What is Mushroom Coffee & Why You Should Try it

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As a coffee lover, hearing about adding mushrooms to your delicious coffee might sound insane. Yet mushroom coffee has many health benefits.  

Surprisingly enough, mushroom coffee does not taste like mushrooms at all. This means that you will get to experience all the fantastic benefits of regular coffee and mushrooms combined into one but without mushrooms' actual taste. This is excellent news for those who aren't a big fan of mushrooms but love coffee and those who love coffee but are super sensitive to caffeine.

Either way, it will be almost impossible for you not to fall in love with the taste and the benefits that mushroom coffee will add to your life.

"Consuming mushrooms regularly has been associated with decreased risk of breast, stomach and colorectal cancers. " -Joel Fuhrman

What is Mushroom Coffee?

Mushroom coffee is not entirely made from mushrooms, which could be the first misleading impression when you first hear about it. Instead, mushroom coffee is a blend of coffee beans with powdered mushrooms. Although mushroom coffee is a relatively new thing, the benefits that mushrooms bring to our life isn't.

In fact, mushrooms have been used for over 2,000 years by ancient Chinese traditional medicine. Yet it was actually in Finland during the world war two, where mushroom coffee originated from. This happened due to the lack of sources to make traditional coffee; because they needed to rely on the available sources, mushrooms replaced regular coffee beans. They may not have known back then about the benefits that the new beverage would turn out to bring, but they actually created a powerful drink that boosts our health and gives us the same pleasure as regular coffee.

Coffee is one of the most consumed drinks worldwide, yet some health concerns prevent some people who are more sensitive to caffeine from enjoying it. Mushroom coffee is possibly the perfect solution for people who love coffee but may not be able to drink it frequently. This is because the mushroom will decrease the caffeine amount while boosting the already existent antioxidants that regular coffee possesses. Mushrooms will help to boost your immune system. You no longer need to worry about some of the typical coffee adverse effects if you've happened to experience a previous bad reaction to it in the past.

 

Is the taste of mushroom coffee different from regular coffee?

As a coffee lover, this is probably the first thing that will prevent you from trying mushroom coffee. The possibility of changing the taste of your favorite drink can be frightening, yet you should really give mushroom coffee a go because the taste will surprise you. Regular coffee contains natural acids; this is one reason why people who tend to suffer from upset stomachs or heartburn avoid drinking coffee. But when powdered mushrooms are blended in with coffee beans, it will successfully overpower the coffee's acid, making it smoother and more gentle to your stomach.

Mushroom coffee does not taste anything like the mushrooms that we usually consume in our food. The types of mushrooms used in coffee are different from those we tend to include in our diet; in fact, their taste is more subtle than the mushrooms that we eat, making it impossible to recognize their taste in the coffee. When you drink mushroom coffee,, you will instantly notice a sweeter and smoother taste than the usual coffee taste.

"Reishi, lions mane, chaga and cordyceps mushrooms contain powerful properties" -Dr. Mark Hyman

Different types of mushroom coffee

There are a few different types of mushroom coffee. However, the three most common types of mushrooms used for coffee are Reishi, Chaga, and Lion's Mane mushrooms.

Reishi Mushroom Coffee

The Reishi mushroom, also known as Ganoderma Lucidum and lingzhi, is a mushroom that grows in several hot and humid areas in Asia. For many years this type of mushrooms has been used as a medicine. They are also used on supplements. There are many benefits when consuming reishi mushroom coffee, some of which include:

  • Boosts immune system

Reishi mushrooms can impact our white blood cells, giving our immune system a huge boost. Reishi mushrooms can manipulate or increase our cells, accelerating the healing and overall protection in our bodies. However, researchers are just beginning, so more information will be needed to understand the full capacity of what the reishi mushrooms can bring to our well-being.

  • Potentially fights cancer cells

There has been some research done on cancer patients that have consumed reishi mushrooms. In fact, research has shown that a particular molecule in the reishi mushroom could increase a type of white blood cell known as 'natural killer cells.' There has also been a study that concluded that in 4,000 patients that beat cancer, 59% were consuming reishi mushroom. Another research also concluded that this type of mushroom could be responsible for cancer cells' death, making the reishi mushroom a powerful ally for cancer patients

  • Could reduce depression and fatigue

Reishi mushroom can also improve fatigue and decrease symptoms of depression. The research revealed that people affected with neurasthenia, a condition associated with aches, pains, dizziness, headaches, and irritability and consumed reishi mushrooms, saw their symptoms improved after just eight weeks.

