Mushroom coffee is coffee blended with extracts or powders from mushrooms such as reishi, chaga, lion’s mane and cordyceps. Cleveland Clinic and Harvard Health both say the health claims are not backed by research on mushroom coffee itself. The practical risks are digestive upset, chaga’s oxalates, allergies and medicine interactions. What you actually get depends on the label, especially caffeine and how much of each mushroom is disclosed.
Disclosure: this site and Pilly Labs are under common ownership.
What is mushroom coffee, exactly?
Cleveland Clinic describes the most common form as regular coffee grounds with mushroom extracts blended in. The mushrooms are dried and put through an extraction process, and the extract is then mixed into the coffee. You can also find mushroom lattes, instant packets and pods. The mushrooms it names as most popular are reishi, chaga, lion’s mane and cordyceps.
Harvard Health adds king trumpet and turkey tail to the list. It says the mushrooms are barely noticeable once processed, and most people describe a “nutty” or “earthy” taste or notice no flavor at all.
The term is looser than it sounds. Innerbody says that “mushroom coffee” now also covers mushrooms added to hot chocolate, tea or matcha, and mix-ins with no base drink. Its guide notes that its own picks use coffee, chicory coffee or rooibos tea as the base. Some products contain no coffee at all, so check the base before you assume caffeine content.
If you want the head-to-head view against a plain cup, see our mushroom coffee vs regular coffee comparison.
Is mushroom coffee healthy?
Nobody can say yet that it is healthier than regular coffee. Here is what the independent sources say:
- Cleveland Clinic dietitian Beth Czerwony says the hype rests on an untested assumption that mushrooms’ benefits survive processing and brewing with coffee. She adds, “There’s really nothing wrong with mushroom coffee as long as you’re not adding in a ton of sugar or creamer.”
- Harvard Health says there is very little research on medicinal mushrooms in humans. Test-tube and animal findings may not carry over. It also says none of the research it cites was done on mushroom coffee.
- Both publishers point to whole mushrooms as the better-supported way to eat mushrooms. Harvard mentions shiitakes, and Cleveland Clinic says you get the fiber too.
So “healthy” depends on what else is in the cup (sugar, creamers, other botanicals), how you react to it, and your own health situation. A clinician or dietitian is the right person for that last part.
What are the claimed benefits, and what does the research show?
Cleveland Clinic lists the common claims: better sleep, less stress, less inflammation, a stronger immune system, better memory, more energy and relaxed muscles. It says there isn’t much research suggesting these claims hold true for mushroom coffee. Here is how the claims line up with ingredient research:
| Mushroom | Common claim | What the research summaries say |
|---|---|---|
| Lion’s mane | Focus, memory | A small 2025 acute study of 18 adults, using 3 g of a 10:1 fruiting body extract, found no significant overall cognition or mood effect and an isolated task signal (PubMed 40276537). Human research is still emerging. |
| Cordyceps | Energy, exercise | Some exercise endpoints have been studied, and findings vary across products, populations and outcomes. Studies used different species, preparations and doses. |
| Reishi | Calm, sleep, immunity | Human evidence is mixed and specific to the condition studied. Broad retail outcomes are not established. |
| Chaga | Antioxidant, immune | Mostly preclinical research. Case reports describe a potential high-oxalate kidney risk in heavy use (PubMed 29484963). |
Ingredient research is not proof that a finished coffee works. The study forms, doses and populations rarely match what is in a cup.
Does mushroom coffee help with cortisol?
The sources used here do not include a study showing that any mushroom coffee changes cortisol. The claim does appear in marketing and in expert comments. In a Glamour article, an integrative health coach says mushroom coffee won’t give an “unhealthy cortisol spike” and explains this through the cortisol–melatonin relationship. Innerbody says adaptogens may influence the HPA axis so that it stops releasing excess stress hormones such as cortisol. It also says most research on these mushrooms comes from animals, cells or very small groups of people.
Treat it as an unproven idea. If stress or sleep is the real problem, a clinician is the person to ask.
Will mushroom coffee reduce belly fat? What drink burns the most?
