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Mushroom coffee makes tough mornings more manageable.
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For most adults, coffee isn’t just a simple daily pleasure. It’s a necessity. And while caffeine is, of course, the star attraction, I’ve been curious about other ways I can update my daily cuppa. After all, functional beverages have taken TikTok by storm. From CBD sparkling waters (which I’ve tried!) to the controversial “healthy Coke,” there are many enhanced ways to stay hydrated.
As a self-proclaimed coffee enthusiast, I’ve enjoyed reviewing everything from coffee capsules to a tried-and-true coffee grinder. So, when given the opportunity to test the social media-famous Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee, it was the perfect fit. Here’s my honest review of mushroom coffee.
Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee
Packed with chaga and lion's mane mushrooms, this organic coffee blend is a next-level morning beverage offering enhanced focus and energy.
What is Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee?
It’s exactly what it sounds like! Ground, organic coffee mixes with organic functional mushrooms to create a next-level morning beverage. I tried “Think” mushroom coffee, which includes chaga and lion’s mane mushrooms for enhanced focus, but you can choose from a wide variety of specialty blends. The brand also offers options for stress relief, mood boosts, gut support, immunity and energy, as well as a whole bean mushroom coffee option.
“Think” mushroom coffee is certified organic, gluten-free, vegan and keto. It includes no additives—the ingredient label features organic fair-trade Arabica coffee, organic chaga and organic lion’s mane mushrooms. It’s marketed as a dark roast with flavors of nutty dark chocolate.
Oh, and if scenes from The Last of Us are still haunting your dreams, don’t sweat. The brand takes mushroom safety very seriously. They test for mold and mycotoxins, among other contaminants, and enforce strict quality standards.
How I Tested Four Sigmatic Focus Coffee
First things first, I have to admit my bias. I hate mushrooms. As a vegetarian of over a decade, I’ve tried them in almost every way possible. But there’s something about the chewy texture and earthy taste that makes my stomach churn. But in the quest for a better morning brew, I was willing to put my prejudice aside.
On Monday morning, I woke up in an anxious funk. I hadn’t slept well the night before and was stressed about the upcoming week. I knew settling into work would be a battle—so, what better time to put Four Sigmatic’s “mental focus and energy” blend to the test?
After opening the bag, I took a nice, long whiff. It wasn’t the most aromatic bag of beans I’ve ever smelled, but I was pleased that the mushroom coffee had no funky (or should I say fungi) scent. I measured out a few tablespoons of grounds and added them to my drip coffeemaker. (I tested the ground coffee, but there’s also a whole bean option available if you prefer to grind your beans fresh every morning.) The brewing aroma was subtle—again, with no discernible hint of the secret ingredient.
I poured a mug of black mushroom coffee and took my first tentative sip. I didn’t quite know what to expect. But the taste was just like any other bagged, drip coffee. It was pretty good! And, take it from a ‘shroom avoider—there was no earthy, mushroom taste. Had I not put the grounds in the coffeemaker myself, I would have been none the wiser I was sipping an elevated brew.
As I settled at my desk for the day, I could feel the caffeine hit my bloodstream. The morning fog lifted and I became more alert. (You know, the common side effects of drinking a cup of coffee.) But as I dug into my emails, I felt something else. My anxiety was ebbing away. My to-do list felt a little more manageable and, before I knew it, I had made it through the morning.
As an added bonus, I experienced zero coffee jitters—even after my second cup! Caffeine and I have a pretty good relationship, but when I’m already feeling anxious, coffee makes it worse. Mushroom coffee, on the other hand, took the edge off without any side effects.
My only criticism? I wouldn’t recommend drinking it cold. After sitting on my desk for a half hour, the lukewarm mushroom coffee developed a slight texture—similar to the silt you find in your cup after making French press coffee.
What Other Reviewers Had to Say
I’m not the only one swapping in my plain grounds for Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee. Over 18,000 Amazon shoppers are making the switch.
“I’ve always been intrigued by the properties of mushrooms, but I’ve never liked the flavor. This blend of coffee and mushrooms tastes great! There is no shroomie flavor whatsoever,” shares five-star reviewer, James B. “I cold brew it in a French press for 24hr+ and it comes out nice and dark. I wasn’t sure that I felt any different than after drinking regular coffee until I ran out and drank regular coffee again. There is definitely a difference! My mind was more agile and it was easier to deal with the daily stresses of keeping up with three small boys. I also don’t need to drink as much to keep up with them.”
Verified purchaser, Nikki, loves the noticeable health benefits. “I’m a big coffee drinker and wanted to level up my daily coffee by switching to organic. I kept seeing ads for mushroom coffee but I’m not willing to give up real coffee so this is a win-win. It tastes like high-quality coffee…After my first cup of the day, I feel clear-minded and energized.”
