7 Best Mushroom Coffee Alternatives

Mushroom coffee is a specialty drink made by blending medicinal mushroom extracts with premium coffee powder or a coffee substitute.

The medicinal mushrooms used to make coffee-mushroom blends are different from culinary mushrooms like Portobello and shiitake, and each mushroom extract comes with its own set of health benefits.

If you’re wondering what the best mushroom coffee brands are like, usually it’s a dark and smooth-tasting brew with a nutty aroma. Like regular coffee blend options, different mushroom coffee varieties have distinct tastes, flavors, richness, and ingredients.

Below I wrote my best mushroom coffee reviews to help you find the right blend for your preferences.

7 Best Mushroom Coffee Brands in 2023

Busy dads drink mushroom coffee alternatives for different reasons. Some prefer mushroom drinks for their health benefits; others like the unique flavor of mushroom coffee blends. Moreover, some mushroom powder drinks are caffeine-free evening blends that help caffeine addicts get a night of better sleep.

If you are curious about what mushroom powder coffee has to offer, checking out the following seven top mushroom coffee brands for working dads will be a good start.

MUD\WTR – Best Tasting Mushroom Coffee

Highlights

  • All-natural ingredients for a healthy morning boost
  • An organic blend of adaptogenic mushrooms
  • It gives dads more focus and supports a healthy immune system

MUD\WTR is a best-seller coffee substitute for busy people. A morning cup of MUD\WTR: Rise coffee contains organic functional mushrooms, guaranteed to give you focus, energy, and a healthy immune system sans regular coffee side effects.

This mushroom tea contains 2 grams of adaptogens grown in the United States. In addition, the mushroom mix contains Lion’s Mane to give you focus, cordyceps to boost energy, and Chaga and Reishi to promote healthy immune systems.

MUD\WTR is gluten-free, vegan, kosher, and non-GMO. And even if it is 1/7 the caffeine found in a regular cup of coffee, I’m confident you’ll enjoy every cup of MUD\WTR mushroom tea during work or leisure time.

Ingredients

  • 35mg caffeine from black tea leaves in masala chai and cacao
  • Lion’s Mane
  • Chaga
  • Reishi
  • Cordyceps
  • No sugars or sweeteners

MUD\WTR: Rest is a different specialty brand that can help you sleep. It is made from rooibos chai, turmeric, and cinnamon. This blend contains adaptogens and quality herbs like valerian root, ashwagandha, turkey tail, passionflower, and Reishi.

Taking a cup of Rest before bedtime will help you feel more relaxed and calm, so you’re ready to sleep. Check out my full MUD WTR review for more details.

Clevr – Best Mushroom Latte

Highlights

  • No sugar and dairy added
  • It can boost mood, improve brain health, and enhance energy levels.
  • With a creamy barista flavor and taste
  • With adaptogens to improve stress and probiotics to support immunity

If you prefer a coffee latte, you must try Clevr, the best instant mushroom coffee mix. Clevr is available in different brews or flavors, with or without caffeine: Rose Cocoa, Golden, Coffee, and Chai Superlattes. You can serve these cold or hot, according to your preference.

These mushroom lattes are guaranteed to improve mood, reduce stress, and enhance energy. Other Clevr flavors are Rose Matcha, Sleeptime, Chai, and Matcha Superlatte. People who drink Clevr coffee-mushroom blends agree they feel their best daily.

If you’ve never tasted mushroom brews before, I recommend starting with Clevr blends. Their Starter Kit comes with two flavors, a scoop, and a battery-operated stirrer to ensure that your first mushroom latte experience is a memorable one.

All Clevr products are barista-designed and scientifically formulated so coffee lovers can get mushroom drinks’ full flavor and health benefits. In addition, Clevr blends are dairy- and sugar-free and made from the most delicate mushrooms to help improve mood and boost mental clarity. 

Ingredients

  • Oatmilk
  • Plant collagen
  • Adaptogens
  • Sleep herbs
  • Probiotics

Clevr products are called Superlattes and are made from oat milk, so these are safe for people who cannot tolerate dairy products. These instant coffee alternatives are also easy to prepare as you only need to add water.

Ryze – Best Keto Mushroom Drink

  • Keto-, paleo-, and vegan-friendly product
  • Non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free
  • With no sugar, so it’s great for diabetics
  • Made from top ingredients, including organic mushrooms, MCT oils, and organic Arabica coffee

Ryze is the best choice if you are into a keto diet. Ryze is made from adaptogenic mushrooms to give you an energizing morning cup of Joe without caffeine over-dependency. With Ryze, you’ll get focus, a more robust immune system, and a balanced body and mind.

