Mushroom coffee, the latest wellness trend, combines traditional coffee with medicinal mushroom extracts such as chaga, lion’s mane and cordyceps to provide increased energy, mental focus and stress reduction benefits. Commonly found less caffeine-containing than its regular coffee counterpart (thus potentially reducing jitters and improving sleep quality), the mushrooms used are known as adaptogens which reduce oxidative stress while improving mood while supplements like ashwagandha offer additional anti-inflammatory benefits to its blends.

Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee stands out as one of the more widely available brands, often available at vitamin stores and hip cafes in 100-gram jars for $50 each. Additionally, Goop approves it for smoothies served there! As it can be difficult to determine the precise amounts of reishi found in various blends, it is often hard to know exactly how much is in them (Klupp, 2015). Sometimes reishi is added as part of a proprietary mixture and listed only as “medicinal mushrooms” on labels (Klupp). Medicinal mushrooms are well-known for their powerful antioxidant activity, helping prevent cell damage and promote health. Research on Reishi has also indicated its immune-enhancing benefits; however, most of this fungus’ research is performed in Petri dishes or animal models with words like “anti-tumor” and “immunomodulatory,” leaving few studies looking at its impact on human health (Jin, 2016).

Reishi may increase white blood cells – those cells which circulate throughout your body to fight viruses, bacteria and other pathogens – as well as promote heart health and cognitive function, according to early animal and human studies. It may also promote cardiovascular wellness and boost cognitive performance, although further investigation should be completed before adding Reishi into your diet (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2016).