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Table of Contents
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Table of Contents
Contents
By
Ru Chen
Key Takeaways
Without coffee, I procrastinate until 5 minutes before a deadline and then wish I had a time travel machine. With coffee, I get anxious that you’ll catch me playing 3am by Halsey at 3am.
But you’re not here for my coffee habits – you’re here for the mushroom coffee trial. Mushroom coffee is heralded as a healthier coffee alternative. It should provide gentler energy boosts and smoother digestion. It may even provide debloating effects. With ADHD and acid reflux, I wondered if mushroom coffee is worth the hype.
I finally decided to try mushroom coffee for a week. Here’s my experience drinking mushroom coffee seven days straight.
Before starting my 1-week mushroom coffee trial, I jotted down my baseline habits:
Mornings: I grind 12 grams of Colombian coffee while listening to my gooseneck kettle whistle. Then I brew my coffee using my AeroPress.
Afternoons: Since I get sleepy in the afternoon, I break through that haze with a smaller cup around 3 pm. That’s over 200 mg of caffeine every day.
Night: I get caffeine jitters if I drink a third cup. That means heart palpitations and anxiety for the night. Because of the coffee anxiety, I avoid drinking coffee after 6 pm unless I really need to stay up.
Goals: I wanted the energy-boosting benefits of regular coffee, without the worry of insomnia and heart palpitations at night. I wanted the mushroom coffee to taste acceptably mild.
I ended up choosing Favy’s #1 ranked mushroom coffee, the Atlas+ Superblend. It contains Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, and Reishi, three popular mushroom types. The pack cost $26, which is around $7 more expensive than my usual roasts.
Bought a pack of Atlas+ Mushroom Coffee, the no-sugar, dairy-free superblend version. The Superblend comes with a free starter kit of a milk frother and measuring spoon, which were cute. Read the wellness booklet. Feeling slightly nervous.
The first sip of the mushroom coffee was distinctly… earthy. A tad nutty. The texture was smoother than usual. It definitely didn’t taste like the mushrooms you get in soup. I reread the ingredients label, which mainly includes:
Energy-wise, I felt less focused in the next few hours. Not sleepier, per se – I just felt like it was harder to complete my tasks. In fact, my productivity plummeted. The brain fog of being decaffeinated hit hard. Sad coffee lover noises. Thankfully, there was no caffeine withdrawal headache. At night, I think I started ruminating and overthinking – there wasn’t a physical issue, but I kept fearing I would get coffee anxiety.
In the afternoon, I felt the urge to drink traditional coffee. Suppressed it for y’all.
My second to third cups of mushroom coffee tasted much the same. Nutty, earthy, a little like dirt. I was gradually getting more used to the taste, but my productivity levels were still not consistent.
I ended up using the washroom less frequently after the mushroom coffee. Maybe it is better for digestion. It’s hard to tell since I am usually fine, digestive-wise.
Anecdotally, I read online that many people with gut health and GI concerns do better when switching to mushroom coffee. On top of having anti-inflammatory properties, Lion’s Mane has been found to protect against digestive tract ulcers. That’s a fun benefit.
I hauled a bag of brown sugar from Whole Foods and started adding a scoop to my mushroom coffee. Usually I only use half and half creamer, but I figured the sugar would help.
Conclusion: I should’ve added a sweetener days ago. What was I thinking? Oh. I probably wasn’t, since without my usual coffee bean grinding routine, I was a little lost.
Alright, by six days in, I had become fairly adept at sweetening mushroom coffee’s earthiness to suit my taste. I don’t get the same afternoon caffeine crash. Not noticing any digestive changes, but nothing’s getting worse either. That’s a good sign.
Last day! I paid more care in brewing my mushroom coffee on the seventh day, as one does near the end of a trial. A mindful experience is always important.
Compared to regular coffee, mushroom coffee makes me less immediately awake in the morning, but my afternoons have become less impacted by caffeine crashes. I think mushroom coffee is better for sustained energy boosts as opposed to a quick burst that needs an extra pick-me-up in the afternoon.
Cognitive changes: A longer trial is necessary to see if any long-term cognitive benefits come with mushroom coffee.
Physical changes: I think mushroom coffee is genuinely easier on my gut, though it doesn’t mean much since I am lucky to not have any existing GI issues. Based on anecdotal evidence, your mileage may vary when it comes to whether mushroom coffee can help you with digestion.
Mood changes: Drinking mushroom coffee is exciting. I’ve been drinking the same Mass Appeals and Manatee Coffees for years.
Sleep changes: My sleep schedule is unspeakable to begin with. Mushroom coffee didn’t worsen it, that’s all I can say. I expect people with sane sleeping schedules should be alright. Mushroom coffee has significantly less caffeine, after all.
Productivity changes: At first, I was significantly less productive. The main problem was breaking the lengthy routine I have of a comfort cup of joe every morning. It left me a little scattered.
At the end of the trial, I have to raise the topic of the placebo effect. It’s also known as the sugar pill effect – if you believe something will work (even if it has no scientific effect), it will actually produce that result (e.g. more energy, smoother digestion). Placebo effects work even if you know they exist.
Personally, I believe that if something gives me the desired effects with no harm, it doesn’t matter if it’s a placebo.
