Health and Wellness
Changing out your morning coffee for something new doesn’t happen often. I mean: would you stop drinking coffee? I wouldn’t. But I am not opposed to trying something new, especially if it’s good for me. Bulletproof coffee is the new “hot” drink, and it actually tastes pretty good.
We’re going to look at bulletproof coffee benefits, explain why you may want to start drinking it and see if this drink is worth drinking instead of your morning brew.
But before we start, what the heck is bulletproof coffee?
What the Heck is Bulletproof Coffee?
If you’re envisioning coffee beans with a Kevlar vest on, you’re way off. Instead, bulletproof coffee is part of a diet, and the goal is to drink this coffee rather than eat your traditional, carb-filled breakfast.
This coffee consists of:
- High-quality coffee beans
- Unsalted butter
- Coconut oil (or a medium chain triglyceride)
You brew up the coffee like normal, blend up the ingredients really well and end with a brew that is rather similar to a latte and really creamy.
It’s very important that you focus on quality ingredients when making your cup of coffee. You’ll want to focus on:
- Organic, grass-fed butter
- Good quality coconut oil
You won’t be adding any milk, so you’ll be drinking a black coffee, although you won’t notice it with the coconut oil and grass-fed butter mixed in.
Now that we’ve defined bulletproof coffee for you, let’s answer an important question: What are the benefits of bulletproof coffee?
Let’s find out.
4 Must-Read Bulletproof Coffee Benefits
1. Energy Boost Instead of a Crash
In the morning, most people eat breakfast foods that cause them to crash. A regular diet may consist of:
- Pancakes
- French toast
- English muffins
- Pop tarts
- Cereal
And in the morning, everyone seems to be in a rush, so they’ll grab the absolute fastest thing to eat. No one is thinking about a balanced diet or their digestive health when they’re rushing off to work.
One of the most important bulletproof coffee health benefits is that you’ll feel filled with energy for longer. You don’t have to worry about feeling very energetic after eating only to experience a blood sugar crash shortly after.
As an alternative to breakfast, bulletproof coffee is rather impressive.
Of course, you get the jolt of energy from coffee, but research shows that the real energy booster comes from the omega-3 and omega-6 fats that:
- Slow metabolism of the butter
- Cause you to hold onto energy
- Naturally protect against crashing
MCT oil also aids in energy retention and the boosting effects of bulletproof coffee. MCTs are metabolized quickly for energy, while butter will work to help you maintain energy stores. Without the carbs and sugar, you won’t experience the immediate energy boost followed by the “did I even sleep” feeling 30 minutes later with bulletproof coffee.
2. Encourages Weight Loss
Most of the bulletproof coffee benefits that you’ll read about online deal with the keto diet. People that follow this diet need to have high fat in their diet, and they want to remain in a state of ketosis.
Studies on MCTs show that it:
- Improves ketone conversion
- Supports keto diet
- Reduces side effects experienced with keto (i.e., keto flu)
Anyone on a low-carb diet who wants to find something to eat for breakfast should consider coffee with butter or ghee and an MCT oil. You can even have it after your morning workout without worrying about carbs being stored as fat, like what would happen with other breakfast foods.
Keto works for a lot of people because it uses body fat for energy and can help them improve their body composition.
In short: bulletproof coffee is a good breakfast substitute.
3. Anti-inflammatory Properties
Bulletproof coffee benefits also include anti-inflammation. MCT oils have been shown in studies to have anti-inflammation properties. The omega-fatty acids in the grass-fed butter also lend their own anti-inflammatory effects to your morning brew.
Optimizing the anti-inflammatory properties requires you to be very cautious of the ingredients that you put in your coffee.
In the ideal world, you’ll purchase ingredients that include:
- Organic coffee
- Grass-fed butter
Following an anti-inflammatory diet is something that a lot of healthcare professionals recommend, and it’s something you’ll want to discuss with your doctor, too. Inflammation is linked to many diseases and chronic illnesses, so being able to reduce it will improve your odds of living a happier, healthier life.
4. Boost Brain Function
Coffee boosts your brain function on its own. Caffeine is a natural stimulant, and studies show that it can:
- Promote short-term brain function
- Enhance focus
- Improve mood
- Boost reaction time
Caffeine also helps to stimulate your central nervous system, which will enhance your mood by producing more serotonin and dopamine.