Ryze is made from hand-picked medicinal mushrooms to ensure the best effects. Those following a ketogenic diet and those who can’t use dairy will love Ryze. Each cup is vegan, paleo-friendly, sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free.

Ingredients

  • Ryze Organic Mushroom Blend – Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Reishi, Shiitake, turkey tail, and King Trumpet
  • Organic MCT oils
  • Organic Arabica coffees

Ryze flavor is bold because it’s made from Arabica coffee. With this coffee blend, you can reap numerous medicinal mushroom benefits. You can drink this daily or two cups per day to get the maximum benefits of adaptogenic mushrooms and pure Arabica coffee. 

Read my full RYZE mushroom coffee review to learn more.

Renude Chagaccino – Best Mushroom Creamer

Highlights

  • Made from wild foraged mushrooms and organic ingredients
  • With diet-friendly formula
  • Easy to prepare and use – just add to your favorite coffee or smoothie drink
  • It has natural stress-reducing effects.

Chagaccino is added to regular coffees, smoothies, or matcha drinks to make a superfood drink. Known as the best mushroom mocha, Renude is made from wild foraged Chaga mushrooms and other ingredients like organic Peruvian cacao, Sri Lankan cinnamon, and Japanese monk fruit.

The Chagaccino creamer is made using the highest quality standards. The Chaga mushrooms are freeze-dried with no chemical preservative sprays. This creamer is vegan, gluten-free, keto-friendly, sugar-free, and contains no calories.

The best part of using Chagaccino is that it’s easy to use. Add one sachet of Chagaccino to your coffee or smoothie, and your superfood drink is ready to enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 500 mg 100% wild foraged Chaga mushrooms
  • Organic Sri Lankan Cinnamon
  • Organic Peruvian Cacao
  • Organic Japanese monk fruit

Chagaccino encourages coffee lovers to try this shroom coffee. It provides more antioxidants than a serving of carrots or blueberries. In addition, Chaga mushrooms are known to benefit the immune system and promote beauty thanks to their high antioxidant and melanin content. Chaga can also reduce stress, one of its many impressive benefits.

Rasa – Best Caffeine-Free Coffee Alternative

Highlights

  • Herbalist-formulated
  • Adaptogens for stress reduction
  • Made from stress-reducing mushrooms and herbs
  • Coffee alternative for black coffee lovers

Rasa is a herbalist-created mushroom drink made from adaptogenic mushrooms. These mushrooms reduce stress and help keep you alert mentally and physically. You’ll get the best benefits of herb extracts and mushrooms, which you won’t find in other drinks.

Rasa is a completely different brew. It is for people who want to quit coffee entirely, those who wish to drink less, and those who don’t drink coffee. So if you’re looking to try something different, Rasa may be the best for you.

Ingredients

  • Rasa’s original mushroom coffee blend has the following ingredients:
  • Roasted chicory
  • Dandelion roots
  • Burdock
  • Chaga mycelium
  • Ashwagandha
  • Rhodiola
  • Reishi extracts
  • Shatavari
  • Codonopsis
  • Ceylon cinnamon

You can try Rasa coffee without any regrets. If you don’t feel stress-free or are unsatisfied with their sample pack, you can get your money back, no questions asked. A 30-day money-back guarantee covers all Rasa mushroom coffee products.

Laird – Best Organic Mushroom Coffee

  • It contains organic functional mushrooms for improved energy
  • Easy to prepare and use
  • Made with organic coffee beans, slow-roasted to give you a bold and rich flavor
  • Available in coffee K-cups

Laird superfood coffee contains functional mushrooms in every cup. This exceptional product gives you newfound physical energy and mental clarity. It is straightforward to prepare and will take only a few minutes to brew. You can also use Laird mushroom coffee K-cup with your coffee maker.

Laird mushroom coffee is made from carefully selected mushrooms such as Chaga, cordyceps, and Lion’s Mane. These mushrooms are functional mushrooms which means they won’t make you trip. Instead, you’ll experience mental clarity, energy, and focus when you drink a cup.

Ingredients

  • Premium certified organic coffee beans – 100mg caffeine for every 10 grams of coffee grounds.
  • Chaga mushrooms
  • Lion’s Mane mushrooms
  • Cordyceps mushrooms

You might think that Laird’s mushroom coffee will taste different, but actually, it will taste like the richest brew you’ve ever tasted! This is because the coffee beans are high-altitude grown and are carefully hand-picked. The beans are also slow-roasted to create small batches for a consistent, bold, and rich flavor.

Four Sigmatic – Best Budget Mushroom Coffee

  • Mushroom coffee developed after in-depth research
  • Made from nutrient-dense, all-natural ingredients
  • Available in different varieties: Think, Defend, Chill, and many more

Four Sigmatic is mushroom coffee created from thorough research and the best natural ingredients. This budget-friendly coffee is nutrient-dense. You’ll get the benefits of the finest mushrooms, including enhanced immunity, improved energy, and a good mood.

Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee is available in wide varieties: Think, Chill, Balance, Perform, and Immune. Each of these coffees has different ingredients; for example, Think Whole Bean Coffee has Lion’s Mane and Changa, which gives you mental clarity, and Chill Decaf Coffee has Reishi and Chaga mushrooms to help you relax and stay focused.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients in Four Sigmatic coffees

  • Lion’s Mane
  • Reishi mushrooms
  • Chaga mushroom
  • Ashwagandha and Eleuthero adaptogens
  • L-Theanine
  • Cordyceps mushrooms
  • Probiotics
  • Vitamin D

Four Sigmatic mushroom coffees will let you decide which coffee works for you. Their Think variety gives you focused thinking, while their Defend helps you build your immune system with the proper nutrition and digestive support. Whatever reason you drink coffee, Four Sigmatic has the mushroom coffee for you.

What Is Mushroom Coffee?

Mushroom coffee is a kind of coffee made from ground mushrooms and prime coffee beans. The usual mushroom types used to make this coffee include Chaga, Lion’s Mane, Turkey’s tail, Reishi, and Cordyceps.

Many coffee drinkers say that mushroom coffee tastes no different from traditional coffees. But mushroom coffee has more benefits than regular coffee, such as reduced anxiety, enhanced immunity, and improved mental clarity.

Benefits

Mushroom coffee has many benefits. It’s different from regular coffee because it has lower caffeine levels. This is because the mushroom powder is free from caffeine, and as this coffee has a 1:1 ratio of coffee and mushroom powder, you’re cutting the amount of caffeine in half. Let’s look at the benefits of mushroom coffee.

It provides an immune system boost.

Medicinal mushrooms are known for preserving and improving immunity. Healthline.com specifically cited Turkey’s tail, including its fermented substrates demonstrating immune-strengthening benefits.

It helps combat stress more effectively.

Medical mushrooms can stabilize mood. For example, mushrooms like reishi mushrooms can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. In addition, taking reishi mushrooms in therapeutic amounts can balance your energy levels and improve your overall mood.

It eases inflammation

Chaga mushrooms, in particular, are known to reduce inflammation. This mushroom has high antioxidant levels that can help stop inflammation in the digestive system. As a result, Chaga mushrooms can treat gut issues like irritable bowel syndrome. Studies using rats have also shown that Chaga mushrooms can treat ulcers.

It has fewer or zero calories.

Mushroom coffees are popular among people who want to reduce weight because it contains a few or zero calories. Time.com says that medical mushrooms are light in calories, with just 15 per serving. Therefore, you can drink mushroom coffees as much as you want, even while on a diet. 

Side Effects

Consider the following mushroom coffee side effects before you consume a cup.

There are no human studies on the effects.

Despite the popularity of mushroom coffee, there are still very few studies focusing on its benefits. Most of the information we have to support mushroom coffee’s benefits and side effects is from animal studies. These are enough reasons for some people to doubt the safety of mushroom coffee on people.

Also, there is no information about the effect of medical mushrooms with medications. This is why it’s best not to take medical mushroom coffee when taking any medications.

It’s more expensive than regular coffee.

Mushroom coffees are more expensive than traditional coffee products. The price is usually double that of everyday coffee prices. This high price is because medical mushrooms are cultivated in their natural environments. These mushrooms are not grown commercially, and thus, it’s hard to find them in the wild.

How to make mushroom coffee

Mushroom coffee is available in the instant form as mushroom extracts you add to your beverage. If you’re using instant mushroom coffee, follow the instructions on the package. To use a mushroom dietary supplement, add this to your regular coffee, smoothie, matcha tea, or juice to get the best effects.

The fruiting bodies of mushrooms are harvested and turned into organic powder. This powder is free from carriers, fillers, and artificial ingredients, which can do more harm than good.

With a dual-extraction process, mushrooms are dried or dehydrated, ground in very fine powder, and then added to finely-ground coffee beans. As a result, most mushroom coffees have a one-is-to-1 ratio of dehydrated mushrooms and ground coffee. Mushroom coffee is available as ground coffee, instant packets, and coffee pods.

What mushrooms are used in mushroom coffee?

As we mentioned, medical mushrooms are the ones used for mushroom coffee. The most popular mushrooms are listed below.

Reishi (Ganoderma Lucidum)

Reishi mushrooms are known for their immune system-boosting effects. This is classified as a medicinal mushroom used to cure Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cancer, cold sores, and many more.

