Over the years, coffee alternatives have been made with many things – chicory, barley, ground acorn but in recent years, mushroom coffee has stepped into the limelight. In particular, adaptogenic mushroom coffees are having a moment – and with good reason. Read on to find what makes them so great, and why they’re a perfect choice for your friends and loved ones this Valentine’s Day.

What is Adaptogenic Mushroom Coffee, You Say? 

We are all used to a cup of coffee containing coffee beans; however, now coffee comes from a variety of sources. Some are made wholly from mushrooms, but many – like ours – are made with a mix of real coffee and mushrooms.

The mushrooms in question are usually adaptogenic – mushrooms with superpowers, we will delve into more on this shortly – these are dried and ground to make a potent, earthy powder. In our case, we blend them with Rainforest Alliance (RFA) Certified luxury arabica ground beans. Combining the two counteracts the earthy taste of the mushrooms and mellows the taste of the coffee beans, as well as reduces the caffeine content. The result is a drink that’s smoother and more relaxing than regular coffee.

It also delivers the health benefits of the mushrooms – and we add other health-supporting ingredients to our blend, including ashwagandha (also an adaptogen), cacao and energy-boosting MCT coconut oil. Read on to find out why this combination makes the perfect Valentine’s gift.

Firstly, Is Mushroom Coffee Legal?

Yes, all adaptogen mushroom coffee sold in the UK is legal – these mushrooms may well help to relax you, but they won’t send you on a trip. They have no hallucinogenic properties, so you can enjoy their feel-good properties with a clear conscience.

Is it Safe?

The adaptogenic mushrooms used in mushroom coffee have been revered in traditional medicine for centuries. Avoid them if you have a mushroom allergy; but, otherwise, they are generally considered safe to consume. If in any doubt, contact your healthcare practitioner.

What are the Health Benefits of Adaptogenic Mushroom Coffee?

Mushroom coffees are made with adaptogenic mushrooms. We use Lion’s Mane, Reishi and Chaga in ours. Put simply, ‘adaptogenic’ ingredients help your body deal with stress. Not just emotional stress, but also physical and biological stresses. Adaptogens are believed to help stabilise the physiological processes in your body and bring your body into balance – a bit like tuning up your engine.

Reishi mushrooms can give your immune system a boost and may combat fatigue and low moods. They have also been linked to heart health and blood sugar regulation, and additional research is being carried out to find out more. Traditional Chinese medicine also prizes reishi for its blood glucose benefits, and for its ability to detoxify the body, improve your memory and support your immune system.

Chaga mushrooms are renowned for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, meaning they may help inflammatory illnesses such as arthritis. They have also been shown to lower blood sugar and cholesterol in animal studies, but more research is needed to understand their benefits for humans.

Lion’s Mane mushrooms may help fight dementia, and there is also some evidence suggesting they can reduce stress and low mood. They may also support heart health – more research is being carried out to explore this further. Multiple other potential benefits are being investigated, including immune and heart health support and blood sugar regulation.

What is a Good Valentine's Day Gift?

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And, why are we talking about this in a blog about mushrooms? Well, a good Valentine’s gift should be romantic and indulgent. It should, ideally, enhance pleasure and arouse curiosity (no predictable, pink-wrapped chocolates allowed here). In our opinion, mushroom coffee totally hits those pleasure points. Allow us to explain:

Why Mushroom Coffee is Great in the Bedroom – and not just as a Low-Caffeine Nightcap

Mushroom coffee is a smooth, seductive take on coffee – nothing rough; just velvety, rounded and sensuous. But enough of the 80s Flake advert… mushroom coffee really does have benefits in the bedroom. We kid you not!

Chaga can boost testosterone, which can raise your libido. It’s also believed to have a connection to increasing sexual endurance. Reishi has been dubbed the “magic mushroom” due to its reputed ability to enhance libido, vitality and fertility. And, Lion’s Mane is very relaxing, so it’s perfect as a bedtime drink.

All three mushrooms are prized for their ability to help you unwind, so if you want to drink coffee late at night, it’s a better choice than the hard stuff.

And There’s More…

As we mentioned earlier, our mushroom coffees also contain ashwagandha, cacao and MCT coconut oil. Like our mushrooms, ashwagandha is an adaptogen. It’s been linked to stress reduction and can boost testosterone, which benefits sex drive, whatever gender you are. It’s also good for athletic performance and may increase fertility in men.

Cacao contains various nutrients linked to enhanced libido, including magnesium and arginine. MCT coconut oil is great for boosting energy and may boost testosterone, increasing your libido.

Not Just Coffee

We have not stopped at coffee; we have also put mushrooms into our delectable Cacao Bliss Hot Chocolate, along with ashwagandha, cinnamon (yes – another libido booster) and turmeric (another testosterone booster).

Have we got you Excited?

Check out our gorgeous Valentine’s gift set, which includes adaptogen mushroom coffee, Cacao Bliss hot chocolate, and three flavours of our top-grade CBD chocolate to help you unwind even further. And, as we love our customers, it’s just £35 – down from the usual price of £43.95.

Happy Valentine’s!