Mushrooms, revered for their umami flavor and multitude of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, are an integral component of a healthy diet. But until recently, most people hadn’t considered incorporating mushrooms into their morning cup of coffee. Now mushroom-infused beverages have taken off like wildfire. Proponents claim it boosts energy, improves focus, helps sleep better and acts as an anti-inflammatory while strengthening your immune system – but what exactly goes into making one of these mushroom-laced beverages and if it truly worth all this hype?

Mushroom coffee is similar to regular joe, but with roughly half the caffeine. Typically it involves mixing coffee beans with dried and extracted mushrooms such as chaga, cordyceps, reishi, turkey tail, lion’s mane or king trumpet for maximum benefit while simultaneously enjoying your daily cup.

Mushroom coffee contains functional mushrooms, or “functional mycelia,” that have long been prized for their abilities to support immune function, reduce inflammation, and lower blood pressure. You can either consume them whole or grind into powder before mixing with coffee grounds to form mushroom coffee – with fiber and B vitamin benefits helping the body metabolize fat into energy more easily than before!

Coffee contains roughly half the caffeine of this mushroom beverage, meaning you won’t wake up feeling wired. Plus, mushrooms contain adaptogens which help your body produce less cortisol during times of stress, helping ease anxiety symptoms as well as symptoms associated with depression, hypoglycemia fatigue and trauma.

Mushrooms are an abundant source of antioxidants, providing vital protection to both cells and a healthy immune system. Particular strains like lion’s mane and reishi may help prevent cancer while turkey tail may help treat existing cases. Chaga mushroom may even reduce heart disease risk factors like high cholesterol.

Take note: health claims made about mushroom coffee are often based on anecdotes or preliminary research; more human studies need to be completed to properly verify its effects and the combination of mushrooms with coffee. It’s essential that consumers know what they’re consuming, especially if they already have preexisting conditions or take medications, before making decisions based on this evidence.

One potential drawback of mushroom coffee is that the chaga mushrooms used are high in oxalates, increasing your risk for kidney stones if you already have kidney or digestive issues. Furthermore, most store-bought varieties cost two or more times as much than regular coffee; therefore, for many it might not be worth paying extra to experience something new.