Mushroom coffee has quickly become a trending beverage on TikTok and social media, promising health benefits like mental clarity and stress relief. It usually comes served hot in powder or ground form that can be combined with boiling water to form regular coffee-like beverages; alternatively, single varieties like Reishi mushroom are commonly featured to provide various advantages; such as improving mood and alleviating anxiety (MD Bio Wellness).

At first glance, this new drink may seem exciting; however, its health claims have yet to be proven by scientific research and it remains uncertain whether they remain true after dried, extracted and brewed into coffee form.

Concerns have also been expressed over how mushrooms used in these beverages might alter digestion and cause gastrointestinal discomfort or other side effects, especially since many of the mushrooms found in such products contain oxalates which are toxic for some individuals with kidney diseases or digestive issues. Furthermore, popular mushrooms such as chaga mushroom used in mushroom coffee may increase urine output and cause dehydration due to increased urination – as is well documented – through urine elimination.

Mushrooms provide many nutritional and medicinal advantages, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Additionally, mushrooms can help lower blood pressure and decrease risk for heart disease – and some varieties such as Reishi and Lion’s Mane mushrooms have long been utilized as healing agents within Chinese Medicine for this purpose.

However, mushroom coffees face two key hurdles: high cost and lack of evidence supporting their purported benefits. Blends typically cost twice as much as regular coffee and often taste unpleasant to consumers – though whether extra mushrooms in the blend actually makes any significant difference is unclear since many of its purported health advantages relate to caffeine alone.

Czerwony strongly suggests incorporating whole mushrooms into your diet instead of drinking mushroom coffee, but if you must indulge, she suggests trying one type at a time until you understand its effects on you.