Mushroom Coffee vs Mushroom Matcha [In 2024!]

Over the last few years we've seen medicinal mushrooms grow in popularity. Most of these mushrooms have been used for 100s, and in some cases even over 1000 years in traditional medicine. 

What's really incredible is that these medicinal mushrooms can be taken in a variety of ways, and but most popular is probably in drinks like mushroom coffee and more recently mushroom matcha.

Mushroom varieties like reishi, lion's mane, and chaga are gaining popularity for their potential benefits, ranging from enhanced focus to stress management and immune support. 

If you're reading this, you're probably debating whether to go for a mushroom coffee blend or a mushroom matcha blend. Or, you've already tried them and want to better understand the pros and cons of each. Well, you've come to the right place. 

It's really important to understand the nuances of mushroom supplements so there is a lot to dig into here. We're going to dive deep into the basics of mushroom supplements and explore the benefits of drinking mushroom coffee and mushroom matcha. 

We're definitely partial to mushroom matcha, like Wonder Matcha. But, there are reasons you may want to go for one or the other, so read on!

Why are people switching to mushroom-infused drinks and coffee alternatives?

One thing we wanted to discuss is why people are even interested in switching to a mushroom infused coffee or matcha. We'd love to hear from you! Drop a comment, what makes you interested?

Everyone has their own reason for wanting to try mushroom drinks, but often it is because of some issue they've encountered with the coffee or tea, or just because they're looking to gain some of the benefits from mushroom extracts. 

For example, many people experience issues with coffee like:

• High acidity causing stomach issues like
• acid reflux
• bloating
• High caffeine content causing:
• jitters
• stress or anxiety
• Crashing in the afternoon when they don't have coffee
• Feeling addicted to the caffeine and getting caffeine related headaches
• etc.

Or, you may just be looking for some of the benefits of functional mushroom:

• Improved focus
• Decreased stress
• Improve immunity
• Decreased inflammation
• Improved energy and endurance
• Better skin health
• etc. 

Or, if you're switching from coffee you may be interested in the benefits of matcha:

• Longer lasting energy without jitters
• Super high antioxidant content for better health (over 100x the antioxidants of coffee!)
• Decreased inflammation
• Better skin health
• No afternoon crash
• and more  ◡̈  

Ok, that's a good overview of why people are so interested in coffee alternatives. Let's dig into some of the details on medicinal mushrooms. 

Benefits of medicinal mushrooms

There are quite a few mushrooms that fall into the medicinal or functional mushroom camp. Here's a few you may have heard of:

• Lion's mane mushroom: Known as a nootropic, lion's mane mushroom helps improve cognitive function, focus, and memory. Also known for it's immune boosting properties. 
• Reishi mushroom: Known as an adaptogen, reishi is most well known for it's ability to help your body manage stress and anxiety. 
• Cordyceps: Most well known to help with energy levels and endurance. In particular to help with physical performance. 
• Chaga: Known for supporting immune function, as well being beneficial fo lowering cholesterol levels and reducing blood pressure. 
• Tremella: Known to be anti-inflammatory and to help protect against oxidative stress. It's well known for its benefits for your skin and collagen production. 

Many of these mushrooms have been used in traditional medicine for over 1000 years for these benefits and many more.

In recent years there have been quite a few studies done on each of these mushrooms. We wrote last year about some of the studies done around medicinal mushrooms and mental health for example. 

What to know about mushroom supplements

This is just going to be a short primer, but we've written more about this in other blog posts about medicinal mushrooms.

At a high level, we always recommend looking for this:

• What part of the fungi is being used
• How the fungi is being processed
• And the potency level

Not all companies will share all of this information, but the best ones will share this. 

1. What part of the fungi is being used?

Most mushroom supplements will use one or both of the fruiting body or the mycelium. The fruiting body is the actual mushroom, the mycelium is like the root system of the mushroom.

• Fruiting body: known more active compounds and benefits. Takes longer to grow and is less prevalent making it more expensive.
• Mycelium: Often grown on grains. Mycelium is always just ground up into a powder and not extracted for higher potency and benefits. Mycelium can be grown very quickly making it much cheaper.

We always recommend looking for fruiting body mushrooms.

2. How is the fungi being processed

All mushroom supplements will fall into one of these two camps: mushroom extracts or mushroom powder.

Unfortunately, most "mushroom supplements" are really just mycelium ground up into a powder which is not really ideal for effectiveness. 

• Mushroom extracts put the mushroom through an extraction process to extract the beneficial compounds from the mushroom. This leads to more benefits and a higher potency. 
• Mushroom powders simply dry the mushroom and grind it into a powder. Oftentimes mycelium is mostly used in this process instead of the actual mushroom. These are generally much less potent and offer fewer benefits. 

We always recommend looking for fruiting body mushrooms that have gone through an extraction process. 

3. The potency level of the mushroom extract

In general, this really only pertains to mushroom extracts. 

Mushroom extracts can be made at different potency levels. This is done by using more mushrooms in the extraction process. 

At it's most basic, you can use 1 gram of mushroom to produce 1 gram of extract powder. Or you can use 8 grams of mushroom to product 1 gram of extract powder. 

These are typically described on labels like this "1:1 lions mane mushroom extract" or "8:1 lions mane mushroom extracts". 

In Wonder Matcha and Wonder MCT for example we use 8:1 extracts for higher potency.  

Types of mushroom coffee

Mushroom coffee can come in many different forms.

