Replace Your Traditional Morning Coffee With The Magic Blend Of Coffee Mushrooms

With the growing worldwide focus on health and well-being in recent years and the phenomenal rise in functional foods, the demand for healthy compounds in coffee is increasing.

The most common adaptogenic mushrooms that complement coffee are Chaga, Lions Mane, Cordyceps and Reishi ‒ all praised for their various physical and mental health benefits. Mushroom coffee features ground beans mixed with functional mushrooms, which can help to counteract the adverse effects of coffee when added to it.

Although putting mushrooms in coffee might seem a bit strange, you'll be fascinated by the practice's intriguing wartime origins and numerous health benefits.

An Intriguing Origin Story

The 1940s were another time in history when coffee produced with mushroom extract was the ‘next big thing.’ During World War II, Finns employed chaga as a coffee replacement.

Coffee, along with sugar, was one of the first war casualties in Finland in the 1940s. Finnish people consume the highest amount of coffee in the world per capita with an average of 10kg consumption per person annually. So the need for a substitute was tantamount.

Despite the fact that several coffee substitutes were made from roasted rye and okra seeds - according to author and CEO of Four Sigmatic Tero Isokauppila ‒ chaga was particularly popular. The chaga mushroom is an alkaline-forming fungus with a blackened surface and lava-coloured flesh that mimics tree bark. Foraging chaga from birch trees, steeping it overnight in water and pressing it the next morning was all part of the process for making chaga-derived coffee.

Although it is not advisable to try this approach on your own, it is important to use mushroom extracts that have been laboratory tested for safety and efficacy.

Why Should You Replace Your Morning Cuppa With Coffee Mushrooms?

Medicinal mushrooms have delicate, earthy compounds that complement the robust roasted flavour of coffee beans, giving your cup of coffee a smoother taste.

Mushrooms are extracted to draw out the beneficial elements and constituents, which are then blended into a traditional cup of coffee. The majority of mushroom coffees are essentially combinations of instant coffee and mushroom extract, tasting exactly like your regular cup of java. 

Mushrooms are naturally alkaline, which helps to neutralise the acidity of coffee, making it gentler on the stomach. The mushrooms add antioxidants, anti-viral, and immune-boosting properties to the coffee without the nefarious side effects of traditional coffee, such as sleeplessness, agitation and restlessness, elevated heart rates, stomach troubles and mid-day crash.

Do-It-Yourself Mushroom Coffee

Flow State found its origins in 2015 when we were operating Vitality Organics, with the 'conversation starter' of a product known as 'maca mocha with shrooms', made with espresso, raw cacao, gelatinised maca, chaga, cordyceps, reishi, coconut buttermilk and lion's mane.

It attracted so much publicity that authorities from the Ministry of Primary Industries threatened severe penalties for the use of 'novel' ingredients. It seemed like a shame to make powerful adaptogenic mushrooms that many ancient civilisations have used for centuries unavailable to the public in a consumable, on-the-go brew. Hence the goal to produce a DIY concoction. 

Flow State was born from this idea, and here we are now without the fines. Our goal is to make buying mushroom extracts and similar products as accessible as possible, no matter where you are in New Zealand. Browse our shop for some of our best Do-It-Yourself Coffee Mushrooms extracts and sign up to our newsletter for updates on new products, valuable insights and recipes.