If you make a purchase after clicking on links within this article, Lee Enterprises may earn affiliate commissions. The news and editorial departments had no role in the creation or display of this content.
Mushroom coffee has become something of a trend over the last few years with users claiming a whole host of health benefits after trading in their traditional morning cup of joe. And mushrooms do have a lot of interesting compounds that might give them an edge over regular coffee beans. Now, not all mushroom coffee brands are up to scratch, with many not having nearly high enough doses of the mushroom extracts to potentially give you the health benefits. And of course, some just don't taste that great.Â
But, it's not all doom and gloom, there really are some great mushroom coffees out there, and the reviewers for this article say they’ve tried and tasted dozens, caught up with some medical experts and broken down everything you need to know about functional mushrooms and mushroom coffee to make sure you get the right one for you.
People are also reading…
Benefits of Mushroom Coffee vs Traditional Coffee
Unlike traditional coffee, which can sometimes lead to jitters, crashes, and disrupted sleep patterns, mushroom-infused brews may offer a gentler, more sustainable energy lift, thanks to the adaptogenic qualities of their fungal counterparts, but beyond just having a more subtle lift, there are a couple of potential benefits:
Immune System Support
Mushrooms contain beta glucans which might be good for the immune system. On top of that certain mushroom varieties, particularly chaga and reishi have a host of polysaccharides and other compounds that might boost the immune system in other ways. By incorporating these fungi into coffee blends, brands are able to harness their natural potential to fortify the body's defenses and promote overall well-being.
Enhanced Focus and Cognitive Performance
Mushrooms like lion's mane may support brain health, improve memory, and enhance cognitive function. Some believe it may help your brain grow new nerve cells. The combination of caffeine from coffee and the neurological benefits of these mushrooms may provide a powerful synergistic effect, helping users maintain focus and mental clarity throughout the day.
Stress Reduction and Relaxation
Adaptogens are a class of herbs and fungi that are believed to help the body adapt to and cope with various forms of stress, both physical and mental, that can be in helping the body purge cortisol (the stress hormone) or a host of other ways. Mushrooms like reishi and cordyceps are often classified as adaptogens, and their inclusion in mushroom coffee blends may help individuals better manage stress and maintain overall well-being.
Improved Energy and Endurance
Cordyceps mushrooms are renowned for their possible ability to boost physical performance and increase endurance. When incorporated into coffee blends, these fungi might provide a natural energy lift without the typical jitters or crashes associated with high caffeine intake. This might help mushroom coffee give you a more stable boost.
Metabolic and Cardiovascular Support
Certain mushroom species, such as cordyceps and shiitake, might have beneficial effects on metabolic markers like blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. These potential benefits could translate to improved cardiovascular health and reduced risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Benefits
Many of the bioactive compounds in mushrooms, such as phenolics and flavonoids, might possess potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These attributes might help mitigate oxidative stress and reduce the risk of chronic diseases associated with inflammation. Meaning that there's a wide range of potential benefits beyond the energy levels and immune boosting.
Gut Health and Digestion
Certain mushroom varieties, such as turkey tail and maitake, may possess prebiotic properties that could support a healthy gut microbiome. By including these mushrooms in coffee formulations, brands are able to offer a gut-friendly alternative that may aid digestion and overall digestive wellness. Of course some mushroom coffee includes extra prebiotics.Â
The Best Mushroom Coffee Brands
Best Mushrooms To Add To Coffee — Elm and Rye
Best All In One Mushroom Powder — Nootrum Powder
Best for Stress with High Caffeine — Spacegoods
Best Mushroom Latte — Clevr Coffee SuperLatte
Best Mushroom Coffee Infusion — Nootrum Coffee
Best Mushroom Tea — MUD/WTR
Best Value Mushroom Coffee — Four Sigmatic Think
Best High Caffeine With Adaptogenic Mushrooms — Laird Superfood Focus
Best Dark Roast Mushroom Coffee — Shroomi Dark Roast Focus
Best Decaf Instant Mushroom Coffee — Velty Uncaffeinated Instant Coffee
Elm & Rye Mushroom Coffee Creamer — Best Mushrooms to Add to Coffee
A lot of mushroom coffees fail to serve particularly well as a coffee or a mushroom supplement, especially if you don’t want to give up on a taste that you love, that’s where Elm & Rye’s Mushroom Coffee Creamer comes in. It’s a standout option for those looking to integrate functional mushrooms into their existing coffee routine without sacrificing flavor or convenience. Known for its clean-label supplements and minimalist ingredient lists, Elm & Rye brings that same standard to their creamer, blending efficacy with simplicity in a product that actually tastes good.
