Straight to the Point
The science is still out on the benefits of mushroom coffee, but Shroomi was an easy entry point for those looking to shake up their morning routines. It included lion’s mane, chaga, and reishi mushrooms as well as Arabica coffee beans, so it brewed and tasted just like traditional coffee. For a mushroom-based alternative, Joe’y offered a similar experience sans coffee beans.
I first heard of mushroom coffee from an enthusiastic coworker a few years ago. At the time, I passed it off as just another fleeting health food trend, like dessert hummus and making everything out of cauliflower. Or, I thought, it must be for people trying to cut back on caffeine (definitely not me). I was wrong. Interest in mushroom coffees—and functional mushrooms in general—has only risen since then, and these days, I hardly go a day without hearing about chaga this or reishi that.
Listen—I’m no fungus hater. I’ve also been drawn in by the potential health benefits of magical mushrooms (lion’s mane, that is). There’s just a lot to unpack regarding the claims many mushroom coffee brands make. Science-y sounding buzzwords like “adaptogenic” and “nootropic” are used freely, without much context, and that’s before you get to any of the mind-sharpening, immune-boosting, gut-improving promises. A person would have to be fluent in both medical science and modern wellness-ese to decipher all the jargon, and I am but a lowly food writer with a somewhat dusty nutrition degree.
To figure it all out, I dove headfirst into the science to discover how (and if) mushroom coffees can benefit us. Spoiler: The science isn’t conclusive, but there is reason for hope. For my fellow fungus optimists, I tasted 11 mushroom coffees to find the ones that were good enough to drink every day. My favorites include two that brew like traditional coffee and two instant shroomy sippers.
The Winners, at a Glance
Credit: Amazon
Joe’y was a great choice for people looking to replace their morning coffee with a superfood-packed sipper. It contained lion’s mane, reishi, and cordyceps mushrooms, and it had a roasty, spiced flavor profile thanks to chicory, cinnamon, and toasted barley.
Credit: Amazon
The Bold Coffee+ could be used to make hot or iced mushroom coffees in seconds. It contained coffee extract with no added flavorings or sweeteners, so each cup could be prepared just how I liked it.
Credit: Amazon
The bag of Shroomi felt like it came from a local coffee shop, except it had lion’s mane, reishi, and chaga mushroom extracts infused throughout. It could be prepared the same as regular ground coffee and had only a subtle mushroomy flavor.
Credit: Amazon
Like Shroomi, the Perform roast could also be brewed and enjoyed like traditional coffee and had a four-mushroom blend of chaga, lion’s mane, maitake, and cordyceps. It was one of the most affordable mushroom coffees I tried, making it good for multi-cup drinkers or those on a budget.
The Tests
I tasted each mushroom coffee and rated it on its taste, texture, and ease of preparation.
Serious Eats
- Preparation Test: I made each mushroom coffee according to its manufacturer’s instructions. If it required brewing, I did so in a French press; if it was an instant mix, I combined the powder with hot water using a handheld milk frother.
- Taste Test: I tasted each mushroom coffee immediately after I prepared it and scored its flavor.
What We Learned
Mushroom Coffees Came in Two Main Categories
Mushroom coffee can refer to mushroom extract-infused coffee beans or powdered drink mixes.
Ashlee Redger / Serious Eats
Most of the mushroom drinks in the lineup fell into two general groups. The first was the most straightforward: ground coffee with mushroom extracts mixed in, often called mushroom-enhanced or mushroom-infused coffees. It included the winning Shroomi and Laird Superfood Perform blends as well as the Four Sigmatic Focus Mushroom Coffee. These grounds could be brewed with traditional coffee methods (pour-over, drip machine, French press, etc.) and tasted more or less like normal but with a slightly earthy funk.
The second category was made up of powdered mixes. Some contained instant coffee, while others did not—like the winning Everyday Dose Bold Coffee+ or Joe’y, respectively. Some, including the Atlas+ Latte Superblend and Live Conscious Beyond Brew, also incorporated flavorings like coconut milk powder, cacao, or stevia (more on that later). They could be stirred into water or milk to make a mushroomy drink in under a minute, and their flavors varied a lot depending on their other ingredients.
“Science-Backed” Was Kind of an Overstatement
Mushroom coffees may not do everything their packages say, so prioritize flavor over health claims.
