One coffee trend, looked at honestly: what it is, how it tastes, and whether it’s worth your money. A new one every Tuesday.
All trends →Mushroom coffee has moved from health-store shelves onto café menus. Here’s what it is, how it tastes, and how much of the hype the research actually supports.
A few months ago I wrote about proffee, coffee with protein added. That turned out to be one half of a bigger 2026 story: people want their coffee to do something beyond waking them up. The other half of that story is mushroom coffee, and it has become one of the most talked-about drinks of the year. I spent three weeks drinking it myself. Here’s what I found.
What’s actually in it
Mushroom coffee is regular coffee blended with dried, powdered extracts of so-called functional mushrooms. And no, the name doesn’t mean button mushrooms in your latte. The usual ones are lion’s mane (sold for focus), reishi (for calm), cordyceps (for stamina) and chaga (for immunity). They’ve been used in traditional medicine across East Asia for a long time.
Because part of each scoop is mushroom powder rather than coffee, most blends carry less caffeine per cup than a normal coffee. For some people, that’s the real appeal.
My own three-week test
Let me be upfront: I am not someone who chases wellness trends. I didn’t do the celery juice thing. I watched the oat milk wars from a safe distance, with my regular cup of South Indian filter coffee, and felt very calm about all of it. The one I tried was a Lion’s Mane and Chaga blend with organic Arabica as the coffee base.
What I expected: a cup that tasted like damp forest floor and made me feel vaguely spiritual. I expected to be polite about it, write a fair post, and quietly go back to my regular coffee by Tuesday.
How it tasted: this is where I have to admit I was wrong. It tastes like coffee. It’s earthy, a little deeper than a regular medium roast, with a mild nuttiness in the background, but unmistakably coffee. If someone handed it to you without a label, you’d drink it, think “that’s a nice, slightly unusual cup”, and carry on with your morning.
The jitters were gone. My regular morning coffee, strong South Indian filter, two cups, often gives me a slight edge of restlessness around 10am. That didn’t happen. Whether that’s the lower caffeine, the Lion’s Mane, or the placebo effect of expecting a calmer cup, I can’t tell you.
The afternoon crash was milder. On the days I had mushroom coffee, I didn’t hit the 3pm wall as hard.
The focus claim is harder to confirm. I didn’t feel foggy, and I wrote more easily on those mornings. Whether Lion’s Mane deserves the credit or I just had good writing days, I’ll leave you to decide.
What the evidence says
Most of the research on these mushrooms comes from lab and animal studies. Human studies exist, particularly for lion’s mane and memory or focus, but they’re small and short, and the results are mixed. There’s very little research on mushroom coffee as a finished product, at the doses you get in one cup.
So the honest summary is: interesting, possibly helpful, not proven. If a package promises sharper thinking or a stronger immune system, treat that as marketing until better studies come along. If you feel calmer drinking it, the simplest explanation might be the obvious one: less caffeine.
Who should check first
Concentrated mushroom extracts aren’t the same as a mushroom on your plate. If you take regular medication, especially for blood sugar or blood thinning, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have kidney issues, talk to your doctor before making it a daily habit. Chaga in particular is high in oxalates.
Would I keep drinking it?
Yes, but not instead of my regular filter coffee. Alongside it. My morning kaapi is non-negotiable. But mushroom coffee has earned a place in my week, particularly on mornings when I need to sit down and think clearly for a few hours. It isn’t magic, and it isn’t a replacement. It’s a different kind of cup for a different kind of morning.
The taste: better than I expected.
The jitters: noticeably fewer.
The focus claims: possible, but I’m not ready to swear to them.
Would I recommend trying it: yes, with honest expectations.
Would I give up my filter coffee for it: absolutely not.
Keep reading
Your turn
Have you tried mushroom coffee? Did you notice a difference, or was it just a slightly earthier cup?
honest answers welcome, and tell me which blend
Tell me in the comments →This is general information and one person’s experience, not medical advice. If you’re pregnant, take medication or have a health condition, check with your doctor before trying mushroom supplements.
