HQ Tries: Mushroom Coffee & Tea

We love to weigh in on new trends—especially when they’re health and wellness based. In the last installment of HQ Tries we tested a few of the most popular oxygen face masks, in an attempt to see if the benefits and effects lived up to the hype. This time, as suggested by our POUND Posse, we’re excited to share our review on mushroom tea!

There are several different variations, and we tried three of them. Mushroom tea is passing up matcha and charcoal as the next big superfood, and this wellness trend has benefits that include reducing stress and upping your immune system. As for what the science currently says, mushrooms like chaga, reishi, lion’s mane and cordyceps are anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, gut-friendly, offer high amounts of antioxidants and support the liver in flushing out toxins.

They’ve even been said to slow the aging process, prevent and fight cancer, promote digestion and lower blood sugar. On top of all of this, mushroom tea has been said to help you feel sharper and fight brain fog as well, so our team at HQ decided to put that to the test!

1. Four Sigmatic Golden Latte Mushroom Mix with Shiitake & Tumeric

$55 (30 servings), foursigmatic.comDescribed as lightly sweet, this dairy-free Our lightly sweet and dairy-free golden latte beautifies from within thanks to the benefits of skin-loving shiitake and glow-getter tumeric.

Ingredients:

• Organic shiitake mushrooms (500mg)
• Organic Turmeric
• Organic Tulsi
• Organic Ginger
• Organic Black Pepper
• Organic Stevia
• Organic Coconut Palm Sugar
• Organic Coconut Milk Powder

HQ Review: 4/5

“I LOVE tumeric and coconut milk (which was subtle) so I thought this was super yummy. There was a hint of spice, too. I may have mixed the powder to water ratio incorrectly, because it was a tad watered down, but definitely worked and woke me up!” -Alexis

“This one is delicious! I really loved it. It has sugar in the ingredients, so that’s where it gets its sweetness (still only 30 calories), but it has a yummy turmeric/ginger flavor which I happen to love. Also has coconut milk powder and black pepper powder with the shiitake mushroom extract—super interesting! It got kind of chalky at the end, so you have to stir it again or drink it quickly. Didn’t notice any alertness or immediate benefits, but loved the taste.” -Nicole

“This was tasty! It took a second for me to get used to the flavor as someone who rarely drinks tea, but the coconut milk was a great touch. It was sweet, but not too much—definitely no need to add your own sugar/sweetener. I did find that I had to either stir it often or drink it quick since the powder kept settling, so keep a spoon nearby or just knock it back.” -Kirstie

2. Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee with Lion’s Mane & Chagna

$15 (10 servings), foursigmatic.comIf you’re not a morning person, you should give this stuff a try. Thanks to mind stimulating chaga and lion’s mane, this beverage will support productivity, focus and creativity!

Ingredients:

• 100% Arabica Coffee (2,000 mg)
• Dual-extracted Wild-crafted Siberian Chaga Mushroom(250 mg)
• Dual-extracted Lion’s Mane Mushroom (250 mg)
• Wild Rhodiola Root

HQ Review: 4/5

“As a coffee snob I was skeptical, but the taste was as described—fruity and medium with a hint of earth. The energy it gave me was steady, but not as noticeable as a regular cup of coffee. I didn’t experience any jitters or crashing which i enjoyed, and I was definitely able to focus effortlessly. I’d drink it again for sure, and suggest it for afternoon pick-me-up that won’t keep you up all night.” -Hubba

“I feel really focused! I know that’s what Chaga is supposed to do so I hope it isn’t all in my head but I’m like razor sharp all of a sudden. I swear! Don’t love the taste- but worth it. Very earthy.” -Emily

“I would recommend you drink this while it is HOT—once it is cold it definitely tastes less and less like coffee. I like to drink black coffee and I thought this tasted like a watery instant coffee! Definitely perked up my energy and served as a great afternoon pick me up. No jitters!” -Chelsea

“At first taste this was giving me bone broth vibez, but after I got acclimated with the flavors, I quite liked it! I had a bit of a headache & this cleared it up! I poured hot water directly into and stirred it up good, so there was no residual powder leftover. I definitely felt more energized & focused than before I drank it!” -Sandy

3. Maju’s Mental Mushrooms

$24.99, majusuperfoods.com With so many options on the market, Maju wanted to offer up a blend of their favorite mushrooms that was grown in the U.S. The Mental Mushrooms is a blend of the beloved Reishi, Chaga, Cordyceps and Lion’s Mane. Mixed in with coffee or tea, you can expect a boost of energy and mental performance, increased stamina and endurance, and even an enhanced immune system!

Ingredients:

• Chaga
• Cordyceps (sinesis and militaris)
• Lion’s Mane
• Reishi (ganoderma lucidum and ganoderma applanatum)

HQ Review: 3.5/5

“I didn’t LOVE the taste of this one, but it actually got rid of my headache (fairly quickly!)” -Gena

“I have just recently learned to enjoy mushrooms so at first I was a bit scared to try, but honestly it wasn’t too bad. I liked the coconut milk powder flavor but my taste buds were definitely confused. I did feel the effect of concentration but not as strong as a coffee normally does for me.” -Brooke

“I was definitely skeptical at first—mostly fearing the taste—but found that it actually had a similar taste to black coffee when added! It was a little creamier tasting than your standard cup of joe and definitely less bitter. I drank it just as I hit my mid-day slump, and gradually started to feel more awake! I could see myself replacing my standard morning cup of coffee with this!” -Lori

Already on board with the mushroom tea craze? Share your favorite blends and brands with us using the hashtag #HQTries and tagging us on Instagram. Interested in seeing us try something specific? Write to us at write in and tell us about it! Once a month we’ll be trying out whatever it is you’re curious about, and documenting our experiences, so we encourage you to keep us in the know.