Coffee is the third most consumed beverage worldwide after water and tea, respectively. Coffee has many varieties such as black, latte, espresso, cappuccino, americano, dappio etc. Some combos make great tastes like cinnamon, turmeric, spiced orange mocha and mushroom coffee. We will talk about mushroom coffee in this article.
For a start, we will discuss its recipe, origin, and health benefits. Many people have health benefits related to mushroom coffee. We will try to answer the most common questions about mushroom coffee: “Is it safe during pregnancy?” and “Does it break a fast?”
Why Is It Gaining Popularity?
There are some legitimate reasons why mushroom coffee is gaining popularity among coffee enthusiasts. This coffee reduces caffeine content, boosts the immune system, and improves sleep. Due to less caffeine content, it doesn’t stimulate the nervous system too much, which is why it helps for a good sleep. Let’s explore more about mushroom coffee.
What Is Mushroom Coffee?
Mushroom coffee is just a traditional coffee with mushroom extract. It typically contains adaptogenic mushrooms such as lion’s Mane, cordyceps, chaga, and reishi. This composition helps to relieve stress because it has less caffeine content. Medical mushroom extract has some common advantages, such as improving focus and digestion, and benefiting emotional stability.
Types of Mushrooms
Coffee and mushrooms combined make the best mushroom coffee to benefit human health in various ways. There are some famous types of mushrooms which can be combined with cordyceps (cordyceps militaris), chaga (inonotus obliquus), lion’s Mane (hericium erinaceus), and reishi (ganoderma lucidum). We will briefly describe all these types of mushrooms for your information.
Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris)
Cordyceps militaris is a species of fungus in the Cordyceps family. Sometimes, it is called a mushroom. Cordyceps supplements are also made in the lab. But the cordyceps made in the labs are not that beneficial compared to natural cordyceps militaris. Cordyceps stimulates the immune system to improve the human body’s immunity.
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)
Chaga, sometimes called tinnitus obliquus, is a fungus that grows on birch trees around the northern hemisphere. It is also an antioxidant, like coffee. The combination of coffee and chaga mushrooms has health benefits. This combo may help to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)
Lion’s Mane, also known as Hericium erinaceus or hou tou gu (猴头菇). These mushrooms can be found in Asian countries like Japan, Korea, and China. Inflammation is a possible reason for anxiety and depression. According to Animal and lab studies, Lion’s Mane has anti-inflammatory effects that help to reduce depression and anxiety by relaxing the nervous system.
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
Reishi or mostly known as Ganoderma lucidum is also a type of polypore fungus that originated in East Asia. The scientific name of Reishi is Ganoderma lingzhi and it belongs to Ganoderma genesis. This type of mushroom has been used for a long time in Japan and China.
According to Ancient Chinese texts, healers believed that Reishi or G. lucidum (Língzhī, 灵芝 ) mushroom has anti-aging components. G. lucidum also has the potential to boost the immune system against cancer. According to Tomasi et al. (2004), G. lucidum is the most effective component that fights cancer cells.
Since we have discussed the anatomy of mushroom coffee, including some famous types of mushrooms, let’s get to the answers to those questions we mentioned earlier: “Can you drink mushroom coffee while pregnant?” and “Will mushroom coffee break fast?”.
Can You Drink Mushroom Coffee While Pregnant?
Lion’s Mane or hou tou gu (猴头菇) contains two important bioactive components, hericenones and erinacines. These compounds have neuroprotective effects that help to improve nerve growth and maintenance in the human body. According to MDPI, Lion’s Mane mushroom coffee has Polysaccharides which has anti-cancer properties.
Mushroom Coffee Ingredients
Mushroom coffee typically has the following ingredients: caffeine and medicinal mushrooms. There are some beneficial components in mushroom coffee, such as antioxidants, folate, iron, and vitamin D. It helps to improve the immune system and reduces caffeine intake. Along with these beneficial components, there are still some risks associated with drinking mushroom coffee during pregnancy.
It is recommended not to drink mushroom coffee during pregnancy. Because we have very little scientific evidence on the safety of consuming mushroom coffee during this period. You might face the following side effects of mushrooms:
- Allergic Reactions In Sensitive Individuals
- Dizziness (Rare)
- Dry Mouth
- Gastrointestinal Discomfort
- Mild Nausea
- Mild Stomach Upset
It is important keep in mind that you must consult your healthcare provider before consuming mushroom coffee. It is recommended to not to drink mushroom coffee during the pregnancy without consulting your healthcare provider.
Will Mushroom Coffee Break a Fast?
Fasting is a starting trend for maintaining a healthy diet plan. There are different types of famous fasting worldwide. We are not talking about the religious fast. During the fast, for example in water fast, a person must not consume any food or drink other than water. Sugar, protein, insulin, some kind of calories, maltodextrin. pectin and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAS) can likely break your fast.
If your mushroom coffee has sugars, adaptogen, or creamers, it might break your fast. High fructose diets, artificial sweeteners and certain processed foods can trigger insulin which breaks fast. If your mushroom coffee contains any of the above components, it will not break your fast.
Final Thoughts
We have discussed all about mushroom coffee including coffee, types of mushroom and the benefits of this combo. The major questions about this coffee are: can you drink mushroom coffee while pregnant? And “will mushroom coffee break fast?”. It is always recommended to consult your nutritionist or doctor before consuming mushroom coffee.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
Can I drink mushroom coffee while breastfeeding?
It is not recommended to drink mushroom coffee while breastfeeding because adaptogenic herbs, caffeine, and allergic reactions can be a problem for the baby.
Does mushroom coffee have caffeine?
Yes, mushroom coffee has caffeine, but there is a small quantity of caffeine in mushroom coffee.
Which brands of mushroom coffee are safest?
There are a lot of brands of coffee available in the market but there are two famous and safest mushroom coffee: Best Mushroom Coffee Mud Wtr Rest and Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee.
