In recent years, people have become increasingly interested in the power of mushrooms. Mushrooms have incredible healing potential, from the physical and mental therapeutic benefits they wield to the role they play in the earth's ecosystems, according to the 2019 documentary Fantastic Fungi. Many functional mushrooms are considered adaptogens, which are herbs and fungi that help your body literally adapt to the ever-evolving and often stressful world around it by increasing or decreasing the chemical reactions in your body as needed to return to homeostasis.

That said, this interest in the ways that mushrooms can benefit your body is nothing new. "Medicinal mushrooms have been used in Ayurvedic medicine and other traditions for thousands of years," explains Kimberly Snyder, a nutritionist, holistic wellness expert, MySolluna founder, and author of You Are More Than You Think You Are. "A potent kind of plant medicine, they help to support your immune system, create all-around homeostasis in your body, and help support your body with stress management."

Amid the renewed focus on the health benefits of mushrooms, mushroom coffee has emerged as a popular alternative to regular coffee. Curious if drinking mushrooms in the morning instead of your usual wake-up brew is worth the potential upside? Here, nutrition and integrative medicine experts weigh in.

What Is Mushroom Coffee?

The concept of mushroom coffee might sound a little funny to anyone who's used to only getting their java at Starbucks and consuming mushrooms via pizza topping. But a mushroom coffee alternative isn't that different from your usual caffeinated brew. Think of mushroom coffee as a regular cup of joe, but supercharged. "Mushroom coffee is essentially coffee with mushrooms — not just regular mushrooms, but medicinal, adaptogenic mushrooms that help with energy, focus, and stamina, so you get caffeine without the jitters which often impact your cortisol production," explains Bindiya Gandhi, M.D., a double board-certified integrative and family medicine physician who specializes in functional and holistic medicine. (FYI, cortisol is a hormone associated with stress.)

One thing to know is not all mushroom coffees are the same. For example, two of the most popular mushroom coffee brands, MUD/WTR and Four Sigmatic, have different sources of caffeine. The caffeine in MUD/WTR is derived from black tea leaves, whereas Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee uses Arabica coffee beans, but both have much less caffeine than regular coffee. Meanwhile, Renude’s Chagaccino mix doesn’t contain any caffeine at all, and depends solely on chaga mushrooms for a gradual boost of energy throughout the day.

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As for what mushroom coffee tastes like, it doesn't have a traditional mushroom flavor, so don't expect it to taste similar to a portobello sandwich. Most people describe mushroom coffee as "earthy," and when mushroom coffee is mixed with coffee beans, the flavor is closer to resembling actual coffee. It's also incredibly easy to brew — many simply require mixing a mushroom coffee powder with water. You can also do a pour over or brew the shrooms as you would with regular coffee.