What sets it apart is the fact that it's designed to pair with your existing coffee, rather than replace it. That means you’re not giving up the ritual or caffeine boost — but you are enhancing it with carefully selected mushroom extracts like Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Reishi, and Cordyceps. Each scoop is a nootropic and adaptogenic boost, subtly supporting focus, immunity, and energy without affecting the flavor of your brew too much.
The base includes coconut-derived MCT powder, giving it a creamy mouthfeel and additional support for cognitive performance, especially when taken with coffee. There's no added sugar, and it's keto and paleo friendly, making it easy to integrate into most diets. Plus, Elm & Rye uses fruiting body extracts rather than mycelium, and the label includes standardized beta-glucan content—something most other creamers overlook entirely.
Taste-wise, it’s mild, creamy, and blends smoothly with hot beverages. The lion’s mane and reishi do introduce a slight earthy undertone, but the MCT creaminess balances it out nicely. It’s not trying to dominate your coffee — it enhances it.
Scores:
Taste: 4.5/5
Potential Immune Benefits: 4.5/5
Potential Brain Boosting: 5/5
Energy: 4/5
Potential Stress Reduction: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Overall, Elm & Rye’s Mushroom Coffee Creamer is a go-to for anyone who wants the benefits of mushroom coffee without replacing their regular beans. While it doesn’t offer as wide a mushroom blend as some powders like Nootrum, it’s optimized for cognitive function and pairs exceptionally well with coffee.
For those already committed to their favorite roast but curious about functional mushrooms, this is the most seamless way to level up your daily cup.
Nootrum Powder — Best All In One Mushroom Powder
Nootrum Powder is by and large the best mushroom powder, according to reviewers for this article, if you want something to just add water to and go, and with Nootrum rapidly becoming a something of a darling on the functional mushrooms scene over the last year they've even managed to managed to get two entries on the list. There's a couple of reasons they stand out, first off is that this is a really nice tasting mushroom blend, but beyond that they say they’ve standardized the microcompounds that actually give each mushroom its benefits, meaning that unlike most of the other brands on the market it appears to give you exactly what it promises.Â
The reviewers for this article say it’s the best for gut health, with a healthy dose of prebiotic fibers which also give it a nice consistency and ginger which boosts its anti inflammatory effect without it altering the taste too much. And with the added vitamin C to go with the beta glucans from the mushrooms themselves Nootrum scored full marks when it comes to immune boosting potential.Â
And of course it's all organic, comes with a money back guarantee, which the reviewers say they’ve tested with mystery shoppers and there really isn't a better product for you to dive into mushroom coffee with.Â
Taste: 5/5
Potential Immune Benefits: 5/5
Potential Brain Boosting: 4/5
Energy: 4/5
Potential Stress Reduction: 4/5
Value: 5/5
All in all Nootrum scores really well across the board, of course, some of the other mushroom coffees on the list contain actual coffee beans rather than a tea base, meaning that they're naturally going to score higher on boosting energy levels. That said Nootrum has one of the highest doses of cordyceps, the energy boosting mushroom and reishi mushrooms which may be the best mushroom for stress relief.
But, as a lot of people are looking for an alternative to coffee, Nootrum is really a go to. And of course you can always add it to coffee too if you want that extra kick. And if you really want something with organic coffee beans, they do have a product for that too.Â
Spacegoods — Best for Stress with High Caffeine
Spacegoods is a relatively interesting mushroom powder, they've gone for a hot chocolate taste which does make it stand out a fair bit from other mushroom coffees. They've also gone in quite heavy on the adaptogens like ashwagandha and maca alongside chaga, lion's mane and cordyceps.Â
Taste: 5/5
Potential Immune Benefits: 3/5
Potential Brain Boosting: 3/5
Energy: 5/5
Potential Stress Reduction: 4/5
Value: 5/5
Spacegoods do have a great taste especially compared to many mushroom blends.
Clevr Coffee SuperLatte — Best Mushroom LatteÂ
For those seeking a convenient, all-in-one mushroom coffee experience, Clevr Coffee's SuperLatte stands out. This instant latte blend combines Arabica coffee, a proprietary adaptogen blend (including ashwagandha, reishi, and lion's mane), and a vegan creamer for a delicious and functional beverage.
Taste: 4/5
Potential Immune Benefits: 4/5
Potential Brain Boosting: 4/5
Energy: 4/5
Potential Stress Reduction: 5/5
Value: 5/5
Clevr coffee including ashwagandha may give it an extra boost in terms of stress reduction, with it being one of the most well rated herbs for reducing cortisol build up. If you really like your coffee milky it's a good option.Â
Nootrum Coffee — Best Mushroom Coffee Infusion
This is Nootrum's second entry on the list, there's not much of the mushroom coffee taste as the organic arabica coffee beans do give it most of its flavor. The blend is pretty simple with chaga, lion's mane and regular coffee.Â
Taste: 5/5
Potential Immune Benefits: 4/5
Potential Brain Boosting: 5/5
Energy: 5/5
Potential Stress Reduction: 3/5
Value: 5/5
This is one of the best mushroom coffees when it comes to flavor, it's just a really good filter coffee in general. The lion's mane and chaga give it a host of potential benefits for clearing brain fog and avoiding a crash later in the day. Its relatively low price point is also a nice touch though and once again they're using organic mushrooms.