It’s really important to note that the brain-boosting benefits are associated with caffeinated coffee in general and not just bulletproof coffee. In fact, people drink coffee before exams because it makes them alert.
Studies even show that caffeine also improves alertness and is a great way to limit depression while also boosting mood. And the people who say “drink coffee and you’ll never sleep” are also misinformed. The truth is that coffee only disturbs sleep in certain very sensitive individuals.
If you’re concerned that you may be one of the individuals that are sensitive to caffeine, simply try to cut down your coffee consumption five or six hours before bed and see how you feel. Sleep is so crucial to your health that you may want to skip out on coffee if you can’t sleep well at night after drinking a cup.
Does Bulletproof Coffee Break a Fast?
Anyone dieting and following intermittent fasting (IF) may want to know: will bulletproof coffee break a fast?
And the answer is all over the place.
Naturally, people who push products for dieting say that bulletproof coffee and intermittent fasting work great together because it won’t break your fast. However, this is simply not the case because any caloric intake will break a fast.
When you fast, the body will enter autophagy, or a stage where it cleans up toxins in the body and repairs the body. However, a few points to note here are:
- Bulletproof coffee breaks your fast
- If you’re following the keto diet, this coffee is keto-friendly
So, to clarify, one of the bulletproof coffee benefits that are completely false is that drinking this creamy latte won’t break a fast. If you don’t want to break your fast and need an extra jolt of caffeine, you can drink completely black coffee.
Butter coffee or anything with added oils or sugars may fit into ketogenic diets and help you maintain your energy levels longer, but it will break your fast.
Are There Bulletproof Coffee Benefits for Skin?
Yes and no. Many of the skin benefits that you’ll read about are not because you’re drinking this type of coffee. Instead, your morning cup of regular coffee offers a ton of skin benefits, such as:
- Reduce acne
- Lower inflammation
- Protects the skin from UV-damage
- Improves wound healing thanks to linoleic acid
- Potentially reduces cellulite
- Reduces under-eye inflammation
And most of these benefits are actually due to the chlorogenic acids and caffeine in the coffee.
If you’re upset that bulletproof coffee benefits for skin aren’t really a “thing,” you’ll want to read through our extensive article on coffee benefits for the skin. Many of these benefits are exactly what you’ll experience with bulletproof coffee, too.
P.S. there are also coffee benefits for hair that will have your hair looking its best in no time.
Wrapping Up: Benefits of Bulletproof Coffee
If you’re into creamy coffee drinks, there’s no harm in experimenting with bulletproof coffee benefits for yourself. People on the keto diet find that this type of coffee is a good substitute for breakfast and is worth drinking alongside regular coffee.
You can use the basic recipe above to experience the health benefits of bulletproof coffee, or you can find companies willing to sell it to you premade.
But for me, I prefer making my own because it’s cheaper and I know exactly what I’m putting in it.
Health and Wellness
Coffee is something that we love to write about because we drink a lot of it. And with any habit, you always want to learn more about it and how it impacts you. After writing about coffee scrub benefits for skin, we got to thinking: are there any coffee benefits for skin that don’t require a scrub?
And there are.
In fact, you’ll want to pour yourself a delicious cup of coffee before sitting down to read this article.
6 Coffee Benefits for Skin No One Ever Told You About
Skin health is important. Everyone wants to look young and beautiful forever. However, even going out in the sun can cause sun damage that impacts your skin. The good news is that a few cups of coffee can do a world of good for your skin.
1. Say Good-bye to Puffy Eyes and Inflammation
A lot of people drink coffee because it can reduce inflammation. One of the green coffee benefits for skin that is often promoted is “anti-inflammatory properties.” But, the truth is that your regular coffee also has these anti-inflammatory benefits.
The secret is in the chlorogenic acid in the coffee, along with melanoidins.
Researchers in Japan found that women that drank coffee saw a reduction in pigmented spots. When consumed, this means that coffee may help with:
- Overall inflammation
- Puffy eyes
- More
Coffee masks or a facial scrub work really well for puffy eyes. If you use coffee grounds for a scrub, be sure to use circular motions when applying to maximize the coffee benefits for skin puffiness.
2. Reduce Cellulite – Seriously
Cellulite is the one benefit of coffee for your skin that will blow you away. Researchers believe that the caffeine content in coffee will:
- Dilate blood vessels
- Improve blood flow
When your blood flow improves in areas where you have cellulite, it will lead to a decrease in the appearance of cellulite. Of course, if you apply a scrub, these benefits improve even further.