It's pretty cool, you can find everything from instant coffee infused with mushrooms to something that barely resembles coffee at all. 

Largely they fit into two groups:

• Coffee blended with mushroom powders or extracts – can be instant coffee, ground coffee, or even full bean. Just read the lables because oftentimes mushroom powders with mycelium are used instead of high-quality mushroom extracts.
• Coffee alternatives – sometimes coffee alternatives are used instead of coffee, but the goal is to make something roasted and earthy like coffee. This can be made with chai, cinnamon, cacao or other alternative ingredients.

Just like any mushroom supplement, the benefits of mushroom coffee will vary depending on the specific blend of mushrooms, the quality of the mushrooms, and any other additives or fillers that are used in the blend.

Let's take a look at mushroom matcha. 

Types of mushroom matcha

Mushroom matcha can come in many varieties just like mushroom coffee. Most commonly you’ll find mushroom matcha blended with milk powders so that you can turn it into a latte.

We prefer to avoid using fillers like milk powders and prefer a blend that focuses more on the quality of the matcha, mushroom extracts, and adaptogens.

The biggest differences between mushroom matcha will come down to a few factors:

• The quality of the matcha
• The quality of the mushroom extracts
• Any additives, milk powders, fillers, or sugars that are used

We've truly tried to create the optimal blend for overall health, effectiveness, and taste with Wonder Matcha. 

Our mushroom matcha is a blend of ceremonial-grade organic matcha with lion’s mane mushroom extract, KSM-66 ashwagandha, and ceylon cinnamon. This simple, but potent blend balances long-lasting energy with focus, stress management, and the health benefits of matcha and ceylon cinnamon for a thoroughly healing and delicious blend.

But, everyone will have their own preferences based on the benefits they're looking for in a mushroom matcha. And some people may prefer a latte blend with coconut milk powder or even sugar. 

Mushroom coffee vs mushroom matcha

As with everything, this will depend a lot on your unique preferences and goals. 

A simple way at comparing these two drinks are by looking at them in comparison to coffee too. We broke it down in the table below by looking at:

• How they impact your energy
• Their acidity levels (which are often issues for people with sensitive stomachs or reflux)
• And any additional benefits they offer

 

Another thing to consider might be for you personally how easy it would be to get it into your routine. 

For many people who already drink coffee on a regular basis, and mushroom coffee might be an easier first transition. For those who drink matcha or other teas, a mushroom matcha might be an easier transition. 

At the end of the day, we love coffee for all it does for us, but mushroom based alternatives are great options to get benefits for your brain and body. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

1. What are mushroom coffee and mushroom matcha?

Mushroom coffee and mushroom matcha are beverages that incorporate powdered mushrooms, often varieties like lion's mane, chaga, or reishi, along with coffee or matcha respectively. These blends aim to combine the benefits of mushrooms with the energy-boosting properties of coffee or matcha.

2. How does the energy boost from mushroom coffee differ from mushroom matcha?

In most cases mushroom coffee provides a more traditional coffee energy boost, while mushroom matcha combines the sustained energy of matcha with the potential cognitive benefits of mushrooms. Matcha's unique combination of caffeine and L-theanine provides a smoother, longer-lasting energy release.

3. What are the potential health benefits of mushroom coffee and mushroom matcha?

Both beverages may offer various health benefits, such as improved cognitive function, immune support, and antioxidant properties from the mushrooms. Matcha, being rich in antioxidants, may contribute additional health perks. Matcha may also provide a better more sustained energy compared to mushroom coffee.

All of the benefits will depend on the specific blend of mushrooms being used, as well as the quality of ingredients.

4. Do mushroom coffee and mushroom matcha contain the same types of mushrooms?

The mushroom varieties used in these beverages can vary, but common choices include lion's mane, Chaga, and reishi. The choice of mushrooms might differ between mushroom coffee and mushroom matcha blends.

5. Does mushroom matcha have a caffeine crash like regular coffee?

Mushroom matcha tends to provide a more stable and sustained release of caffeine, thanks to the combination of matcha's caffeine and L-theanine. This can result in less noticeable crashes compared to traditional coffee.

6. Can I replace my regular coffee or matcha with mushroom coffee or mushroom matcha?

Yes, many individuals successfully substitute traditional coffee or matcha with mushroom-infused versions. It's a matter of personal preference and desired health benefits.

7. Are there any potential side effects or considerations when consuming mushroom coffee or mushroom matcha?

While generally safe for most people, individuals with allergies to mushrooms should exercise caution. Additionally, consulting with a healthcare professional is always advisable, especially if you have pre-existing health conditions, are taking medication, or are pregnant or nursing.

Wrapping up

We're biased of course, but we believe the myriad benefits of mushroom matcha (like Wonder Matcha!) position it as a superior choice over coffee for those seeking maximum benefits with minimal downside from high caffeine or acidity. 

But, if you're a coffee lover with the desire to try medicinal mushrooms, we think it's a great option. Just always look for the best quality mushroom extracts and try to avoid fillers, sugar, and additives.

If you have any questions for us please drop a comment! We'd love to hear from you. 

Ready to try Wonder Matcha? Try our starter pack or grab a refill here!

Want to try our take on mushroom matcha? Wonder Matcha is an incredible blend of ceremonial grade matcha, with lion's mane mushroom for focus, ashwagandha for stress management, and ceylon cinnamon for inflammation reduction. 

It tastes incredible without any of the fillers or junk.