Mushroom Coffee and Its Benefits

Mushroom coffee is said to be a healthy alternative to regular coffee full of medicinal benefits. Although this is a raging coffee trend nowadays, this concept is not new.

Mushrooms have been used as a coffee alternative since World War II in Finland when there were no coffee beans available. There is also an extensive history of culinary and medicinal properties behind Asian countries, especially for Chinese medicine due to their health benefits and nutrition. 

This article will tell you all about mushroom coffee, its benefits, and how it is made. 

What is it?

If you see a cup of hot milk with mushrooms floating on top when you hear the name mushroom coffee, then let me tell you it is not what you think. 

Mushroom coffee is a blend of coffee beans and ground mushrooms combined to brew a smooth, dark and nutty flavoured coffee. 

Mushroom coffee uses medicinal extracts of mushrooms rather than culinary mushrooms like portobello and shiitake. 

Some of the popular varieties of medicinal mushroom included in coffee are:

• Chaga
• Turkey’s tail
• Lion’s mane
• Reishi
• Cordyceps

People who drink mushroom coffee said that the flavour is not very different from regular coffee. But it is rich in the health benefits of mushrooms like improved immunity, reduces anxiety etc. 

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How To Make Mushroom Coffee?

First, the fruiting bodies of mushrooms are extracted and grind into fine powder free of any carriers, fillers, and additives to make the mushroom coffee. Mushrooms are dehydrated through a dual extraction process before grinding into powder and then mixed with coffee beans. The ratio of combining coffee and mushroom is 1:10. 

Mushroom coffee can be purchased as:

• Ground coffee blends
• Instant coffee packets
• Coffee pods

Mushroom coffee is made the same way as any other regular coffee to make delicious lattes, mocha or black coffee. 

The caffeine content in mushroom coffee

Mushroom coffee blends are marketed as having lower caffeine content than regular coffee. Caffeine is a psychoactive ingredient that is found naturally in some food items like cocoa beans, coffee beans and tea leaves; however, it is also added in synthetic form to other beverages and foods. 

Children, women who are lactating or pregnant, people with heart issues have more risk of facing side effects from consuming caffeine and should always be cautious with the intake. Maximum 400 mg caffeine in a day is healthy, but the quantity can differ from people to people depending on caffeine sensitivity. Some people may have rapid heart rate, anxiety and an upset stomach.

In mushroom coffee, there is an equal amount of mushroom powder with ground coffee beans. And because it has zero quantity of caffeine, the quantity of caffeine is cut in half as compared to regular coffee. However, this may not be true in the case of every brand’s mushroom coffee. 

Mushroom Coffee Health Benefits

Medicinal mushrooms have been used in making traditional Chinese medicine for many years. The compounds extracted are known as adaptogens which helps to improve the body’s response to stress. Since 1970 researchers have always been interested in learning the health benefits of adaptogens extracted from mushrooms. 

Below we have mentioned some mushroom coffee benefits as per scientific findings: 

• Improved immunity- according to test-tube studies, Turkey’s tail and the fermented substrates are known to have immunity-boosting properties.

• Cancer Prevention Properties- studies have shown that Lion’s mane coffee, Turkey’s Tail, reishi, Cordyceps, and Chaga are supportive therapies for cancer patients and helps in fighting vomiting and nausea.

• Antiulcer- Chaga mushroom extracts are known to cure ulcer in a study done on rats. 

• Anti-allergen- in a test tube study, it was found that Chaga mushroom is known to suppress the activity in immune cells, which cause an allergic response to foods.

• Heart Disease- Reishi extracts have the potential to reduce blood cholesterol level and reduce heart disease risk in turn.

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Downsides

Although mushroom coffee seems like an exciting thing to try, you should consider some of its downsides before that.

The main downside of mushroom coffee is the lack of human studies on its health effects. Research is mostly conducted in test tubes and animals; there is a need for human research to verify the health claims. 

This means that dosage recommendation and interaction with other medications are largely unknown. Also, mushrooms are quite costly, and it costs more than twice as much as regular coffee. 

One of the potential reasons for the higher price is that medicinal mushrooms can only be grown in natural habitats and are hard to come by. 

Best Mushroom Coffee:

If you would like to give mushroom coffee a try, here are some of our top picks for the best mushroom coffee available in the market. 

Sun Alchemy Mushroom Coffee

If you wish to get the most health benefits from mushroom coffee, then Sun Alchemy is a must-try. While this is not a common household name, it offers a potent blend of four adaptogenic mushroom varieties in 100 milligrams- cordyceps, chaga, reishi and lion’s mane coffee.

This is a certified organic mushroom coffee and is made using fair trade instant coffee, each packed in 5.5 grams of the packet containing 110 milligrams of caffeine. The brand states to have 40% more mushroom extract than other brands selling 2.5-gram packets. Even customers find this coffee delicious and full-bodied. 

Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee

A cult favourite mushroom coffee from four sigmatic is an approved pick with 4.2 stars on Amazon and more than 3000 reviews from shoppers who love the taste and energy it provides.

Compared to other coffees, the packets are smaller, 2.5 grams, and they contain only 50 milligrams of caffeine in each packet. This appeals to people who are trying to cut back on regular coffee or consume less coffee in general.

This is a certified organic coffee blend of mushroom and instant coffee with 250 milligrams of Chaga, lion’s mane and 100 milligrams of Rhodiola, a root that helps to relieve stress and boost energy and also reduce depressive symptoms. 

If you would like to try samples from different brands, then you can even order mushroom coffee samplers from Four Sigmatic.

RaHygge Reishi Mushroom Coffee 

 Yes, this coffee costs a bit more than the first two picks, but you get way more than what you pay for. Reishi is one of a kind mushroom, and one serving of this brand contains 106 milligrams of caffeine and 284 milligrams of reishi. As per the manufacturer, this is a medium-brewed coffee for making a light espresso or filtered coffee. Customers love the rich taste without feeling any hint of mushroom. 

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Original Rasa Herbal Coffee Alternative with Ashwagandha

If you are in search of some caffeine-free options, then you can try this one out. Although this is not a coffee technically, it is a great decaf option to have around. One serving is 7.5 grams containing Reishi, Chaga and some other herbs like ashwagandha and Rhodiola. 

Customers enjoy the nutty and delicious flavour that tastes like chai. This sugar-free and certified organic mushroom blend is also approved by Whole30 and has numerous benefits along with digestive support. 

MAJU’s Mental Mushroom Powder Extract

If you like some adventure in your coffee, then this one will not disappoint you. MAJU’s mushroom powder extract can be added to tea, coffee or any other beverage you want. One 2.5 grams of serving contains an adaptogenic blend of potent mushrooms with 625 milligrams of Chaga, lion’s mane, cordyceps and reishi in each. 

There is coffee or caffeine content in this organic powder. It is just mushroom extract powder to boost your attention and cognition. Customers like the nutty and earthy taste similar to cocoa. 

Final Words:

Mushroom coffee is a trending brew at the moment. It is made with blends of coffee and medicinal mushroom extracts like Lion’s mane, Turkey’s tail, Reishi, Chaga and cordyceps. 

There have been many claims regarding mushroom coffee benefits for various health issues; however, most of them are unverified and lack human research.

Although it is safe for people to give it a try after consulting with a health care provider if you are on certain medications. 

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