Thought by some to be effective for everything from immunity to cancer, various mushrooms have long been used in traditional medicine to prevent and remedy various ailments.
Riding that wave is mushroom coffee, a drink made with mushroom powder and (sometimes) coffee beans.
Although mushroom coffee isn’t new, it’s been steadily gaining traction – no doubt in part because it’s making the rounds on various social media platforms. On TikTok, #mushroomcoffee has over 17.1K posts. User @jes.breathe posted a video (with 1M views) last year documenting her mushroom coffee journey, including a live taste test in which she tells viewers it tastes like regular coffee. In another video from January (with more than 242K views) the TikToker says she felt “amazing” and was able to focus better after drinking it. Commenters chimed in with their feedback, which included: “It got rid of my brain fog” and “I feel a focus boost when I drink it.”
What Is Mushroom Coffee?
Although there are different variations, mushroom coffee is made by brewing dried, ground mushrooms, explains Lisa Andrews, RD, the owner of Sound Bites Nutrition in Cincinnati. “You can find mushroom lattes, instant coffees, and coffees that require traditional brewing,” she says, adding that many – but not all – of the blends also contain regular coffee grounds.
Without coffee beans, mushroom coffee is a caffeine-free alternative to a traditional cup of coffee, and is also referred to as mushroom tea.
With coffee beans in the mix, a typical cup probably contains about 50 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, Andrews says, compared with 80 to 100 mg for regular coffee (without any extra shots of espresso).
“This trendy beverage incorporates powdered mushrooms or mushroom extracts, commonly from varieties like reishi, lion’s mane, chaga, cordyceps, and turkey tail,” says Jasmin Ilkay, MPH, RD, a dietitian in New York City. The health benefits of mushroom coffee vary depending on which type of mushroom is used (more on that in the next section).
Below are some of the types of mushrooms or mushroom extracts that are commonly used in mushroom coffees.
Lion’s Mane
Lion’s mane is a large, pale mushroom that resembles its namesake and is often used in traditional Chinese medicine. It has a mild flavour that goes well with regular coffee but also tastes good brewed on its own.
Reishi
Unlike powdered lion’s mane, reishi mushroom powder – also a staple in traditional Chinese medicine – has an intense, bitter taste. The vast majority of reishi coffee blends have regular coffee mixed in to balance the taste.
Chaga
Traditionally used in Russia and other eastern European countries as a remedy for various ailments, chaga has a mild taste. During World War II, people in Finland started brewing chaga tea as an alternative to coffee, because coffee was rationed and hard to find. Today’s chaga coffees are similar, although some contain coffee beans as well.
Cordyceps
Cordyceps is a fungus that grows on the larvae of some insects, and is another traditional Chinese medicine remedy. It has a mild, slightly sweet taste.
Turkey Tail
This is another earthy, mild tasting mushroom. Turkey tail grows on dead trees throughout the world and has been used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine, according to a research summary on medicinal mushrooms. It has a mild, earthy and a bitter aftertaste.
5 Possible Benefits of Mushroom Coffee
The mushrooms typically used to make mushroom coffee all have ties to traditional medicine, and many have been used to treat and prevent various diseases for years.
More recently, researchers have been studying these mushrooms and their impact on various health conditions.
One thing that differentiates mushroom coffee from whole mushrooms or plain mushroom supplements (like dried mushroom powders or mushroom extracts) is that they often contain additional ingredients, such as ashwagandha or rhodiola, that are used in traditional medicine and may offer their own health benefits.
“Mushroom coffees can offer caffeine (if they contain coffee beans) and other functional ingredients that are not found in mushrooms alone,” says Edwina Clark, RD, the owner of Edwina Clark Nutrition in San Francisco.
If you’re interested in drinking mushrooms for health benefits, it’s important to know that there aren’t many studies looking specifically at mushroom coffee. “While data on mushroom coffee itself is limited, there has been research on mushrooms themselves,” Andrews says.
So, while the benefits linked to mushrooms and mushroom supplements might also be true for mushroom coffee, there’s no way to know that for sure without specific research. What’s more, much of the research on mushrooms has been done in vitro (or in test tubes, not humans). So this type of research is considered early evidence and may not show us the full picture of how mushrooms will impact cells in a living human body.
With that in mind, here’s what the existing evidence does say about the potential benefits linked to the types of mushrooms typically used to make mushroom coffee.
1. Better Immune Function
Although most of the research is preliminary and more evidence (including human trials) is needed, one review found that reishi mushrooms can promote the immune function of cells.
2. Reduced Heart Disease Risk
In one in vitro study that used reishi mushroom extract, researchers found that the mushroom might help lower LDL cholesterol (a type of cholesterol associated with heart disease when there’s too much of it in the body) and increase HDL cholesterol (which has protective benefits).
3. Protection Against Cancer
One major area of research on mushrooms is their possible cancer-fighting properties. Several test tube studies have suggested that mushrooms could help fight cancer cells. An in vitro study on lion’s mane found that freeze-dried mushrooms protected against leukemia. Another study used lion’s mane extract in test tubes containing cancerous cells and in mice with cancer, and found that it could reduce the growth of various kinds of tumours.
4. Better Blood Sugar Control
When it comes to the link between mushrooms and diabetes prevention and management, some preliminary research suggests that mushrooms could help with blood sugar control. One study drew on several previous studies in test tubes, mice, and some small human trials, and found that various types of mushrooms in whole, extract, and powdered form could help regulate blood sugar through various mechanisms of action.
5. Improved Cognitive Function
One review looked at studies on the impact of mushrooms on mood and brain health, and found that several large population studies linked eating mushrooms (all types were included, but many studies looked specifically at lion’s mane) with improved cognition and mood.
Potential Risks and Side Effects of Mushroom Coffee
The potential risks of mushroom coffee are largely unknown because there’s so little research on it. But, there is one potential negative side effect worth noting: impaired kidney function.
Chaga mushrooms, often used in mushroom coffee, are high in oxalates, which can bind to minerals in the body and form kidney stones. Although there are no trials investigating this risk, two published case studies suggest that overconsumption of chaga could impair kidney function.
Because of the unique properties of mushrooms, Andrews recommends that anyone who’s on medication or managing a health condition consult their doctor before trying mushroom coffee. “Medicinal mushrooms interact with several medications such as anticoagulants, immunosuppressants, anti-diabetes drugs, and anti-hypertensive drugs, and when used in combination may cause serious side effects,” she says.
“Pregnant women and nursing mothers should avoid mushroom coffees since little is known about the safety and side effects of medicinal mushrooms for these populations,” Andrews says.
Although it’s impossible to say that mushroom coffee has definitive health benefits, it’s an okay thing for most people to try.
“Mushroom coffee can be an intriguing option for those interested in its potential health benefits,” Ilkay says.
“And with a lower caffeine content than regular coffee, it can be a suitable alternative for those who are sensitive to caffeine or looking for a less stimulating beverage.”