Serious Eats / Ashlee Redger
Just about every drink in the lineup announced on its bag or website that it was “science-backed.” In addition to being hailed as “superfoods” on their own, mushrooms like lion’s mane, reishi, chaga, maitake, and cordyceps are frequently lumped in with adaptogens and nootropics—two overlapping categories of ingredients thought to help the body handle stress and increase brain function. While there have been some scientific studies about the uses of functional mushrooms (and other adaptogenic/nootropic foods), many have had small sample sizes or were conducted on mice or in vitro (in test tubes or Petri dishes) rather than on humans. They have also varied in the type, quantity, and preparation of the mushrooms studied.
In the human studies we do have, there have been some promising results, for example, on lion’s mane’s potential to improve cognitive abilities and decrease stress. (It’s worth noting here that lion’s mane is the most extensively evaluated mushroom so far.) Still, most scientists conclude that a lot more research is needed before we can fully determine the impacts of medicinal mushrooms, how to best deliver their functional compounds, and, crucially, at what doses they’re most effective. There just isn’t enough data to say for sure whether consuming the limited quantities of mushroom extracts present in these coffee drinks will have the effects their packages claim.
All that said, replacing your normal cup of joe with a mug of mushroom coffee is fine if you like the taste and the way it makes you feel. Many coffees I tried—including Joe’y, Atlas+, and Everday Dose—included additional functional ingredients like L-theanine to help curb the jittery effects of caffeine or ashwagandha as a mood booster. Just be sure to talk to a doctor before starting your new mushroom coffee habit, as some functional foods can have adverse consequences for those with kidney, liver, or digestive issues, as well as other health concerns.
Caffeine Content Was All Over the Place
Not all mushroom coffees are lower in caffeine, so be mindful when choosing the right one for you.
Serious Eats/Ashlee Redger
While researching mushroom coffees, I found many online reviewers who wrote about switching from traditional coffee to what they believed was a lower caffeine content. While this was true for some drinks, caffeine varied across the lineup. The herbal tea-like Rasa Adaptogenic Mushroom Coffee was the only one free of caffeine, and the Live Conscious Beyond Brew was close behind, with 10 milligrams of caffeine (from cacao) per cup. Joe’y, Ryze, and Atlas+ all had around 50 milligrams of caffeine per serving, approximately half that of a traditional cup of coffee. All three mushroom-infused ground coffees—Four Sigmatic Focus, Shroomi, and Laird Superfoods—were on par with regular coffee, caffeine-wise, as was the Everyday Dose mix.
Sweetened Mixes Missed the Mark
Stevia was a major turn-off in powdered mushroom coffee mixes.
Serious Eats/Ashlee Redger
I know I’m not the only one turned off by stevia’s breathy, too-strong sweetness, and I found it overwhelmingly cloying in the Altr Root Java Shroom. The sweetness was at odds with the Java Shroom’s savory mushroom flavor. The Live Conscious Beyond Brew powder contained some stevia, too. However, it was more balanced with bitter cacao to make a drink reminiscent of a health food store version of hot cocoa. The Atlas+ Latte Superblend was much better, as it was lightly sweetened with coconut sugar, but the addition of coconut milk powder tasted strong and slightly stale. Overall, I preferred mixes without dried creamer or sweeteners so I could adjust the coffee as I preferred.
The Criteria: What to Look for in a Mushroom Coffee
Serious Eats / Ashlee Redger
Like any beverage, the best mushroom coffee depends on personal preference. Since there isn’t enough evidence to suggest one functional mushroom blend over another, look for a mix that tastes great and fits your budget. (Most coffees I tried cost roughly the same as an equivalent bag of coffee from an independent craft roaster.) If you’re a coffee lover who wants to add functional mushrooms to your daily routine, look for a mushroom-infused ground coffee that can be brewed like traditional coffee. For those looking to cut down on caffeine, choose a half-caf or fully decaf ground mushroom coffee, or an instant powder with 55 milligrams of caffeine or less. Though there are a few decent powdered latte blends available, mixes without dried creamer or sweeteners are more adjustable to individual tastes. Talk to a health professional before consuming adaptogenic drinks, as they can interfere with prescription medications or worsen health issues.
