Mushroom Coffee Might Be Your New Morning Staple
Originally posted April 22, 2016, The Path Mag
By: Tamara Rahoumi
Everybody takes their coffee differently, whether that means drinking it black, adding some cream and sugar, or plopping in a slab of butter (we’re still not sure where we stand on bulletproof coffee, if we’re being totally honest). But even with all the variation in preference out there, it seems safe to say that we have all been more or less in agreement about putting – or rather, not putting – fungi in our java.
Until now, anyway.
Why mushroom coffee?
Mushroom coffee, while equal parts confusing and unsettling at first, is having a major moment, as more and more people are beginning to turn their attention to its many benefits, not the least of which include boosts to the immune system, antioxidants, and disease-preventing effects.
The benefits are largely a result of the coffee’s use of medicinal mushrooms, which aren’t exactly the same as the usual shiitake and portobello varieties we’re used to seeing on our plates. These mushrooms, which grow on or around trees, instead of on the ground like their culinary counterparts, include varieties like reishi, chaga, and cordyceps, each of which brings a unique set of benefits to the coffee cup it graces. For example, while the chaga mushroom helps balance out the acidity of coffee to offer a smoother taste (coffee’s flavor is supposedly unaffected otherwise by the addition of the fungi), cordyceps helps boost your natural energy, making it possible to cut down the caffeine per cup. The addition of mushrooms to the coffee also supposedly helps minimize the caffeine-induced jitters that tend to follow a strong cup o’ joe, giving you all the benefits without any of the common drawbacks.
The Transition
Assuming you’re convinced and ready to try this new coffee trend yourself, you’ll find the switch to be easier than you think, thanks to companies like Four Sigmatic that offer convenient pouches of “just add water” mushroom coffee, which saves you the trouble of figuring out 1) where to buy medicinal mushrooms, and 2) how to make mushrooms dissolve in coffee. (Hint: They won’t.) Plus, once you’re hooked on the stuff – trust us, you’ll be hooked – you can get really wild with some mushroom lemonade or hot cocoa. Because once you start putting mushrooms in one drink, you’ll apparently want mushrooms in every drink.
While some might hope, you unfortunately can’t get all of your nutrients from coffee. Find out about how you can get more energy and optimize your nutritionthrough WellPath’s customized solutions.
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