Mushrooms, known for adding umami flavors to savory dishes, are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – and now mushrooms are even enjoying a moment in the spotlight as an ingredient of mushroom coffee – a trendy beverage purveyors say can provide more energy, better sleep, mental focus relief stress relief benefits as well as immune-boosting advantages. But does this fungi-focused brew really live up to its hype?

Mushroom Coffee is typically a blend of regular brewed coffee mixed with extracts from medicinal mushrooms like chaga, lion’s mane, reishi, cordyceps turkey tail or king trumpet for added health benefits like polyphenols and antioxidants. Depending on its brand this mixture may have either a nutty or earthy taste or may taste exactly like traditional coffee; these mushrooms may also add additional health-promoting properties by masking their natural earthy flavors as well as providing more polyphenols and antioxidants than traditional coffee alone can.

These extracts are then blended with coffee and filtered for consistency, creating a beverage typically lower in caffeine than traditional coffee brews – potentially helping reduce risk of jitters or insomnia and helping with restfulness and insomnia. Indeed, many mushroom brews contain only half as much caffeine than your average cup of joe!

Most of the health claims about mushroom coffee have not been well-studied in human trials; research that has been done tends to focus on whole mushrooms rather than mushroom coffee itself. Furthermore, drying, extraction, and brewing processes used in mushroom coffee may remove some or all of its health-enhancing qualities.

There is some evidence to support that certain mushrooms commonly found in these beverages – chaga specifically – possess immune-enhancing properties and help regulate metabolism, while studies indicate lion’s mane mushroom could enhance mental clarity and focus.

Evidence indicates that adaptogens present in mushrooms such as reishi and cordyceps (reishi and cordyceps specifically) can help the body produce less cortisol when under stress, potentially leading to reduced inflammation and strengthening immune systems. Sleep hygiene experts speculate that adding mushrooms into coffee might actually enhance quality sleep!

But before trying mushroom coffee or any other fungi-infused beverage, we strongly advise speaking to your physician first. This is especially true if you suffer from allergies or take medications. And as with any caffeinated beverage, be mindful of limiting how often and in what quantity you drink your favorite beverage–too much caffeine can strain both heart and nervous systems, leading to dehydration and digestive issues; plus some varieties contain high levels of oxalates which may increase kidney stone risk for those at higher risk.