Overall satisfaction: I like mushroom coffee a lot more than I thought I would. I would recommend my fellow coffee-lovers (especially those sensitive to caffeine jitters) to try it out.
So the big advantage of mushroom coffee for me is it reduces the lethargy in the afternoon I usually feel when drinking coffee. This means I need less caffeine overall, which can be better for overall health. Did I experience enhanced mental clarity as all the health influencers boast? Yes, but I think it may have had to do with the excitement of drinking something so new.
Digestion-wise, I noticed I got less acid reflux and heartburn. However, I didn’t notice any difference in bloating.
I also liked that I got less caffeine anxiety. Sometimes when I’m working late or trying to stay up for my friends’ weekly movie sessions, I drink a cup of coffee. And then I get anxious that I won’t be able to fall asleep. And then I – you guessed it – can’t fall asleep. Alexa play 3 am by Halsey.
Taste? The mushroom coffee taste is one of the greatest limiters. The stigma, though, is perhaps even more effective at preventing people from jumping on the mushroom coffee train. A lot of people think adding mushrooms to coffee is weird – and that’s totally valid. But it is worth a try, since you never know if you’ll enjoy it (and its potential health benefits).
Price? You can’t talk about special coffee types without talking about the price. Mushroom coffee is generally more expensive than regular coffee of similar quality. You can expect to shell out $20+ for a month’s mushroom coffee subscription. It’s also hard to come by high-quality mushroom coffee brands, since many cheaper brands add fillers to dilute the mushroom powder. Check out our Mushroom Coffee Rankings to see the best mushroom coffee choices.
Health conditions? According to research, mushrooms can exacerbate bloating in those who have underlying GI disorders. It’s because mushrooms, beans, broccoli, and other gas-causing ingredients contain sugars that are harder to digest. If you struggle with gas and other gastrointestinal issues, it’s a good idea to consult with your doctor before switching to mushroom coffee.
Slower caffeination onset? Mushroom coffee usually has half the caffeine amount of regular coffee. If you need a jolt to wake up – a sharp, aromatic jolt – mushroom coffee might not be enough for you.
Entrepreneurs: Mushroom coffee is a great way to provide sustained energy and promote better health in the long run. If you need a slower but longer energy boost to last the day filled with stressful, boring meetings, mushroom coffee could be a great beverage for you.
Wellness enthusiasts: Mushroom coffee definitely worth a try if you prioritize health and wellness. Mushrooms have been used for thousands of years in medicines. They’re rich in antioxidants and exhibit a wide range of health benefits, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-allergic, and neuroprotective properties. More studies need to be done to see whether mushroom coffee is as effective, but it’s a promising area of research.
Students: School can be rough. If you need a cup of coffee before your morning lecture but get a caffeine crash in the afternoon, mushroom coffee might be helpful.
Caffeine-sensitive: If you are sensitive to jitters, insomnia, or other caffeine side effects, mushroom coffee can be a good alternative to traditional coffee. Still might be best to avoid it late at night, though.
It’s important to consider your personal goals and health before switching to mushroom coffee.
The mushroom blend you choose can make a big difference. Some mushroom coffees are specifically infused with powerful nootropics and L-theanine for cognitive support (e.g. Everyday Dose), whereas others are USDA-certified organic (e.g. MUD\WTR).
In my humble, coffee-loving but budget-conscious opinion, there are a few main reasons to not switch full-time.
First is the taste. You should definitely try a single pack first, that way you can gauge whether it’s a taste you can acquire. Some love sashimi, some adore mushroom coffee.
Second is the budget. The pack I received was the Atlas+ Mushroom Superblend. The Single with 27 servings costs $26 (with free shipping). That’s $0.96 per serving. However, the next refills will be $38 every 4 weeks. That makes it $1.40 per serving.
If you brew coffee at home, a cup of regular coffee can cost as little as $0.26 cents a cup. It’s undeniable that mushroom coffee will cost you more. Still, mushroom coffee is much cheaper than buying a $7 cup at Starbucks or another coffee shop.
It’s been fun trying out mushroom coffee this past week. I’m not a die-hard mushroom coffee fan, but it tastes better than I imagined.
Final verdict: If you’re a wellness enthusiast or need a coffee alternative, mushroom coffee is worth a try. But definitely try it before you integrate it into your daily wellness routine. Let’s look past the earthy taste for a second – mushroom coffee has less caffeine. That means a potentially smoother energy boost, but also a slower energy boost. If that is what you seek, then you might just subscribe to the mushroom coffee hype.
I encourage you to experiment with mushroom coffee and track your personal responses too. The Atlas+ Superblend is a good place to start, while the MUD\WTR mushroom coffee is for the truly adventurous.
Now that everything’s tickety-boo, it’s time for me to go make another cup of mushroom coffee.
Ru Chen
Content Writer
Ru Chen is a content writer with several years of experience in creating engaging and well-researched articles. She mostly writes about coffee, business, digital marketing, and law. In her free time, she can be found watching horror movies and playing board games with her partner in Brooklyn.
Ru Chen is a content writer with several years of experience in creating engaging and well-researched articles. She mostly writes about coffee, business, digital marketing, and law. In her free time, she can be found watching horror movies and playing board games with her partner in Brooklyn.
