Mushrooms are good for almost everyone, especially Type 2 diabetics, who often lack vitamin D. Various species of mushrooms have different nutritional values but 100 grams of one particular raw white mushroom provides 5 percent of a person's daily nutritional need for vitamin D. Packages of some brands are specially marked as being high in vitamin D when the mushrooms have been exposed to ultraviolet light. One hundred grams of raw white mushrooms, with only 22 calories, also provide...

3 percent of the daily requirement for iron,
24 percent of the needed niacin,
18 percent of the necessary riboflavin, and
various other B vitamins, as well as
139 mg of Omega-6 fatty acids.
According to one research study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2004, the powerful antioxidant Vitamin D, increases insulin sensitivity by up to 60 percent. That's actually better than the number one oral diabetes drug used.

Grown at Home. Mushrooms can be grown at home and are said to have a richer flavor when picked fresh than when imported and sold in grocery stores. Unless you are a fungus expert, beware of picking wild mushrooms.

Mushroom kits are available commercially and contain all you will need, including detailed instructions. Or you can buy mushroom spawn, a collection of mycelia, the underground portion of the mushroom, usually in some growth medium. You can apply the spawn to your own growth medium to produce a greater yield. Some types of Mushrooms chocolate bars medium include...

composted manure,
coffee grounds,
sawdust,
tree logs (not pine), and
straw.
The type you will need will depend upon the species of mushroom you choose...

oyster mushrooms prefer straw or coffee grounds,
shitakes flourish in hardwood dust or logs, and
button mushrooms do well in composted manure.
Button mushrooms are recommended for beginners. Add spawn to six-inch deep trays of compost and keep at 70 degrees Fahrenheit until the mycelia, or tiny roots, begin to show - that should take about three weeks. Move the trays to a cool place such as a basement or other sheltered place where the temperature is about 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the compost moist at all times. When the edible portions of the mushrooms sprout, harvest them with a sharp knife so that the mycelia will continue to grow and produce.