D3 question is worth knowing about rather than worrying about. Mushrooms produce ergocalciferol (D2) from ergosterol under UV light, while human skin and animal foods produce cholecalciferol (D3). Both raise circulating vitamin D, though most comparisons find D3 does so somewhat more effectively and durably. A useful practical note from the same body of research: mushrooms continue converting ergosterol under UV after harvest, so sun-exposing them before cooking measurably raises their vitamin D content.
Zinc, Manganese, Phosphorus, and Potassium
Rounding out the mineral profile, morels provide roughly 2.0 mg of zinc (18% DV), 0.59 mg of manganese (26% DV), 194 mg of phosphorus (15% DV), and 411 mg of potassium (9% DV) per 100 grams, according to USDA nutrient data. Zinc supports immune function and wound healing; manganese acts as a cofactor for antioxidant enzymes; phosphorus and potassium contribute to normal cellular and cardiovascular function. None of these individually rival morels' standout iron and copper content, but together they add up to a broader micronutrient contribution than a typical low-calorie vegetable serving provides.
How Morels Compare to Common Cultivated Mushrooms
Beyond the iron gap already noted, morels generally show higher mineral density across several categories compared to white button, cremini, and portobello mushrooms, which are cultivated for yield and shelf life rather than nutrient concentration. This doesn't mean cultivated mushrooms lack nutritional value — they remain useful low-calorie food sources — but morels stand out specifically for iron, copper, and vitamin D relative to their cultivated, commercially dominant counterparts.
| Per 100 g raw | Morel | White button |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | ~30 | ~22 |
| Protein | 3.1 g | 3.1 g |
| Fibre | 2.8 g | 1.0 g |
| Iron | 12.2 mg | 0.50 mg |
| Copper | 0.62 mg | 0.32 mg |
| Vitamin D | 5.1 µg | 0.2 µg |
| Potassium | 411 mg | 318 mg |
What a Realistic Serving Actually Delivers
Per-100-gram figures flatter almost every food, and morels are eaten in small quantities. A generous restaurant portion of fresh morels might be 50–60 grams, which puts a serving nearer 6–7 mg of iron on paper and perhaps 3 µg of vitamin D — still a genuinely useful contribution, and still less than the headline numbers suggest.
Dried morels invert the arithmetic in a way that confuses people. Dried figures per 100 grams look enormous simply because the water is gone; 10 grams of dried morel rehydrates to roughly 100 grams of fresh and delivers roughly the fresh nutrient amounts, minus whatever leaches into the soaking liquid. Using that soaking water in the dish rather than pouring it away recovers most of what would otherwise be lost.
Practical Considerations for Getting These Nutrients
Morels must always be thoroughly cooked before eating — they contain separate heat-sensitive compounds that cause gastrointestinal distress when raw or undercooked, unrelated to their nutrient content. Cooking method doesn't meaningfully destroy the mineral content discussed here, since minerals like iron and copper are heat-stable, though some water-soluble vitamins can diminish somewhat with prolonged boiling.
Two further cautions worth stating plainly. Even properly cooked morels cause digestive upset in a minority of people, and alcohol consumed alongside them is a recognised aggravating factor, so a first taste should be a small one. And wild mushrooms accumulate heavy metals from their environment, which argues against harvesting near roadsides, industrial land, or treated ground.
See the morel safety and preparation guide for cooking times, and the morel identification guide to confirm you have a true morel before cooking.
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never eat a wild mushroom you have not identified with certainty, and always cook morels thoroughly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much iron is in morel mushrooms?
Raw morels contain about 12.2 mg of iron per 100 grams, or 68% of the daily value, according to USDA FoodData Central. That's more than 24 times the iron content of raw white button mushrooms. It's non-heme iron, though, which the body absorbs less efficiently than iron from meat.
Do morel mushrooms contain vitamin D?
Yes. Raw morels provide roughly 5.1 micrograms (26% DV) of vitamin D per 100 grams, mostly as vitamin D2, based on USDA data. This is unusually high for a non-fortified food outside of fatty fish and egg yolks, though wild specimens can vary depending on UV exposure during growth.
Are morels high in protein?
Morels provide about 3.1 grams of protein per 100 grams — a high protein-to-calorie ratio for a low-calorie food at roughly 30 calories per 100 grams, though typical serving sizes are small given their price and seasonal availability.
Do dried morels have more nutrients than fresh ones?
Not really — dried figures look far higher per 100 grams only because the water has been removed. Roughly 10 grams of dried morel rehydrates to about 100 grams of fresh and delivers similar nutrient amounts. Using the soaking liquid in the dish preserves the water-soluble nutrients that would otherwise be discarded.
Does cooking destroy the nutrients in morels?
Minerals like iron and copper are heat-stable and largely unaffected by cooking. Some water-soluble vitamins can diminish with prolonged boiling, but thorough cooking is still required for morels regardless, since they contain separate heat-sensitive compounds unrelated to their nutrient content that cause digestive upset when raw.
Related Articles
- Morel Safety and Preparation Guide
- How to Identify Morels
- Morel vs. False Morel
- Morel Season and Habitat
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central. Mushrooms, morel, raw — full nutrient profile; and Mushrooms, white, raw, for comparison.
- Cardwell G, Bornman JF, James AP, Black LJ. A review of mushrooms as a potential source of dietary vitamin D. Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1498. PubMed 30322118
- Hurrell R, Egli I. Iron bioavailability and dietary reference values. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2010;91(5):1461S–1467S. PubMed 20200263
- Kalaç P. A review of chemical composition and nutritional value of wild-growing and cultivated mushrooms. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2013;93(2):209–218.