Our Favorite Mushroom Coffees
Credit: Amazon
What we liked: Joe’y didn’t try to replicate traditional coffee or pack in too many mushrooms just for the sake of them. Rather, the mix felt like an intentional combination of functional ingredients, where their flavor was prioritized just as much as their potential effects. Though its taste profile was totally different from coffee, I could easily see it filling the same role as a daily morning ritual. At first, it reminded me of Mexican hot cocoa with dominant notes of cacao and cinnamon, but the earthy mushrooms (lion’s mane, reishi, and cordyceps, to be exact) and roasted chicory created a balanced, mature bitterness. I appreciated that the powder didn’t include dried creamer or sweetener, so I could add my own if I wanted, though I liked it on its own, too.
What we didn’t like: Can you imagine trying black coffee for the first time as an adult? Would you like it immediately, or would the intense, roasted flavors take some adjusting to? My first few drinks of Joe’y tasted strange and super bitter, but I grew to enjoy its earthy, spiced profile by the end of the cup. Though it contained energizing cacao and guarana (listed as P. cupana on the ingredient list), it only had around half the caffeine of coffee per serving. It may not be good for those who like a big energy boost in the morning (or, on the other side, those extra sensitive to caffeine).
Key Specs
- Unit size: 14.2 ounces (also available in a 4-ounce bag)
- Servings per unit: About 60 cups
- Caffeine content per serving: 55 milligrams (about half that of traditional coffee)
- Ingredients: Organic fruiting body mushroom and adaptogen blend (organic cordyceps mushroom extract, organic reishi mushroom extract, organic lion’s mane mushroom extract, organic ashwagandha root extract, L-theanine), roasted chicory root, organic single-origin cacao, organic dandelion root, gluten-free barley extract, P. cupana extract, organic cinnamon, Himalayan pink salt
- Preparation instructions: Mix two to three teaspoons Joe’y with eight ounces of hot water. Add milk or sweetener as desired. Enjoy hot or iced.
Credit: Amazon
What we liked: Everyday Dose combined coffee bean, chaga, and lion’s mane extracts with grass-fed collagen to create this approachable mix. Compared to the other instant powders in the lineup, the Bold Coffee+ was the most straightforward—no sweeteners, coconut milk, or other flavorings. It tasted like any decent instant coffee with just a hint of mushroom earthiness. It had four grams of protein per cup (thanks to that collagen) as well as 90 milligrams of caffeine to keep you energized throughout the morning. I loved how quickly and easily the powder dissolved even without a frother, making it great for on-the-go iced coffees.
What we didn’t like: Since it contained beef collagen, this drink wouldn’t be suitable for plant-based diets. I tried the Bold version, but Everyday Dose also makes a regular Coffee+ with half the caffeine for people who want a milder cup.
Key Specs
- Unit size: 8.8 ounces
- Servings per bag: About 30 cups
- Caffeine content per serving: 90 milligrams (about the same as traditional coffee)
- Ingredients: Coffee bean extract, bovine hydrolyzed collagen powder, L-theanine, organic chaga fruiting body extract, organic lion’s mane fruiting body extract
- Preparation instructions: Add one tablespoon coffee powder to seven to 10 ounces of hot or cold water. Stir or froth for 10 to 15 seconds to fully dissolve, then add milk, sweetener, and/or ice as desired.
Credit: Amazon
What we liked: Shroomi specializes in organic and Fair Trade Certified mushroom coffee. I particularly appreciated the lab testing and sourcing transparency, down to the latitude and longitude of the women-led co-op, described on Shroomi’s website. The medium roast blend (infused with lion’s mane, reishi, and chaga extracts) brewed and tasted the same as a high-quality ground coffee from my favorite local roaster, with notes of citrus and caramel. Plus, Shroomi offers light, dark, and half-decaf roasts for other taste preferences.
What we didn’t like: It was a few dollars pricier than the other mushroom-enhanced ground coffees I tried, which could add up if you’re a daily coffee drinker.
Key Specs
- Unit size: 12 ounces
- Servings per bag: About 20 cups
- Caffeine content per serving: 80 milligrams (about the same as traditional coffee)
- Ingredients: Organic 100% Arabica coffee, organic lion’s mane mushroom, organic chaga mushroom, organic reishi mushroom
- Preparation instructions: Brew as you would a pour-over or drip with three tablespoons of coffee per 10 ounces of filtered water.
