Unlike most instant coffee, best mushroom coffee uses medicinal mushrooms blended with real coffee beans to create a powdered mix that can be stirred into milk and enjoyed as a beverage. Often marketed as a lower-caffeine alternative to regular coffee, these blends have also been touted for their stress-reducing and immune-boosting benefits. Those benefits are largely supported by anecdotal evidence and test-tube studies, though more research including human participants is needed.

The best mushroom coffee mixes are made from high-quality, ethically sourced ingredients, and may include other beneficial ingredients such as adaptogens, prebiotics, or healthy spices. Look for a product that is free of fillers, unnecessary flavors, and sweeteners. Some mushroom coffee brands are even organic, gluten-free, and kosher.

Mushroom Coffee: A Natural Way to Boost Energy and Focus

When choosing a brand, consider the balance between the coffee flavor and earthy, sometimes bitter taste of the medicinal mushrooms. This can vary from one product to the next, and some products use natural sweeteners or other flavorings to help mask the mushroom taste. Also, pay attention to the caffeine content. Some mushroom coffees contain a significant amount of caffeine, while others have none at all.

One registered dietitian’s top pick for the best mushroom coffee is Four Sigmatic, which combines organic shade-grown coffee beans and a mixture of functional mushrooms, including lion’s mane, cordyceps, and chaga. She loves that the company tests all of their products to ensure they are free of mycotoxins, pesticide residues, and heavy metals. She adds that the drink is delicious, and she likes that it offers more of a calm energy than regular coffee.