Should You Add Mushrooms to Your Instant Coffee?

Yes, more and more people are drinking the shrooms. Here’s everything you need to know about adding mushrooms in your instant coffee. 

What is mushroom coffee?

It’s not just putting some portobello slices in your iced latte. Mushroom coffee is taking mushroom extracts and incorporating it into your coffee. The “mushroom” itself can be considered a powder that you can add in your coffee as you would sugar, creamer, or any other sweetener. A lot of people are curious about mushrooms because of the wellness buzz around them, and mixing a powder into a cup of coffee you already drink every day is an easy way to try them. 

The type of mushroom matters; mushroom coffee doesn’t use the regular mushrooms from the grocery store. The four main mushrooms used for mushroom coffee are Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Chaga, and Cordyceps. Although adding mushroom into your coffee is another new and upcoming trend (similar to adding pepper or salt), mushrooms like these have a long history in traditional medicine, with use in China dating back as early as 200AD in China.  

How is it made?

To put it simply, the mushrooms “extract” is made by picking the mushrooms, dehydrating them, then grinding them up into a find powder. To make the mushroom coffee, you simply add the mushroom powder into your instant coffee. 

Which mushrooms are used?

As we mentioned earlier, the four mushrooms you’ll see most often in mushroom coffee are reishi, lion’s mane, chaga, and cordyceps. You’ll find plenty of wellness claims about each of them online, but there’s much less research on them in people than all that buzz suggests. We’re a coffee company, not doctors, so here’s a quick look at what each one actually is.

Reishi

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) has an important place in traditional medicine in China, Japan, Korea and other Asian countries. It has a tough, woody texture, so rather than being cooked like a regular mushroom, it’s usually sold as capsules, extracts, powders, and teas. Memorial Sloan Kettering notes that reishi may not be a good fit for people on blood thinners or immunosuppressants, so check with your doctor before trying it.

Lion’s Mane

Lion’s Mane gets its name from its look: a white, shaggy mass with long spines that hang down like icicles. It grows on dead or dying hardwood trees like oak, beech, and maple, and it’s also a prized edible mushroom that’s often compared to crab or lobster in taste and texture. In coffee, you’ll find it as a dried powder or extract.

Chaga

Chaga is a fungus commonly found on birch trees in cold climates, and it has long been a folk remedy in Russia and other northern European countries. Because it tastes bitter, it’s usually brewed as a tea or sold as a powder rather than eaten. Memorial Sloan Kettering points out that its safety and effectiveness haven’t been evaluated in clinical studies.

Cordyceps

Cordyceps is an unusual one: in the wild, it’s a fungus found in cold climates that grows on the caterpillar of a moth. Today you’ll mostly see it sold as capsules, powders, and liquid extracts. It’s popular with gym-goers, though Memorial Sloan Kettering notes that studies on exercise performance in healthy people have had mixed results.

But does it taste like mushrooms?

Probably the biggest question everyone is wondering. Most if not all people who have tried mushroom coffee will tell you no. The mushroom flavor you’re probably used to isn’t what these mushrooms supposedly taste like. So if you want to add mushroom into your instant coffee, it’ll probably be masked by the strong and naturally bitter flavor of the coffee.

Additionally, if you typically add sweeteners or milk, the mushroom flavor will definitely be hidden. You can also add the mushroom powder into your tea, smoothies, coffee, and even your soup, and you probably wouldn’t notice a difference. Those who have been able to taste the mushrooms say it has a nutty and earthy flavor, which is honestly a great complement to coffee.  

Should you start adding mushrooms to your coffee?

People often debate on whether or not there are any noticeable effects after trying mushroom coffee. Some fans swear by it, while others would rather stick to their regular morning coffee. It will ultimately come down to your general preference of taste. Regardless, this has definitely caught the attention of coffee lovers all over the world. Bottomline: If you’re curious about the mushrooms, check with your doctor first, especially if you take any medications, and then give it a try.

 

Mix our quality instant coffee with your favorite mushroom extracts. Get it here.

This article is for general information only and isn't medical or nutritional advice. If you have questions about caffeine, your diet or a health condition, talk to your doctor.