There are many other reasons to use reishi mushrooms, but unfortunately, there isn’t enough data to support these health claims.

Reishi mushroom is dehydrated, ground, and mixed with coffee to create creamy mushroom coffee. Processed reishi mushrooms are safe for up to a year, while powdered mushrooms can last up to 16 weeks.

Possible side effects of reishi mushrooms include dry mouth, nausea, rashes, stomach upset, and itching. In addition, you must be cautious in taking reishi mushroom coffee with medications for high blood pressure, blood clotting, and anti-diabetes drugs.

Reishi mushroom is consumed by adults in doses of 1400 to 5400 orally daily in divided doses. Extracts of this mushroom are consumed in lower amounts. Meanwhile, mushroom coffees with reishi mushrooms vary in quantities.

Lion’s Mane (Hericium Erinaceus)

Lion’s mane mushrooms are also known as Yamabushitake and Hou Tou Gu. Large, fuzzy, white mushrooms look like a lion’s mane as they grow larger. This mushroom is regarded as medicinal and culinary in countries like Korea, China, Japan, and India.

Lion’s mane mushrooms are dried, ground, and mixed with tea or coffee. Extracts of lion’s mane are also used as OTC health supplements. It is known for its many benefits like protection from dementia, relief from anxiety and depression, and treatment of digestive tract issues like ulcers.

There are reports that lion’s mane can reduce the risk of heart illnesses and manage symptoms of diabetes. Lion’s mane also has cancer-fighting effects and can help relieve inflammation and stress.

Cordyceps (Ophiocordyceps sinensis)

Cordyceps is a parasitic fungus that grows only on insect larvae. These are collected, dried, and utilized in Traditional Chinese Medicine to control fatigue, reduced libido, and various illnesses.

Studies on the benefits of cordyceps revealed that this mushroom could increase the production of adenosine triphosphate or ATP, improving energy delivery to the different muscles.

Cordyceps can improve exercise performance, reduce fatigue, increase sex drive, and improve the symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

Chaga Mushrooms (Inonotus obliquus)

Most mushroom coffees are made from Chaga mushrooms. Also known as black mass, birch canker, and cinder conk, these mushrooms may look unpleasant but are famous for their many health benefits. Chaga contains antioxidants believed to treat cancer, improve immunity, and promote overall health.

Chaga is dried and ground into fine powder to be used as teas. This mushroom is low in calories, high in fiber, and comes with very high antioxidants. Chaga is also believed to stop inflammation and reduce cholesterol and blood sugars.

Turkey Tail (Trametes Versicolor)

Turkey’s tail mushroom is so called because of its shape and striking color, which resembles a turkey’s tail. This mushroom also has high antioxidants, reducing oxidative stress effects and damage. In addition, Turkey’s tail can boost the immune system, fight certain cancers, and promote gut health.

Maitake (Grifola frondosa)

Maitake is a dancing mushroom in Japanese. It is known to have remarkable therapeutic and adaptogenic properties. Maitake can help you deal with mental and physical issues. It contains antioxidants, vitamins B and C, minerals, potassium, amino acids, and fiber.

FAQ

Can you drink too much mushroom coffee?

Although mushroom coffees have lower calories and caffeine, you should drink this in moderation. If you have kidney issues, you should skip this coffee as most have high oxalates and can increase the growth of kidney stones.

Are mushroom coffees less acidic than traditional coffee?

Instant mushroom coffees are less acidic than regular coffee as these mixes are equal parts instant coffee and mushrooms.

Is mushroom coffee good for weight loss?

Yes, mushroom coffees are lower in calories, so you can drink this even when trying to lose weight.

Does mushroom coffee make you hallucinate?

No, mushroom coffee is not made from psilocybin mushrooms that can make you hallucinate. Instead, mushrooms used in coffees are medicinal and, thus, have therapeutic properties.

Does mushroom coffee stain teeth?

Mushroom coffee contains coffee that stains teeth. Therefore, you should drink this coffee moderately.

Conclusion

These top-rated mushroom coffees are great for working dads. They can give us improved energy, relieve stress, and promote immune system health. In addition, this coffee contains fewer calories and, thus, is excellent for people who want to lose weight.

Depending on the kind of mushroom used for mushroom coffee, you can enjoy many therapeutic effects like treatment of digestive ulcers, cancer-fighting effects, and immune system health. And because mushroom coffees have low caffeine, these can be the best and healthiest alternative to regular coffees. 

Rich Ross

Rich is a divorced father of two. He holds a Master of Public Health degree in Nutrition from the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. A former chemist, Richard has been offering private coaching sessions for more than 7 years. His mission is to help people live happier, healthier lives by showing them that they have power to choose what they eat and how they feel about themselves.