3. Anti-aging Properties
Again, no one wants to age. If you drink coffee, you can help stop the clock from ticking, according to one study. The study found that coffee offered numerous benefits that aid in anti-aging, including:
- Reduction in fine lines
- Decrease in sunspots
- Reduction in redness
In addition, one of the coffee benefits for skin in the study that is most impressive is that it helped decrease photoaging – a major perk.
4. Clear Up Acne
As many as 50 million people in the US alone suffer from acne. This means 1-in-6 or 1-in-7 people have some form of acne. A primary culprit is the population’s large consumption of non-low sugar drinks.
Coffee benefits for skin infections cannot be underestimated.
Why?
Coffee contains CGAs, which are often promoted for their high anti-inflammatory properties. However, CGAs are also great for fighting acne because they have antibacterial properties. Drinking coffee will provide some of these benefits, but you’ll also want to make use of your coffee grounds and make a scrub.
The grounds will allow for direct acne-fighting power while exfoliating the skin
5. Blast Away Those Dark Circles Under Your Eyes
Dark circles under your eyes are not flattering, but coffee comes to the rescue here, too. You’ll want to make your own scrub or a coffee face mask for this benefit. When applied to the area, coffee will improve blood circulation and cause your blood vessels to dilate.
Why is this important?
Dark circles under the eyes are thought to be caused by a lack of blood vessel dilation. Caffeine in the coffee grounds will promote the dilation process, eliminating the dark under eye circles. A basic recipe for a scrub that will work perfectly for this application, includes:
- Mix olive oil and coffee grounds together. You’ll want to use about ½ tsp of each will do the trick.
- Add in a very small amount of water.
- Mix the ingredients into a paste-like consistency.
- Apply under the eyes, ensuring that you don’t allow the mixture to get in the eyes.
- Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Rinse off.
You can repeat this routine as often as you need until you achieve the results that you desire.
6. Reduce Swelling in the Feet
Swollen feet are common. Stand too much or sit too much, and your circulation will be negatively impacted, leading to swollen feet and ankles. One way to reduce the swelling is to create your own coffee foot bath.
- Brew up a pot of coffee
- Allow the coffee to cool and place in a foot basin
- Soak your feet in the coffee
You can also add in the ground beans to help exfoliate your feet while you’re at it. The grounds will work like a scrub to rip off the dead skin cells. However, it can be quite messy when taking your foot out of the bath. If you do add grounds, be sure to place the basin in the tub when soaking so that you can easily wash the grounds away.
The circulation benefits we discussed earlier will help you improve circulation to your feet, allowing your body to move and expel the water in your feet.
You can obviously enjoy the benefits of black coffee for skin using this method. If you have old coffee grounds that you want to get rid of or a type of coffee you don’t like, you can make sure that it won’t go to waste by making your own foot bath.
And, if you want to take these benefits even further, coffee scrubs and coffee face masks can help you remove dead skin cells to improve your skin further.
Don’t like hot coffee? Read about the benefits of cold brew coffee.
How Soon Can You See Benefits for Skin from Drinking Coffee?
While we saw a lot of people asking this question, we couldn’t find a concrete answer. Every skin condition is different, and since many require topical application through a scrub or mask, it’s really too difficult to give you an accurate answer.
Many people that use scrubs or masks will notice a difference in their skin’s appearance after just a few applications.
Wrapping Up: What Are the Benefits of Coffee for Skin?
As you’ve seen, drinking coffee can be really good for your skin. Of course, applying coffee grounds to the skin or using an exfoliator will also provide great benefits.
In fact, why not brew a cup of coffee and use the grinds to make your own coffee scrub for a double whammy of benefits?
Coffee benefits for the skin are enough to convince most coffee lovers that their morning addiction is worth the 10-15 minutes to brew every morning. If you want to boost these benefits even further, you can try mushroom coffee, too.
Health and Wellness
Millions of people around the world start their days with a cup of coffee. It’s one of the most popular drinks in the world, and it offers a surprising number of benefits for your health. But did you know there are coffee benefits for hair, too?
Here are some great reasons to add coffee to your hair care routine and how to do it.
The Surprising Coffee Benefits for Hair
So, what are the benefits of coffee for hair? Why should you add this world-famous drink to your hair care routine?