Harvard Health says some brands claim mushroom coffee helps weight loss by boosting metabolism and promoting fat burning, but it points to a lack of human research. Glamour’s article says it should not be treated as a weight-loss treatment and that research is still needed. A dietitian quoted there says certain mushrooms may support metabolism, gut health and blood sugar regulation, which could help overall weight management alongside a healthy diet and lifestyle.
The sources used here do not name any drink that burns the most belly fat, and none shows that a drink targets belly fat. Cleveland Clinic’s library says there is no evidence that green coffee bean extract helps with weight loss. For a plan that fits your body and medical history, ask a clinician or registered dietitian.
What are the downsides and side effects?
| Issue | What the source says |
|---|---|
| Cost | Cleveland Clinic says it costs about double the average coffee. |
| Digestive trouble | Cleveland Clinic says mushrooms can sometimes cause digestive issues, especially for people with kidney issues or trouble with grains. |
| Kidney stones | Cleveland Clinic says chaga is high in oxalates and is known to increase kidney stones. |
| Nausea, headaches | Glamour’s article says increased consumption can cause nausea and headaches. It advises starting small. |
| Caffeine withdrawal | Glamour says regular coffee drinkers who cut their intake might experience caffeine withdrawal. |
| Allergy, autoimmune conditions, medicines | A dietitian in Glamour’s article says people with mushroom allergies, autoimmune conditions, or who take blood thinners or immunosuppressants should talk to a health care provider first. She says the same for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. |
| Drug effects of reishi | Innerbody says reishi can interact with antidiabetic drugs, antihypertensive drugs and blood thinners. |
| Other ingredients | Innerbody notes some products add ashwagandha, which it says may cause miscarriage, so it advises avoiding those products in pregnancy. Read the whole ingredient list, not just the mushroom names. |
For more detail, read our guide to mushroom coffee drug interactions, allergies and caution groups. Pilly Labs’ legal page also points readers with adverse reactions to the FDA at www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov or 1-800-FDA-1088.
Why do I feel weird after drinking mushroom coffee?
This page can’t diagnose what you felt. The sources point to a few things worth checking:
- Caffeine. Mushroom coffee usually has caffeine, and amounts vary. One practitioner in Glamour’s article puts it at 50 to 100 milligrams depending on brand or brew. Sensitivity differs from person to person, and the FDA’s caffeine guidance is a good place to read about limits.
- Switching drinks. If you cut your regular coffee to try it, caffeine withdrawal is possible (Glamour).
- Digestion and dose. Cleveland Clinic notes mushrooms can cause digestive issues. Czerwony suggests trying one type of mushroom powder at a time and tracking any symptoms.
- Other ingredients. Some blends add botanicals or sweeteners, so reactions may not come from the mushrooms.
If symptoms are strong, keep happening, or you take medication, a clinician is the right person to ask.
What does the Mayo Clinic say about mushroom coffee?
The sources used here do not include a Mayo Clinic page on mushroom coffee. The two major medical-center views available here are Cleveland Clinic’s and Harvard Health’s, summarized above. To see whether Mayo Clinic has published anything, check its website directly.
What is in RYZE Mushroom Coffee, and how do I reach RYZE customer service?
RYZE’s own label is not among the sources used here, so the following comes from Innerbody’s review. Innerbody lists RYZE’s mushrooms as cordyceps, reishi, king trumpet, shiitake, lion’s mane and turkey tail. Its guide lists MCT oil as another ingredient and says RYZE is certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers. Innerbody says RYZE and a couple of other picks provide around 2 g of various mushrooms per serving. It describes RYZE’s mushrooms as “full-spectrum,” meaning the mushrooms complete their life cycle before harvest. That is the review’s description, not a verified label fact. Check the current bag or website for amounts, caffeine and allergens.
A customer service phone number for RYZE is not in the sources used here. Innerbody reports that RYZE’s support replied to its message in about three hours, so the company has a message channel. The safest route is the contact page on RYZE’s own website or the confirmation email from your order. Be wary of numbers on third-party ad pages.
