Mushroom Coffee -- A Real Taste Test

     You can't go anywhere online today without seeing ads for one or the other brand of mushroom coffee. It's become such a thing that I decided to pay a little more attention to the advertising to see if they were going to blatantly lie about the overall effects, or if they'd stick to the truth; you know, that mushroom-infused water would suck if someone were to crush mushrooms up and make into a powder so you could make instant coffee with them.

    There are at least ten to twelve popular brands of this stuff, so you know they are either all owned by the same companies and compete against one another, still able to rake in the money on all sides, or there's something big brewing in them there woodlands!  The latter is the case, and it's really pretty good, too.

    My co-worker and I decided to experience this thing together. He bought his brand, and I bought another one because I wanted one that said it had low or no caffeine. I'm not a caffeine drinker now; I gave it up about a month ago. I gave it up because I had terrible belly aches, cramps, and even a sort of higher or noticeably higher jitter level than I had in the past. There was a time, maybe 10-12 years ago, that I could (and would) drink a 4-shot cappuccino in the morning and think nothing of it. Those days are gone!

    My co-worker bought the Yege brand of mushroom coffee, while I opted for the Pella brand, which has a lower caffeine blend. They are all powders. They are all instant coffees, which, to be honest, I was 100% against as well - call me a snob; I was one. I would not ever drink Folgers, but my co-worker loves it. I was really worried about the taste of the mushroom coffee, even if it was deemed better for me, because I can't drink bitter or nasty cheap coffee blends; I just can't, he can.

    I bought the Pella, and today was the first time to try it. I didn't want to make it after 3:00 p.m. when it arrived yesterday, so I waited.  When I opened the packet, I was really surprised by how small the scooper was. It's really small -nothing like I would have expected; I think it's less than a teaspoon, to be honest. I could maybe pack a teaspoon of powder into it, but it wouldn't all fit. It's that small. I don't mind. That means it will last longer. The package says it has 60 servings in it.

    Deciding the scoop was simply too small, I added a little more to my 8-9 oz of hot water - and used a little spinning frother thing to mix it up. His brand sent him one I think. I had one already, and it worked wonderfully.  Now, I don't drink coffee plain; I never have. I don't add sugar, but I have to add half and half, so I did. Then, the moment of truth came -- would it be good or not? 

    I lifted the cup to my nose and gave it a good sniff. I didn't detect anything mushroomy at all - it actually smelled like the Green Mountain decaf I drink, so that was good. I brought the brim of the cup to my lips and took my first sip. I let it sit there for a few seconds. I stared at the dog, who by now knew something was up - I hadn't walked over to my couch yet. She waited for me. I took another sip, and then a third, and had to admit that the Pella Mushroom coffee I was drinking was really very good tasting - it did not, did not, did not, taste like a bag of powdered fungi.

    I was simply and very assuredly blown away by it. I know I'll keep drinking it. I have every intention to do it, and every intention of giving up coffee-coffee altogether - which, in my world, is bonkers, absolutely nutters. I will, from now on, drink mushroom coffee.  Now, I will say that I will likely try to find another blend that is decaf because Pella has chaga mushrooms, and they could present an issue with my kidneys. It hasn't - but I don't want there to be any chance of it. I did more research today, and since I have had a few kidney issues in the past, I'm going to play it safe.

    And now, for the benefits of mushroom coffee!! I'll paraphrase, but you can Google it. 

• Stress and anxiety relief (almost instantly)
• Cognitive thought and focus enhancement
• Immune system support - antioxidant
• Anti-inflammatory - rich in polyphenols 
• Improved gut health - prebiotics help with digestion
• Weight management - not necessarily weight loss

    Now you know. You can Google it, use the AI function for a deeper dive, and know that at least one person likes the taste, but I bet there are millions. Also, it may help to know that I prefer teas with an earthy taste over black teas; it's a personal preference, and black tea contains caffeine.  I'm hoping that this choice has come just in time to help heal my hip joint and my knees from all the pain I've experienced in the past six months. I'll keep you posted.

    Pella, the lower caffeine blend, was $19.99 on Amazon, but my friend paid $27. I get up to 60 servings with Pella, and he gets only 30, so his is literally 2x as much as mine or more. It's something to think about. They are both ranked online as being in the top 5 best brands, which is pretty cool. Neither of us knew that when we picked our blends. We found out afterwards. This is his first time owning an electric kettle, which didn't surprise me. Americans are significantly behind in that area. I've owned it for years!

    

    Well, that's about it. I'll post once a week about the mushroom coffee and see if I've lost weight, felt better, gotten sick, or what! I think it's important that people know the truth before trying something new - and as always, if you need to, please consult your doctor before trying mushroom coffee. It couldn't hurt to get their opinion; they know you pretty good!

    

Photo Credit: Serious Eats.  (My brand and my friend's brands aren't even in the picture. There are a lot of choices!)