Mushroom Coffee: Everything You Need to Know

When you look at some typical culinary mushrooms and your favourite tall latte, you might not think that the two would ever go together. But believe it or not, Mushroom Coffee is becoming a fast growing trend in the wellness space – and it could be for good reason. Rather than taking those mushrooms you’d enjoy in your fry up, this concoction combines ground up functional mushrooms with coffee, giving you some great potential health benefits.

We’re here to take you through everything you need to know about mushroom coffee – what it is, its benefits, any potential side effects – so you can decide if it could be the thing to replace your morning brew.

What is mushroom coffee?

Mushroom coffee is a blend of coffee and ground functional mushrooms. From Lion’s Mane to Chaga to Coprdyceps, the mushrooms are dried, ground and processed to ensure they’re keeping a high concentration of bioactive compounds. Functional mushrooms have been used for their believed health benefits for hundreds of years, so this isn’t exactly a new phenomenon. However, in the wellness space, combining these effects with your daily dose of caffeine is something that’s really on the up. So how exactly could this beverage give you a boost?

The benefits of mushroom coffee

Because of the versatility of the mushrooms used in the blend, this coffee creation could have some huge benefits when it comes to your wellness. Our Mushroom Coffee blend combines potent strengths of Lion’s Mane, Coprdyceps and Chaga, but other commonly used mushrooms include Turkey Tail and Reishi. All of these have all been used in traditional practices for centuries, supposedly offering such benefits as:

Improved cognitive function: studies have shown that Lion’s Mane could stimulate the growth of brain cells, supporting your brain health, supporting mental clarity, and even protecting against dementia.
Reduced caffeine jitters: since the ground mushrooms replace some of the coffee in this blend, mushroom coffee blends usually have around half the caffeine content of a normal cup, meaning you’re less likely to experience that mid-morning crash.
Immune support: both Reishi and Chaga mushrooms have been shown to potentially benefit your immune system, lowering inflammation and supporting your white blood cells.
Lowered stress levels: functional mushrooms all contain compounds called adaptogens, which may be able to improve the body’s response to stress, and also help to provide a gradual increase of energy and focus throughout the day.
Improved gut health: the smaller amount of regular coffee in mushroom coffee means it’s less acidic, helping balance your gut health – and mushrooms have great prebiotic benefits, too.
Extra vitamins: our Mushroom Coffee has added Vitamin B6, which contributes to a reduction in tiredness and fatigue in a more sustained way that pure caffeine, and helps support normal psychological functions.

Are there any side effects?

It’s all sounding a little too good to be true – but as with any new wellness trend you’re considering, it’s important to be cautious. There are some people who may not find mushroom coffee right for them. Anyone who is pregnant (the coffee rule still stands), or has caffeine sensitivity should steer clear for obvious reasons. If you’re on any existing medications, it’s best to consult your GP before adding mushroom coffee into your routine: the research is still in its infancy as to whether medicinal mushrooms interact negatively with any modern medicines.

However, most people will find mushroom coffee suits them just fine, and might even be better than regular coffee. Let’s look into how…

Mushroom coffee or regular coffee?

If you’re a die-hard coffee drinker, you might be hesitant to swap out your precious elixir for something new. However, there are some pretty tempting reasons to make the switch:

Lower your caffeine intake: Mushroom coffee still gives you that energy boost, but with much less caffeine, avoiding all the negative side-effects of regular coffee (goodbye, jitters).
Milder taste: Some people love the theoretical punch in the face a good strong coffee gives them, but if you’re not one of them, mushroom coffee has a much smoother, earthier taste. We even add a little hint of cocoa into our Mushroom Coffee blend to balance out the taste even more. Yum.
Added health benefits, no extra effort: You’re already drinking a coffee (or three) a day, so it’s not like you need to remember to pop some additional supplements in the morning or add an extra step into your pre-work routine. An easy switch like this could throw in a health boost for you with practically no effort.
Added adaptogenic ingredients: We pack our Mushroom Coffee with even more ingredients to lower your stress levels and avoid that energy spike and crash, including Peruvian Maca Root, Ashwaghanda, Siberian Ginseng and Panax Ginseng.

Mushroom coffee might not be for everyone, but it’s definitely worth a try for anyone looking for added focus in their day, a gut-friendly replacement for coffee, or something that gives them a more balanced energy boost.

How to make mushroom coffee

There’s no big secret in how to brew this beverage: just follow the instructions on the packet you’ve got. Usually, it’s similar to how you’d make instant coffee. With our blend, just add 3 scoops of it to a mug, and add hot water or milk. Mix until dissolved, and enjoy. You can add your favourite syrups, drink it iced, or add less liquid for a punchier taste.

We recommend drinking it in the morning after you’ve eaten breakfast for the most balanced caffeine release throughout the day, and would suggest you don’t have more than 2 cups of it a day.

But does it taste like mushrooms?

If you’ve never been a mushroom fan, don’t worry. While there is a slight difference in taste between mushroom and regular coffee, this is usually down to the fact that it’s just a bit milder and earthier. It doesn’t actually taste like mushrooms – most people would struggle to tell the difference at all.

While the scientific research on mushroom coffee is in it’s relative infancy, its safe to say that this trend is growing at an incredible rate. If you’re looking for a balanced, functional alternative to your daily coffee, this could be worth a try.

For a tried and tested blend with added vitamins and adaptogens, our Mushroom Coffee could be just the thing you’re after.