Credit: Amazon
What we liked: Like the Shroomi, this coffee could be brewed the same as traditional grounds in a French press, pour-over, or drip machine. It was about $5 less per bag (at the time of writing), making it a more affordable option for those who like to have a cup or more daily. It had a balanced, dark roast flavor with notes of chocolate and the slightest hint of fungi funk. Laird Superfood also sells medium-roasted mushroom coffees by the bag or in convenient Keurig-compatible cups (though I didn’t try those blends).
What we didn’t like: The Laird Superfood coffee felt less special than the Shroomi—more like a grocery store coffee than an artisan roaster. There was less transparency about its sourcing and mushroom content, and the coffee tasted a little less nuanced.
Key Specs
- Unit size: 12 ounces
- Servings per bag: About 30 cups
- Caffeine content per serving: 100 milligrams (about the same as traditional coffee)
- Ingredients: Organic coffee, organic chaga mushroom extract, organic lion’s mane extract, organic maitake mushroom extract, organic cordyceps mushroom extract
- Preparation instructions: Brew as you would a pour-over or drip with two tablespoons of coffee per 12 ounces of filtered water.
The Competition
- Four Sigmatic Focus Mushroom Coffee: This one was similar to the other two mushroom-enhanced coffees I tried, but was roasted a little too dark for my taste.
- Atlas+ Latte Superblend: This instant latte mix had dark chocolate mocha vibes and was one of the better pre-sweetened options in the lineup. The coconut milk powder came across pretty strong, though, and it reminded me of coffee prepared with Coffee-Mate dried creamer. It wasn’t bad per se, but I preferred options that I could sweeten and add cream to myself.
- Rasa Original Adaptogenic Mushroom Coffee Alternative: The Rasa was the only fully caffeine-free option I tried. It was made mostly from chicory and burdock and required brewing in a French press or moka pot. Unfortunately, I found its flavor musty and reminiscent of rooibos tea (which I strongly dislike). Still, if you like chicory and rooibos-like flavors and want a zero-caffeine sipper, try this.
- Max Fit Wellness Original Ten Mushrooms Instant Coffee: This powder consisted of instant coffee and a multitude of mushroom extracts. Prepared, it had a strong shroomy flavor and tasted a bit like a savory broth.
- Ryze Mushroom Coffee: The coconut milk, MCT, coffee, and mushroom combination was super bitter and had a metallic, burnt taste I couldn’t place.
- Altr Root Java Shroom Adaptogenic Mushroom Coffee: I had a hard time sipping this one at all, as it had a distinct savory mushroom flavor and was spiked with far too much stevia.
- Live Conscious Beyond Brew Original Cacao Functional Mushroom Blend: This powder looked and smelled like hot cocoa powder. It was too stevia-sweet when mixed with water, but it was a little better (though still fairly sweet) when frothed into milk instead.
FAQs
Does mushroom coffee have caffeine?
Though there are a few caffeine-free options, most mushroom coffees have at least some caffeine. Many mixes include instant or ground coffee, but even coffee-free alternatives can contain caffeinated ingredients like cacao or guarana. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, check the details of your specific product before drinking.
Does mushroom coffee work?
It depends on what you mean by “work.” Many mushroom coffee brands say their products can help boost immunity, energy, focus, digestion, and stress relief, among other claims. Plenty of consumers attest to feeling those kinds of effects after consuming mushroom drinks, but just as many say they feel nothing. Unfortunately, researchers say they don’t have enough human-based research to definitively determine the actual efficacy of medicinal mushrooms and other so-called “functional” ingredients and, if they can benefit us, at what doses.
What does mushroom coffee taste like?
Mushrooms add a subtle savory funk to whatever mix they’re in. Mushroom coffees that contain instant or ground coffee taste like coffee with a hint of earthiness. On the other hand, coffee-free mushroom drinks mostly take on the flavor of whatever other ingredients they’re made of—often chicory, dandelion root, cacao, or cinnamon.
Does mushroom coffee taste like coffee?
Mushroom coffees made with ground coffee beans and mushroom extracts look, brew, and taste nearly identical to traditional coffee (or maybe a tad earthier). Mixes that include instant coffee and/or other ingredients like coconut milk powder, stevia, or cacao can vary in flavor depending on what other components are added.