More research is needed to explore the full ability of reishi mushroom's benefits towards other health conditions. However, there are claims that reishi mushrooms can potentially help with weight loss and even boost our cardiovascular health.

 

Chaga Mushroom Coffee

Chaga mushrooms are also a great source of antioxidants. This type of mushroom has been used for centuries in Siberia and some parts of Asia as a medicine and a booster for the immune system. It is also common to see people consuming Chaga mushroom as a tea. Chaga mushrooms usually grow on the bark of birch trees in cold climates. Places like Northern Europe, Siberia, Russia, Korea, Northern Canada, and Alaska are most likely to have the perfect environment for these mushrooms' growth. Many consumed Chaga mushrooms as tea or supplements. The benefits of drinking Chaga mushroom coffee include:

  • Boosting of the immune system

Chaga mushroom helps to promote the formation of beneficial proteins that help to regulate our immune system. This will support our system to be faster at fighting infections, for example.

  • Fights inflammation

While Chaga mushrooms boost our immune system and support it in battling harmful threats to our body, Chaga mushrooms also prevent the production of harmful proteins that trigger inflammation.

  • Can prevent and fight cancer

In tube test studies, researchers have been witnessing the impact that Chaga mushrooms have on mice, and the results have been impressive. As for humans, studies have shown that this type of mushroom can slow down the growth of various kinds of cancer. More research is needed, of course, but the preliminary results are already mind-blowing.

Although Chaga mushroom has not shown any significant health concerns, it is advised for people who have diabetes and are currently on insulin to avoid Chaga mushrooms due to its potentially negative impact on blood sugar levels. Human studies haven't yet been completed, but mice's results have shown that Chaga mushrooms reduce sugar levels in the blood and insulin resistance.

 

Lion's Mane Mushroom Coffee

Lion's mane mushrooms are widely used as food sources and medicine in some areas in Asia. Countries like China, Korea, Japan, and India consume these delicious mushrooms in many ways, such as raw, dried, cooked, tea, and supplements. The lion's mane mushrooms can pose amazing beneficial effects in our brain, heart, and gut. Some of the health benefits of consuming lion's mane mushrooms include:

  • Protection against dementia

With age, the brain tends to retrieve its capability to grow and form new connections. Studies have shown that the lion's mane mushrooms contain two components that stimulate brain cells' growth. Another study revealed that adults who took 3 grams of lion's mane mushroom daily increased their mental functions; however, the results only lasted when individuals were consuming the mushrooms regularly.

  • Relieves symptoms of anxiety and depression

It's known that up to one-third of the population has encountered anxiety or depression at some point in their lives. Chronic inflammation could be a factor in the increase in anxiety and depression. Studies on mice have concluded that lion's mane mushrooms contain anti-inflammatory effects that can decrease anxiety and depression symptoms. Another study also concluded that it is possible that a lion's mane mushroom can potentially regenerate brain cells and improve a part of the brain that is responsible for emotional responses.

  • Boosts the recovery time of the nervous system

Trauma and injuries that affect the brain and spinal cord are devastating and can have a massive impact on people's lives. These injuries can lead to paralysis and impose a long recovery process. Lion's mane mushroom has shown that it can stimulate the growth and repair of nerve cells that will promote faster healing from those types of injuries.

Studies on animals have shown that the lion's mane mushrooms can reduce the risk of heart diseases and better manage diabetes. On human research, it has been concluded that those types of mushrooms can also potentially fight cancer. 

 

How much mushroom coffee can you consume, and who should avoid it?

It is always recommended that you follow the instructions on the package. If you suffer from any health conditions or taking any medications, you should always consult with your doctor before starting to consume mushroom coffee, only because some types of mushrooms can impact some types of medicines such as insulin, for example.

"Mushrooms have many helpful nutrients, including beta glucans for immune enhancement, ergothioneines for antioxidative potentiation, nerve growth stimulators for helping brain function, and antimicrobial compounds for limiting viruses. " -Paul Stamets

 

Regular coffee is loved and enjoyed by a lot of people around the world. Many of which cannot imagine a morning without their delicious cup of goodness. Mushroom coffee can give you the same or perhaps even better benefits as regular coffee does, so you don't need to be afraid to try it. And even though the sound of a mushroom in your precious coffee may not sound very appealing, the truth is that it tastes delicious.

The benefits are endless, which is why you should not wait to try it out and see for yourself how good it tastes and how great it will make you feel. What are you waiting for to join the many that have already fallen in love with the powerful benefits of mushrooms?

 

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