Here are some of the many benefits of coffee.
1. Promotes Hair Growth and Stops Hair Loss
Have you always dreamed of having long, luscious locks? Coffee may help you reach that goal and improve hair health. It can even help stop hair loss, too.
Research has found that the caffeine in coffee is what helps stimulate hair growth, stops hair loss and helps improve hair health. How?
- Caffeine helps block DHT in men’s hair follicles
- It helps elongate the hair shaft to create wider, longer hair roots
- It extended anagen duration (the hair growth stage)
- It has a growth-promoting effect on female hair follicles, too
Caffeine is a stimulant, which means that it can also help boost circulation to the scalp and hair follicles. Improved blood flow to the scalp can help your hair grow faster and make it stronger, too. The end result? Thicker, fuller-looking hair.
2. Exfoliates Your Scalp
You’ve heard of using coffee grinds to exfoliate your skin. A natural coffee scrub can buff away dead skin cells and help improve circulation.
But you can also use coffee scrubs on your scalp for the same effect. Exfoliation is so good for the skin, but we often neglect our scalps.
A simple coffee scrub made of old coffee grinds – and nothing else – can help:
- Get rid of dead skin cells on your scalp
- Promote blood flow to your hair follicles
- Leave your scalp feeling refreshed and rejuvenated
Just a word of warning, though – this scrub can get messy! Make sure that you rinse several times and don’t forget to shampoo. If you have a scalp massager brush for the shower, use it – it will help get the grinds out of your hair.
Try using cold water to rinse to help seal the cuticle before you style.
3. Makes Your Hair Softer and Shinier
If your hair is dull and brittle, coffee may bring it back to life. A simple coffee rinse can make your hair softer and smoother. It can give you shiny locks, too.
The caffeine in coffee won’t strip your hair of its natural oils. In fact, it has the opposite effect. Coffee can help your hair retain moisture and leave a natural sheen.
Of course, all of that extra blood flow to the scalp will feed your hair more nutrients and oxygen for overall healthier hair.
The flavonoids (i.e., antioxidants) in coffee can help promote hair regeneration. And the hair-smoothing properties of coffee can even help tame frizz. So, give coffee rinses a try if you have curly hair and struggle with frizz and detangling.
4. Kick Grays to the Curb
Did you know that coffee acts as a natural hair stain? Regular coffee rinses can help cover up grays to leave your hair looking youthful and resilient.
Of course, this trick really only works with dark hair. For best results, use a dark roast coffee or espresso. Their rich colors will have a more dramatic effect on your hair color.
Green Coffee Benefits for Hair
When most people talk about using coffee in their hair or skin routines, they usually refer to using roasted coffee beans. But what about green coffee? Are there any green coffee benefits for hair?
Yes! Green coffee’s antioxidants help fight free radicals and keep your hair looking and feeling its best.
And green coffee oil has antimicrobial properties that can detox your scalp while:
- Reducing itchiness
- Preventing dandruff
- Promoting hair growth
Why is green coffee oil so great for your hair? It’s loaded with:
- Essential fatty acids
- Vitamin E
Its moisturizing properties can help keep your hair soft, smooth and hydrated. Just make sure that you use a high-quality green coffee oil.
What About Coffee Oil Benefits for Hair?
We talked a little bit about green coffee oil benefits, but what about regular coffee oil? Coffee oil does have many benefits for your hair, and the convenient oil form makes it so easy to apply.
Here’s what coffee oil can do for your hair:
- Promote hair growth and stop hair loss (thanks, caffeine!)
- Seal in moisture for hydrated, shiny hair
- Smooths and tames frizz
- Softens and prevents split ends
- Balance scalp pH
You can find coffee oil products online that are meant for hair (they’re sometimes called “coffee seed oil”). For scalp treatments, look for products that come in squeezable bottles with nozzles. These bottles make it easier to apply the oil directly to your scalp and roots.
You can also apply coffee oil to damp hair before styling to moisturize and protect your hair. Take care to only use a small amount. A little goes a long way with coffee oil – or any oil for that matter. Just a few drops will help tame frizz and seal in moisture.
Drinking Coffee Benefits for Hair
You know that applying coffee to your hair and scalp has benefits, but what about drinking it? Can your morning cup of java also make your hair look healthy and beautiful? Yes.
