Mushroom Coffee is an increasingly popular trend that blends regular coffee with extracts from medicinal mushrooms such as Chaga, Cordyceps, Reishi and Turkey Tail. Mushroom Coffee claims to be lower in caffeine than traditional coffee and can help with digestion, stress relief fatigue and heart health – however these claims remain unverified and it is unlikely that mushroom coffee directly contributes to weight loss.

Mushroom coffee does contain significantly less caffeine than its traditional counterpart; however, its price usually makes up for this difference due to higher-priced ingredients found in mushroom coffee that cannot be easily found at grocery stores.

As with other adaptogens found in mushroom coffee (such as Ashwagandha and L-theanine) mushrooms may help assist weight loss by providing immune-enhancing effects, and providing antioxidants. They may also balance cortisol levels which tend to rise with increased stress levels and possibly aid weight loss through this method.

Medicinal mushrooms have long been touted for their ability to improve sleep quality, which may help those trying to lose weight as well. Poor sleep can contribute to overeating and cravings for high-calorie, carb-rich foods according to research.

Unfortunately, it remains unknown whether any of the purported benefits of mushroom coffee actually derive from its extracts and powders used to brew it. Most studies on medicinal mushrooms are conducted in vitro without ever being tested on humans; additionally, many mushroom coffee products dissolve their mushroom extracts in water, further diminishing their effectiveness.

Mushroom coffee may contain certain mushrooms like chaga that contain high concentrations of oxalates that may promote kidney stones and cause other issues for some individuals, leading to kidney stone formation and other kidney-related issues. People with kidney problems or grain sensitivities should forgoing mushroom coffee altogether and instead incorporate whole mushrooms into their diets instead.

Though mushroom coffee may indirectly help with weight loss, it is unlikely to do so directly. Although its low levels of caffeine could ease anxiety or insomnia symptoms, any new nutritional supplement must first be discussed with both a doctor and dietitian to make sure there are no interactions with any medications you are currently taking.

Though too much caffeine can lead to anxiety, rapid heartbeat, and stomach discomfort, most will not experience these side effects from drinking mushroom coffee as it typically contains only half the caffeine found in traditional coffee drinks. To reap its health benefits properly, mushrooms should be consumed naturally rather than extracted for use in coffee beverages which may be costly and cause digestive distress.