Mushrooms & Coffee – What You Should Know

You may have heard of brands such as Four Sigmatic that have introduced mushroom coffee blends. So what’s the deal with this new trend?

Medicinally, mushrooms are great for immune support. Mushrooms are adaptogenic which means they can be very beneficial for those with hormone imbalances, brain fog, and chronic fatigue or stress. Paring them in coffee allows you to enhance your morning cup of joe with mental clarity and counteracts some of the over-stimulated effects coffee can cause.

Benefits of some of these specific mushrooms used are as follows:

Reishi: ( Also known as Ganoderma lucidum ) is a famous medicinal mushroom that is rich in antioxidants. In Chinese cultures it is the herb of “spiritual potency,” symbolizing success, well-being, divine power, and longevity. And among cultivated mushrooms, G. lucidum is unique in that its pharmaceutical rather than nutritional value is paramount. The health benefits include control of blood glucose levels, modulation of the immune system, the ability to prevent damage to the liver, inhibition of the growth of bacteria without destruction, and more. The various beliefs regarding the health benefits are based largely on anecdotal evidence, traditional use, and cultural mores. However, recent reports provide scientific support to some of the ancient claims and health benefits.

Lion’s Mane: Contains a property called Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) which can actually help regenerate brain cells.

“Neurodegenerative disease is defined as a deterioration of the nervous system in the intellectual and cognitive capabilities. Statistics show that more than 80-90 million individuals age 65 and above in 2050 may be affected by neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Though it is difficult to extrapolate the in vitro studies to what may happen in the human brain, studies have shown that there can be improvement in cognitive abilities of the aged if this mushroom is incorporated in their daily diets.” Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26853959

Chaga: Medicinally used to boost immunity and improve overall health. According to Wiley Online Library a study in 2009 demonstrated that the hot water extract of I. obliquus (IOWE) exerts inhibitory activity against the proliferation of human colon cancer cells (HT‐29). In other words, several studies have shown Chaga to be beneficial in the prevention and slowing of cancer growth.

I personally have seen thebenefit in my mental clarity and focus from using these mushrooms in powder form from https://www.realmushrooms.com ( code ADO10 for discount).