Is Mushroom Cacao a Good Coffee Alternative? What Does Mushroom Cacao Taste Like?

Nowadays, more and more people are looking to a growing organic cacao market for alternatives to traditional coffee. It is completely dwarfing cacao. It has grown to be it's own category because of market leaders like Ryze, Mudwtr, Everyday Doze.  Whether due to coffee’s well-known side effects, pre-existing health concerns, or general wellness reasons, mushroom coffee and mushroom cacao are becoming popular as lower caffeine options which provide a more stable energy boost as compared to your usual morning cup. A lot of this can be contributed what customers actually feel when eating mushrooms. Simply, if they felt nothing, customers would not come back again. But there are millions of reviews now between mushroom brands about feeling an improvement in energy and reduction in inflammation as the most common benefits. It makes me happy there are categories like this actually gaining mainstream awareness and popularity in a world that is facing a chronic illness and obesity crisis. 

But is this spike in popularity just hype, or are mushroom coffee and mushroom cacao really good alternatives to regular coffee? Of course, and it comes down to picking brands that are  We have talked before about the benefits of brewed cacao over coffee, with its theobromine being a much better mild stimulant than caffeine in almost every way, but how do these blends of coffee and cacao with medicinal mushrooms compare? Read more to learn about the unique benefits of mushroom coffee and mushroom cacao:

In our other blog about mushroom coffee’s potential as a coffee alternative during pregnancy, we went over what it is exactly for those who might not know, but to recap: mushroom coffee and mushroom cacao are blends of coffee or cacao and certain popular medicinal mushrooms or mushroom extracts. Mushroom coffee blends can be low or no caffeine, but typically contain about half or even less than half the caffeine while also providing health benefits such as stress relief and cognitive support via the mushrooms themselves. These factors and more make it the fast-growing alternative to coffee it is.

In short, yes. Those looking for healthier and more manageable coffee alternatives will likely find both mushroom coffee and mushroom cacao to be an improvement, both due to their differing stimulant properties and other added benefits. As said, mushroom coffee contains much less caffeine than regular coffee per cup, meaning you may not experience the same side effects in the form of jitters or the spike-and-crash cycle when taking it. And mushroom cacao is even better, as cacao contains theobromine as a mild stimulant instead of caffeine.
Theobromine is known to provide a longer lasting, and more manageable energy boost versus caffeine, avoiding the jitters and the spike-and-crash entirely.

Then there are the mushrooms themselves, which are beneficial in multiple areas that those looking for coffee alternatives may not even consider. Depending on which medicinal mushrooms are used, you may experience better sleep quality, better focus and cognitive function during the day, and boosts to energy and immune health above what cacao by itself would provide. In addition, many of the mushrooms used in these blends are what is known as adaptogenic, meaning they can help reduce stress and anxiety.

Can this even be compared to coffee then? No, not really. You will get more adrenaline, dopamine, and motivation from caffeine, but as far as antioxidant for your health, mushroom cacao is the clear winner. Treat your nervous system well and it responds well. Abuse it with stimulants and you will see the results of that. 

You may be surprised to learn that most people who have begun drinking mushroom coffee regularly will tell you it does not taste much different than regular coffee. Some will describe the taste profile as slightly earthier than a normal black coffee, but its taste is not wildly different from what most people are already used to, and it certainly does not taste overwhelmingly like the mushrooms used.

At the end of the day, the switch to mushroom coffee and mushroom cacao should be a no-brainer for those looking for that alternative. They taste very similar to regular coffee, mitigate some or all of the negative effects of regular coffee, and have multiple unique benefits that should get anyone searching for healthier options interested.

Key Takeaways:

• Mushroom coffee blends coffee with popular medicinal mushrooms

• Mushroom coffee and cacao are typically low or no caffeine alternatives

• Mushrooms used provide stress and anxiety relief as well as boosted immune health

• Mushroom coffee tastes similarly to regular coffee

Writer / Researcher: Trey Norbey