Mushroom Coffeea blend of Colombian ground coffee and nutrient-rich Hericium and Shiitake mushrooms mushroom, It looks and tastes just like your morning coffee. But as this health trend takes off, many are starting to wonder: Can it really live up to its promise?
Mushroom coffee is a beverage that combines traditional coffee with medicinal mushrooms such as Chaga, Reishi, and Cordyceps. The mushrooms are usually dehydrated and ground into a fine powder or made into an extract before being mixed with ground coffee beans. The resulting coffee is brewed like regular coffee.
many Healthy social media accounts Praising mushroom coffee for its nutritional richness, it claims it can boost brain function and immunity while providing a more balanced, longer-lasting energy boost than regular coffee, without the typical jitters and crash that caffeine causes (due to the lower bean count).
However, some remain skeptical of the promised benefits and caution consumers to approach the beverage with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Mushrooms are rich in vitamins and minerals, but there isn't much clinical evidence that pickling mushrooms has the same benefits as eating them whole. Toronto Nutritionist Kyle Byron.
“I think it’s wise for people to be skeptical because if you look at the reviews, we should be skeptical of commercial products … whether it’s bread or mushrooms or coffee or a bottle of supplements,” he told Global News. “And the benefits of mushroom coffee are similar to the benefits of any vegetable tea or coffee.”
Andrew Langevin, founder of Ontario-based Nature Lion, which sells mushroom growing kits, coffee and mushroom powders, said he has experienced the health benefits of mushrooms firsthand.
He credits drinking mushroom coffee and eating lots of different types of fungi with helping to relieve his arthritis pain.
“Before I started growing mushrooms, I had constant pain in my knuckles,” he said. “Once I started eating mushrooms weekly, my symptoms went away. I think it’s because my immune system is more balanced.”
Are there any health benefits?
Langevin and his wife began selling mushroom growing kits in 2020 and soon expanded into coffee after discovering it at a local farmers market. Since then, he said, their business has taken off, especially in recent months as mushroom coffee’s popularity has soared.
“It’s been a long road, we’ve been on this for three years. But in the last six to 12 months it’s really taken off and we’ve found more stores that are carrying it,” he said. “I’ve seen it go from being unknown to people coming to our farmers market and saying, ‘Oh, do you have hericium?’”
His company sells a variety of mushrooms, including lion's mane, Boosts brain functionfamous for Chaga Enhances immunityand blue oysters, which may contain Anti-inflammatory effects.
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A small bag of mushroom coffee can cost anywhere from $22.50 to $29.95, depending on the mushroom and brand.
Mushrooms are rich in essential vitamins, minerals and antiviral compounds, Byron said, but he noted that many other vegetables have similar benefits, meaning mushrooms are not a panacea.
“You can’t rely on just one food and think you’re getting all your vitamins,” he warned.
“We recommend eating a variety of fruits and vegetables. In fact, we say eat a rainbow of colors… so mushrooms are white, as are broccoli. So every day you should be eating a variety of colors, like blueberries, yellow peppers, oranges, raspberries.”
When it comes to adding mushrooms to your morning coffee, Byron noted that the coffee could provide beneficial mushroom vitamins, but more evidence is needed to support this claim. He also stressed the importance of taking in additional nutrients throughout the day.
Byron added that the placebo effect may also be one reason why so many people swear by the benefits of mushroom coffee.
“The placebo effect is very strong. Half of the subjects in a clinical trial will respond because they think they've taken a drug. They'll think they feel better,” he said, adding that this is why clinical trials are so important when it comes to health claims.
Langevin believes more research is needed on mushrooms so people have a better understanding of their benefits, especially in powder or extract form. He attributes mushroom coffee's growing popularity to the convenience of getting important nutrients first thing in the morning, calling it a “no-brainer” option.
His company's coffee is made with mushroom extracts rather than powder, which he says is higher in nutrients. The mushrooms are blended into a medium-roast instant coffee using coffee beans from Africa and New Guinea.
“It tastes like coffee, but without the mushroomy flavor that a lot of other coffees have,” he said.
Is the nutrition the same as eating the whole mushroom?
If you're after mushrooms for their nutritional value, wouldn't it be better to eat the mushroom whole rather than adding it to your coffee?
Both Baron and Langevin agree that there are benefits to both approaches, and the key is to find the right balance. For example, Langevin says he drinks coffee with mushrooms a few times a week, but chooses to consume the whole mushroom to get more of the benefits.
“I'm not against extracts, which are very convenient and easy to use. But I feel that through the extraction process, the final product may be missing something that you can't get from whole foods,” he said. “I think it's important to find a balance between the two.”
Byron agrees, saying that whether you drink mushroom coffee, take supplements or eat mushrooms whole, balance is key.
“Mushroom tea or mushroom coffee is good for us. It's a low-caffeine alternative,” he said.
“It can certainly have some health benefits. But be skeptical of the super benefits that might appear on the label.”
