Buying guide for Best mushroom coffee
Mushroom coffee is usually a blend of coffee, either ground or instant, with powdered mushroom extracts. It combines the taste and caffeination of coffee with the earthy flavors and possible medicinal benefits of mushrooms into a single hot or cold drink you can enjoy in place of regular coffee. Many mushroom coffees can be used to make coffee drinks, like lattes and mochas, while some mushroom “coffees” don’t have coffee at all but instead have tea, cacao, or other blends.
Mushroom coffee enthusiasts promote it as a wellness drink that gives you focus and concentration with less caffeine, and they also say it reduces stress, promotes resistance against disease, and even helps you lose weight.
It’s important to note that the potential health benefits of mushroom coffee haven’t been verified scientifically, although the individual mushrooms used have been examined in limited studies.
If you’ve seen your favorite influencer promote mushroom coffee online, or if you’re an inveterate coffee drinker who wants to change it up a bit, it’s worth learning more about exactly what it is, what mushrooms are in it, and how to make and enjoy it.
How to buy the best mushroom coffee
Mushrooms
The mushrooms used in mushroom coffee usually are one or more of four fungi, all used in traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine.
Lion’s mane: Also known as yamabushitake in Japan, lion’s mane mushrooms have a history of use as both food and medicine.
Reishi: Also known as lingzhi in Chinese, reishi is frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine. It has been studied for positive effects on insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome and may help moderate the immune system.
Chaga: Chaga is a long-lived fungus that resembles charcoal and grows on the bark of birch trees. It’s well-known in alternative medicine.
Cordyceps: Cordyceps is a rather gruesome fungus that attacks insect larvae and sprouts from their bodies. Nevertheless, it has a history of use in traditional Chinese medicine to increase stamina and fight fatigue.
According to the mushroom coffee brand Four Sigmatic, mushrooms were used as a substitute for coffee in Finland during World War II when coffee was unavailable.
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Types of mushroom coffee
- Instant: Instant mushroom coffee, like instant coffee, is a water-soluble powder made from the dried extracts of coffee and mushrooms. Simply mix with hot water, milk, or milk substitute or use in your favorite coffee recipes.
- Ground: Ground mushroom coffee is brewed like regular ground coffee. It mixes mushroom powders with ground coffee and can be used in a traditional percolator, coffee maker, pour-over, or French press.
- Pods: You can find mushroom coffee in single-serve pods that fit into Keurig and other popular pod-brewing machines.
- Ready-to-drink: The popularity of mushroom coffee has made it available as premade liquid drinks sold in bottles and cans, just like regular coffee drinks.
DIY mushroom coffee
If you want more control over your mushroom coffee, you can blend it yourself using powdered mushrooms or dry mushroom extract. Add a spoonful or so of mushroom powder to your coffee before or after brewing. Keep in mind that the resulting drink will have as much caffeine as regular coffee.
Potential benefits of mushroom coffee
Lower caffeine
Mushroom coffee is generally a mixture of regular coffee with mushroom powders or extracts. Since mushroom powder doesn’t contain any caffeine, this means any serving of mushroom coffee will have around half as much caffeine as regular coffee. Mushroom coffees may not always indicate how much caffeine they actually have, but it’s almost always less than regular coffee. Less caffeine means fewer jitters, anxiety, sleeplessness, and heart palpitations, especially for the caffeine-sensitive. Drinking a lower-caffeine drink like mushroom coffee may also help you wean yourself off caffeine.
Stress relief
Many of the substances in medicinal mushrooms are classified as adaptogens, natural substances that may assist the body in adapting to stress. They seem to do this by leveling the amount of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. This can make you feel better when under stress physically or emotionally, such as when you’re ill, depressed, hypoglycemic, or in pain.
Antioxidants and anti-inflammatories
Mushrooms such as those used in mushroom coffee are good sources of antioxidants, including vitamins and minerals, which combat the damage caused by oxidation in the body’s cells, as well as anti-inflammatories, which reduce or control the inflammation associated with many illnesses and conditions. However, if mushroom coffee uses dried extracts, it may not have the same effects as consuming the whole mushroom or ground mushroom powder.
DID YOU KNOW?
Chaga mushrooms are high in oxalates, which can affect and increase kidney stones.
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Mushroom coffee equipment
French press
A French press is a convenient way to make mushroom coffee from grounds that require brewing, due to the manual control you have over the brew time. It’s recommended to let the mushroom coffee grounds steep for about four minutes, then gently press down on the filter plunger. This method also works for non-coffee mushroom drinks with herbs or tea rather than coffee.
Coffee dripper
Another gentle way to make mushroom coffee from ground coffee mixes is a coffee dripper or pour-over cone. While you have less control over steeping time than with a French press, making pour-over mushroom coffee is still a gentle process that won’t overheat your brew.
Electric whisks
A popular way to enjoy instant mushroom coffee and mushroom powders is to mix them into creamy drinks with hot milk or milk alternatives. An electric whisk is a handy tool to help you incorporate mushroom coffee powder into a hot latte, mocha, or cappuccino with a nice layer of foam on top.
How much does mushroom coffee cost?
Inexpensive
There are a few inexpensive mushroom coffees on the market that cost less than $10, including those that boast seven herbal and mushroom ingredients, but they may come with less than 12 servings per package.
Mid-range
\Most mushroom coffee (in sizes comparable to regular coffee) costs between $10 and $20, including the most widely known brands and instant, ground, and pod products.
Expensive
Mushroom coffee can get expensive, costing more than $20 per package. This includes powders and coffees marketed as premium, as well as ready-to-drink cans that may cost around $5 per can and come in packs of six or eight.
According to maker Real Mushrooms, some mushroom powders have significant amounts of starchy fillers due to the way the fungal ingredients are grown and processed. Check to see if your mushroom powder has filler, and if so, how much.
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Mushroom coffee tips
- Add some spice. If the taste of mushroom coffee is a little too earthy for you, try adding spices like cinnamon or a little bit of healthy sweetener.
- Keep it dry and cool. Keep mushroom coffee dry and away from heat, sunlight, and air. It’s recommended to keep it in the package it came in.
- Mushroom coffee doesn’t need to be drunk hot. You can make it into iced coffee or iced lattes, mochas, and frappes, especially if you use the convenient instant powdered form.
FAQ
Q. Are there side effects to mushroom coffee?
A. Mushrooms may cause digestive issues for people with kidney problems or difficulty digesting grains, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding may also wish to avoid mushroom coffee unless given the OK by their obstetrician. Some mushrooms used in traditional medicine have compounds that interact with certain medications and supplements. Individuals who rely on medication should check with their health provider about drinking mushroom coffee.
Q. Can mushroom coffee help me lose weight?
A. Reishi, one of the commonly used mushrooms in mushroom coffee, is thought to help regulate glucose and treat the effects of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. This, in turn, may have a positive effect for people who wish to lose weight. However, like all the other potential benefits of mushroom coffee, this hasn’t been extensively studied or proven. Drinking any coffee with lots of creamer and sweetener definitely won’t help.
Q. Does mushroom coffee break a fast?
A. Typically, ordinary coffee without creamer or sweetener doesn’t have any calories or carbohydrates, and won’t break a fast. However, some mushroom coffees — especially those made with powdered mushrooms or mushroom powder with starch-based fillers — may have just enough calories or carbs to count as breaking a fast.