“I love my coffee and the idea of mushroom coffee sat about as well with me as the cauliflower pizza craze,” shares Amazon shopper Haley K. “But then I decided I couldn’t properly hate something unless I tried it or I was no better than my kids at dinner time. So I ordered some. And like my kids, when I finally convince them healthy food is in fact yummy, I love this stuff. No more crashes, no more brain fog, no stomach issues. I don’t typically put creamer in my coffee, a little honey sometimes, and this stuff tastes good to me!”
If you’re not brave enough for mushroom coffee yet don’t worry, we’ve reviewed the best traditional coffee subscription services that will bring you good old fashioned coffee beans directly to your door.
Product Comparison: Best Mushroom Coffee Brands
Another super popular mushroom coffee brand is Ryze, which, like Four Sigmatic, sells a ground signature dark roast. It contains six adaptogenic mushroom types (cordyceps, reishi, king trumpet, shiitake, turkey tail and lion’s mane) for a total of 2,000 milligrams in comparison to Four Sigmatic’s 250 milligrams of lion’s mane and chaga. That being said, Ryze’s product focuses on a wider breadth of benefits, including energy, focus, digestion and immunity. It also contains a prebiotic blend that has acacia fiber, inulin fiber and tapioca fiber.
Ryze’s 6.3-ounce bag of ground coffee retails for around $45, which is a much higher price than Four Sigmatic’s 12-ounce bag for about $18. The latter has a 4.4-star rating from more than 20,350 Amazon shoppers, while Ryze’s Mushroom Dark Roast has a 4.3-star rating from over 1,000 buyers.
Final Verdict on Lion’s Mane Coffee
If you’re interested in trying a morning beverage like coffee without the pesky side effects (you know the ones!), Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee is right up your alley. As a self-proclaimed mushroom hater, I was pleasantly surprised by how good it tasted. If you’re worried about sweetness, you can always add a little creamer of choice, though those earthy flavors I feared were nowhere to be found.
The best part of this organic mushroom coffee was that I never experienced an energy slump. I genuinely felt less foggy and more prepared to take on the day, the more I drank, which isn’t always the case with coffee. While I can’t say for sure if I’ll be totally giving up my morning brew for ‘shrooms (guilty!), I definitely recommend it for anyone looking to ease their way into the day with the taste, sans downsides, of regular coffee.
Where to Buy Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee
You can buy Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee from Amazon, Walmart, Thrive Market and the brand’s website. A single bag of mushroom coffee grounds costs around $18. They also make a whole bean version for about $20. While a little pricier than an average bag of beans, the benefits of mushroom coffee make it a new normal in my morning routine.
Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee
Packed with chaga and lion's mane mushrooms, this organic coffee blend is a next-level morning beverage offering enhanced focus and energy.
FAQ
Are mushroom coffees really good for you?
More research is still required, but the benefits of certain dried mushrooms have been reported to include improved focus, memory and stress relief. Mushroom coffee also contains less caffeine than regular coffee, which can help lower your cortisol and provide natural, sustained energy throughout the day.
Can you drink organic mushroom coffee with lupus?
We’re no doctors here at Taste of Home, so we highly recommend chatting with your doctor or a healthcare professional before adding any new supplements or drinks to your diet, especially if you have an autoimmune disease. There’s still more research needed to say whether or not mushrooms can concretely help with lupus symptoms.
Is mushroom coffee good for COPD?
Talk to your doctor before adding any new supplements or drinks to your diet. Although medicinal mushrooms have been used for hundreds of years, more research is still needed to see if they can help with specific health conditions.
What is the best mushroom coffee brand?
We’ve actually tried out a few different mushroom coffee brands. While I love Four Sigmatic, Nancy Snyder, a registered dietitian, culinary pro and the tester behind our roundup of the best, dubbed Atlas+ Coffee Superblend as her favorite. She was a big fan of its mid-low caffeine content, high dosage of functional mushrooms and easy prep. I even tested out this brand and found that its flavor was most similar to instant coffee, plus, there was a near-immediate difference in my energy and clarity that picked me up out of my afternoon slump.
Why You Should Trust Us
Katie Bandurski is Taste of Home‘s deputy shopping editor, where she’s tested and written about thousands of home, cooking, and food gifts and items over the years. From Souper Cubes to Lenox’s iconic Spice Village, she knows a thing or two about getting around the kitchen, and coffee is just the tipping point.
Melissa Lee, Content Updates Editor at Taste of Home, updated and contributed to the research of this piece. Melissa, another self-proclaimed coffee addict, is a writer and editor who has covered home and kitchen content for publications like USA Today and AOL.