MUD/WTR — Best Mushroom Tea
MUD/WTR offers a unique spin on the mushroom coffee concept, with a low-caffeine formula that focuses on a blend of chaga, reishi, lion's mane, and cordyceps mushrooms. This earthy, chai-inspired brew provides a gentle energy boost and promotes relaxation without the typical coffee jitters.
Taste: 3/5
Potential Immune Benefits: 4/5
Potential Brain Boosting: 4/5
Energy: 3/5
Potential Stress Reduction: 3/5
Value: 5/5
MUD/WTR may be one of the most well known mushroom coffee brands out there. It's good quality and had good doses of the big 4 mushrooms, meaning that it's pretty solid in terms of immune and brain boosting potential.
Four Sigmatic Think — Best Value Mushroom Coffee
As one of the pioneers in the mushroom coffee space, the Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee blend has become a beloved classic, and it's still pretty good. Infused with lion's mane and chaga mushrooms, this dark roast ground coffee offers a familiar coffee taste with the added potential benefits of enhanced memory, focus, and overall well-being. It is a bit cheaper than some brands on this list.
Taste: 4/5
Potential Immune Benefits: 4/5
Potential Brain Boosting: 5/5
Energy: 5/5
Potential Stress Reduction: 3/5
Value: 5/5
The reviewers for this article said they like Four Sigmatic, and before they did this test they say they actually had some in the office. If you want to go with a cheap option to give it a try and don't want to go too far away from a regular coffee, then this is a good choice.
Laird Superfood Focus — Best High Caffeine With Adaptogenic Mushrooms
Laird Superfood's Focus Coffee is a budget-friendly option that packs a punch. Featuring a blend of Peruvian coffee beans, lion's mane mushroom, and adaptogenic botanicals like Rhodiola, this brew delivers a sustained energy boost and improved focus without the jitters often associated with traditional coffee.
Taste: 4/5
Potential Immune Benefits: 4/5
Potential Brain Boosting: 4/5
Energy: 5/5
Potential Stress Reduction: 4/5
Value: 5/5
Laird isn't a bad option. Its rhodiola may help reduce stress and it’s well priced.
Shroomi Dark Roast Focus — Best Dark Roast Mushroom Coffee
For those seeking a potentially brain-boosting mushroom coffee, Shroomi's Dark Roast Focus blend stands out. Featuring a robust, dark-roasted Arabica base and a generous dose of organic lion's mane mushroom, this brew is designed to support memory, focus, and cognitive function.
Taste: 4/5
Potential Immune Benefits: 3/5
Potential Brain Boosting: 5/5
Energy: 5/5
Potential Stress Reduction: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Shroomi tastes pretty good, and it's got a good dose of lion's mane mushrooms. If you prefer your regular coffee on the stronger side flavor wise this could be a good choice.
Velty Uncaffeinated Instant Coffee — Best Decaf Instant Mushroom Coffee
For those seeking a caffeine-free option, Velty's Uncaffeinated Instant Coffee is a gut-friendly choice. Infused with a blend of prebiotic-rich mushrooms, this instant coffee alternative aims to nourish the gut microbiome and promote overall digestive health.
Taste: 3/5
Potential Immune Benefits: 4/5
Potential Brain Boosting: 3/5
Energy: 3/5
Potential Stress Reduction: 3/5
Value: 4/5
Velty is really here for people looking to cut out as much caffeine consumption as possible.Â
Common Ingredients In Mushroom Coffee
Lion's Mane
Known as the "smart mushroom," lion's mane has gained widespread recognition for its potential to support cognitive function, improve memory, and enhance focus. By incorporating this mushroom into coffee blends, brands may provide a natural boost to mental clarity and productivity.
Chaga
Revered for its potent antioxidant properties, chaga mushrooms are often included in mushroom coffee formulas to potentially bolster the immune system and promote overall well-being. These adaptogenic fungi might also help to reduce inflammation and support a healthy stress response.
Reishi
Often referred to as the "mushroom of immortality," reishi has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to alleviate stress and promote a sense of calm. By blending reishi with coffee, brands can offer a soothing, relaxing experience that can help users better manage the demands of modern life.
Cordyceps
Cordyceps mushrooms are prized for their potential to enhance physical performance and increase endurance. When incorporated into coffee blends, these fungi can provide a natural energy lift without the typical jitters or crashes associated with high caffeine intake.
