How to Brew a Cup of Mushroom Coffee

what is mushroom coffee

Mushrooms have been used as anti-stressors for centuries by the Chinese and Ayurvedic healing traditions. It has been eaten as part of meals, used as supplements, and most recently, it is now used to brew coffee and teas.

Who would have thought that the world would embrace mushrooms this quickly? Up to the point of now drinking it.

Ten years ago, mushrooms were thought to be harmful substances and were prohibited in major parts of the western world except for research purposes.

Now, adaptogenic mushrooms like Chaga, reishi, and cordyceps are added when brewing coffee. By doing this you get all the medicinal benefits offered by mushrooms, and some of the stimulating effects of the caffeine are subdued/counteracted.

Why Mushroom Coffee?

Regular coffee is widely consumed all over the world. It has numerous effects on the body. When consumed, the caffeine compounds present in coffee alter the body's metabolism. It is capable of manipulating the chemistry of the brain, it demineralizes the body, accelerates the workings of the nervous system while affecting the pH balance of the body.

Coffee is capable of stimulating the liver detoxification process in the body, and most times cause insomnia due to having a half-life while in the body.

Despite these downsides, coffee has its benefits. Some of these include energy enhancement, mood upliftment, brain function improvement, dopamine enhancement, and the stimulation of neurons.

The concept of mushroom coffee is relatively new.

Medicinal Mushrooms have been proven to increase the overall health condition of the human body. It boosts the vitality, longevity, and immunity of the body.

People adding mushrooms to their coffee are doing it to get an edge from the caffeine as well as feel the amazing and uplifting benefits of medicinal mushrooms. Their focus and energy levels are significantly increased when the coffee is taken. Not to mention the mental clarity and its boosted performance levels that occur while the coffee and mushroom materials are still in the body.

Beta-d glucans are very little molecules that are present in the cell wall of the mushroom fruiting body. However, they are normally locked up and need to be extracted by using hot water. They are water-soluble molecules.

When these compounds are brewed with the coffee, it unlocked the beta-d Vulcans present, thereby making these molecules bio-available.

Another amazing feature is that mushrooms have varying beta-d glucan types. Each mushroom species has a uniquely shaped beta-d glucan that has unique effects on the body's system.

The best mushroom to add to your coffee

This depends on what the consumer wants. What your body system can tolerate also matters. One medicinal benefit cuts across all the popular mushroom species, this is their capacity to promote the immunity of the human body.

So if you're looking to boost your body's immunity, you can add a blend of mushrooms to your coffee. The immune system is the foundation for the overall health of the body. Therefore, with enough mushroom coffee, you'd feel good with a properly functioning immune system. Provided other factors are also considered.

Some mushrooms and their unique benefits are;

Lion's mane: For focus and mental clarity
Chaga: For relaxation
Reishi: For relaxation
Cordyceps: For increased energy and endurance
A blend of all: Immune support

What matters when adding mushrooms to your coffee

Well, this might sound funny but you could unknowingly add grain starch, brown rice, or some other fillers in place of mushrooms when brewing your tea.

You have to make sure that what you're adding is a ground mushroom.

Purchasing mushrooms from the right sources will go a long way to ascertain that the extracts are made from 'whole mushroom fruiting bodies. That is that the extract was gotten from a mushroom that was grown, harvested, extracted, and dried into a fine powder.

The extracts used should also contain fungal beta-d glucans.

Time to brew

Here are some easy DIY MUSHROOM COFFEE RECIPES. Note that the mushroom coffee has to be served immediately.

Basic Mushroom Coffee

Ingredients:

fresh-brewed coffee
Your favorite medicinal mushroom extract powder

Direction: Mix extract into coffee thoroughly until it is well combined. Using a mushroom mixer will give you better results.

Improved Mushroom Coffee

Ingredients:

Freshly brewed coffee (10 oz)
Coconut oil (1 Tbsp)
Ghee (1 tbsp)
Medicinal mushroom extract (½-1 tbsp)
Maple sugar (optional)
Coconut sugar (optional)
Ceylon cinnamon (¼ tbsp)
Sea salt (⅛ tbsp)

Direction: Put all the available ingredients into a blender. Blend the ingredients till they are smooth and frothy.

Mushroom Coffee Mocha

Ingredients:

Dairy-free milk (5 oz)
Cacao powder (1 tbsp)
Brewed coffee (5 oz)
Ceylon cinnamon (¼ tbsp)
Coconut sugar (optional for taste)
Maple syrup (optional )
Mushroom extract (½ tbsp)
Coconut oil (1 tbsp)

Direction: Pour ingredients into a blender. Blend all ingredients until it's creamy and foamy.

Mushroom Latte

Ingredients:

Fresh brewed strong coffee (2 oz)
Dairy-free milk (8 oz)
Coconut oil (1 tbsp)
Mushroom blend (½ tbsp)
Sweetener (maple syrup or coconut sugar)

Direction: Add all ingredients into a blender and whisk until it's creamy and frothy.

Dosage

You may wonder just how effective the asses quantities of mushroom extracts are. Most recipes recommended that 1-2 grams of mushrooms should be added to a cup of coffee.

This quantity will achieve the expected outcomes of counteracting the caffeine and still producing most of the beneficial effects of the mushroom extracts.

It is advisable to enquire from your medical doctor if you have a specific condition that may be adversely affected by these mushrooms. Your doctor will be able to prescribe an appropriate dose for your ailment.

You can purchase dried mushroom coffee

These can be found as instant coffee packets, coffee pods, ground coffee blends.

To achieve this, the medicinal mushrooms are dehydrated and blended into a fine powder. The powder is mixed with ground coffee beans to produce mushroom coffee.

The packets have the dosage written clearly on their packaging.

You just have to follow the directions used to make regular coffee to make your delicious mushroom mochas, black coffee, and lattes.

Enjoy!