What do TerraSoul Mushroom Coffee reviews say?
The TerraSoul product page used here carries a customer-review widget, but no review text is included in the material available. So this page can’t report what buyers say. You can read the reviews on the TerraSoul product page.
TerraSoul’s page lists a regular price of $14.99 as of October 1, 2026, which can change. Its listed ingredients are organic freeze-dried Arabica coffee plus organic dual extracts of reishi, lion’s mane, chaga and cordyceps. The page text used here does not show an amount for each mushroom. TerraSoul says its coffee is Fairtrade and high-altitude grown. It makes claims such as that lion’s mane “can give you a mental pick-me-up” and that reishi and chaga extracts “may reduce fatigue and inflammation and boost immunity.” Those are the seller’s statements. The page also carries a California Proposition 65 acrylamide notice, which it says results naturally from roasting.
How do I read a mushroom coffee label?
Compare labels on the same few facts. Our mushroom coffee label worksheet walks through them.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | Amounts differ by brand, and some products have none. Sellers do not always state it. |
| Amount per mushroom, or a combined blend | A blend can name species without giving each amount. Compare against the research-style amounts only when each one is listed. |
| Fruiting body, mycelium or whole mushroom | Innerbody says studies show each part can have its own advantages and disadvantages. It prefers whole-mushroom products, which is its editorial view. |
| Extract or powder | A powder ratio (such as 5% of a bag) is not the same as a labeled extract amount. |
| Other ingredients | Look for sweeteners, MCT oil, botanicals such as ashwagandha, and allergens. |
| Testing documents | Innerbody required third-party heavy-metal testing for its picks. A claim is only useful if the seller names what was tested. |
Here is how a few listings compare, based on the sources used here (prices as of October 1, 2026, and subject to change):
| Product | What is disclosed | What is not shown in these sources |
|---|---|---|
| TerraSoul Mushroom Coffee | Arabica plus reishi, lion’s mane, chaga and cordyceps dual extracts; $14.99 regular price | Per-mushroom amounts, caffeine |
| Rao’s Mushroom Coffee for Health | Medium roast, 12 oz bag, coffee with maitake; $18.99 | Maitake amount, caffeine |
| RYZE (via Innerbody) | Six mushrooms, MCT oil; organic certification per Innerbody | Current label from RYZE |
| Teeccino (via Innerbody) | Chicory coffee base; 500 mg of a single mushroom per serving | Current label from Teeccino |
If you want one more example label to compare, Pilly Labs’ Vitality Mushroom Coffee is a 12 oz (340 g) medium-roast ground coffee. Pilly Labs’ internal formula record lists 90% Arabica with 5% lion’s mane and 5% chaga powders per 10 g tablespoon, and 34 servings per bag. That works out to about 500 mg of each mushroom by ratio, an estimate rather than a separately labeled amount. The caffeine amount is not confirmed in the information used here, so check the physical label. In its non-coffee range, Pilly Labs’ ten-species gummy lists every species but one 250 mg combined blend, which shows how a label can name ingredients without giving each amount. Our Vitality ingredients page goes through the details.
How do I choose one that fits me?
This page ranks nothing. It suggests matching a label to your own criterion:
- Caffeine-sensitive or avoiding caffeine: look for a stated caffeine amount, or a non-coffee base. Never assume.
- Want to know each mushroom’s amount: favor labels that list each amount, not one blend total.
- Avoiding sugar or sweeteners: read the full ingredient list. Innerbody notes some products use monk fruit or erythritol.
- Taking medication, pregnant, nursing or preparing for surgery: ask a clinician before choosing anything.
What does mushroom coffee cost?
Cleveland Clinic said in 2023 that it costs about double the average coffee. Innerbody lists per-serving prices for its picks from about $0.52 to $1.67. It compares them with small chain coffees at $2.09 to $3.40, which are different baselines from a home cup. Its guide earns commissions from links, so weigh its picks with that in mind. Prices and guarantees vary by company, so check the current checkout.
By CoffeeWeekly.com Editorial Team
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine.
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