Shiitake
Rich in B vitamins, minerals, and fiber, shiitake mushrooms offer a range of potential health benefits, including immune support and improved cardiovascular health. By including shiitake in their coffee formulations, brands can further bolster the nutritional profile of their products.
Maitake
Known for its potential to support healthy cholesterol levels and cardiovascular function, maitake mushrooms are another adaptogenic variety that can be found in premium mushroom coffee blends. These fungi may also possess anti-inflammatory properties.
Turkey Tail
Renowned for its immune-boosting potential, turkey tail mushrooms are often included in mushroom coffee formulas to help strengthen the body's natural defenses and promote overall wellness.
Navigating the Mushroom Coffee Market: Factors to Consider
With the growing popularity of mushroom coffee, the market has become saturated with a wide array of brands and products, each offering its own unique blend and set of benefits. And of course, if you want to do more research into mushroom coffee then these are the things you should be on the look out for to maximize health benefits:
Extraction Method
The way in which the mushrooms are extracted and processed can have a significant impact on the potency and bioavailability of the active compounds. Look for brands that utilize advanced extraction techniques, such as dual or hot water extraction, to help ensure you're getting the most out of the mushroom ingredients.
Mushroom Variety
Different mushroom species offer distinct health benefits, so it's important to consider the specific varieties included in the coffee blend. Research the unique properties of each mushroom type and choose a product that aligns with your personal health goals, whether that's cognitive enhancement, immune support, or stress reduction.
Coffee Quality
While the mushroom components are the star of the show, the quality of the coffee beans used in the blend should not be overlooked. Seek out brands that use premium, organic coffee beans sourced from sustainable and ethical sources.
Caffeine Content
Mushroom coffee is often touted as a lower-caffeine alternative to traditional coffee, but the exact caffeine content can vary widely between brands. Determine your preferred caffeine level and choose a product that suits your needs, whether you're looking to reduce your overall caffeine intake or maintain a moderate level of stimulation.
Ingredient Transparency
Reputable mushroom coffee brands should be transparent about their ingredient lists and sourcing practices. Avoid products that contain unnecessary fillers, additives, or undisclosed components, and look for brands that prioritize quality, organic, and sustainable ingredients.
Packaging and Sustainability
The packaging and overall environmental impact of the product should also be considered. Look for brands that use recyclable or compostable materials and have a strong commitment to sustainability.
Mushroom Coffee FAQ
What is mushroom coffee?
Mushroom coffee is a blend of ground coffee beans (or some sort of tea base in some cases) and extracts from medicinal mushrooms such as Chaga, Lion's Mane, or Reishi. This beverage is designed to offer the traditional flavor of coffee with added health benefits from the mushrooms.
How is mushroom coffee made?
Mushroom coffee is typically made by infusing ground coffee with mushroom extracts. The mushrooms are dried, powdered, and then mixed with coffee grounds. This mixture can then be brewed like regular coffee.
What are the health benefits of mushroom coffee?
Mushroom coffee is touted for its potential health benefits which include boosting the immune system, enhancing focus and concentration, reducing inflammation, and providing a source of antioxidants. Specific benefits can vary based on the type of mushroom used.
Does mushroom coffee taste like mushrooms?
Many users report that mushroom coffee tastes very similar to regular coffee, with a slight earthy undertone. The mushroom flavor is generally subtle and not overpowering.
Is mushroom coffee caffeinated?
It depends on the coffee, but most mushroom coffee contains caffeine, but the levels might be slightly lower than regular coffee depending on the ratio of coffee to mushroom extract in the blend.
Can mushroom coffee replace regular coffee?
Mushroom coffee can replace regular coffee, especially for those looking to reduce their caffeine intake or gain additional health benefits. However, taste preferences and sensitivity to changes in flavor should be considered.
Who should avoid mushroom coffee?
Individuals with mushroom allergies, those on certain medications, or those with specific health conditions should consult with a healthcare provider before trying mushroom coffee. Pregnant or nursing women should also seek medical advice.
How do you brew mushroom coffee?
Mushroom coffee can be brewed using standard coffee-making equipment, including drip coffee makers, French presses, or espresso machines. The brewing method does not differ much from making regular coffee.
Where can you buy mushroom coffee?
Mushroom coffee is available in health food stores, some supermarkets, and online platforms. It often comes in instant packets or ground coffee bags. Although a lot of the best mushroom coffee brands are online exclusives.Â
Are there any side effects of mushroom coffee?
Some may experience side effects typical to caffeine consumption such as jitteriness, upset stomach, or difficulty sleeping. The additional effects from the mushroom extracts are usually mild but can vary individually. Some people are of course more sensitive to medicinal mushrooms.