Coffee is rich in antioxidants. For many people, coffee is their primary source of antioxidants in their diets.
All of those antioxidants help improve hair growth by helping maintain collagen in both the body and the connective tissues of your hair follicles. They also help protect scalp cells in your blood vessels to encourage healthy hair growth.
So, when you drink coffee, you’re helping improve your hair from the inside out.
Final Thoughts
As it turns out, drinking coffee is good not only for your soul – and sanity – but for your hair, too. Use the tips above to incorporate coffee into your hair care routine and enjoy yet another excuse to enjoy your morning cups of coffee.
Health and Wellness
Coffee is fantastic to drink. A favorite drink worldwide, there are hot and cold brew coffee benefits that I’ve discussed previously.
But, there are also coffee scrub benefits!
Instead of drinking coffee, you’ll use the ground coffee beans to help with everything from removing dead skin cells to alleviating dry skin, stretch marks and even reducing the appearance of cellulite. Additionally, you can expand your blood vessels and increase blood flow.
What are the benefits of a coffee scrub?
We’re going to journey through a wide range of reasons why you may want to use your coffee grounds to make an excellent scrub of your own. But, of course, if you’re not interested in a DIY coffee scrub, you can go on Amazon or to many beauty stores and find coffee soaps and scrubs available.
6 Coffee Scrub Benefits You Never Want to Miss
1. Alleviate Inflammation
External inflammation, such as those caused by breakouts, can be soothed and calmed with the right scrub. Coffee scrub benefits for skin inflammation are possible thanks to two main compounds and substances in coffee:
- Polyphenols
- Hydroxycinnamic acid
Polyphenols are well-known and used in skincare because it’s a compound that is known for its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, there are immunomodulatory benefits of polyphenols, which make these compounds exceptional for both skin disorders and potentially skin cancer (view a great study here).
Hydroxycinnamic acid has been well-studied (view here), and it is found to have anti-inflammatory properties in vivo and vitro.
2. Restore Your Skin With a Coffee Scrub’s Anti-aging Power
Antioxidants are well-known for their ability to slow the aging process, and we already know that polyphenols are crammed with great antioxidants. When applied to the skin, coffee scrubs and honey (a great addition) can help you fight back against:
Of course, the scrub will also help tame inflammation, which has significant skin benefits. However, stopping inflammation isn’t enough to slow the aging process.
Right?
One study found that coffee offered the benefit of reducing pigmentation spots, protecting the skin from photoaging and also may decrease hyperpigmentation.
You might even want to try mushroom coffee because mushrooms are great for the skin and anti-aging.
3. Improve Blood Circulation
What benefits does coffee have when used in a body scrub? For one, it’s great for improving blood circulation in the body. If you have circulation issues, caffeine increases circulation in the body.
Caffeine, even when applied to the skin, is absorbed into the skin and bloodstream.
Improved circulation is just amazing for the body and skin because it helps pus more oxygen through the body. In addition, waste products are carried away, including free radicals, and all of this benefits your skin.
But, that’s not all of the benefits of a coffee scrub due to circulation.
Circulation also helps:
- Improve nutrient delivery to cells in the body
- Make the face look more vibrant
- Improves elastin and collagen production (here)
So, if you have poor circulation in your face or want to help alleviate swelling in your lower extremities, coffee scrubs can undoubtedly help.
4. Blast Cellulite Away
Cellulite impacts 90% of women and 10% of men. And if you’ve ever tried to get rid of cellulite, you know that this is a near-impossible feat. However, a scrub may help, but don’t expect miracles by any means.
Beauty magazines and websites are all touting the potential for coffee to help with cellulite.
First, cellulite is caused by fatty tissues that form under the skin and push against other tissue that’s closer to your skin’s surface. When you have cellulite, you’ll notice dimple-like areas on the surface of your skin.
If you try treating cellulite, you’ll find that the goal of most treatments is to reduce the appearance of these dimples.
How does a coffee scrub help cellulite?
There are a few ways:
- Blood vessels dilate and reduce the appearance
- Improved blood flow can tighten the skin in these areas and also remove excess fluids
- Antioxidants (yes, again) help improve skin tone
- Exfoliant coffee scrubs will remove dead skin cells to improve the skin’s appearance
Massaging in the scrub is also beneficial, according to the American Society for Dermatology Surgery. The group states that when you massage the area, with or without a scrub, it helps improve the appearance of cellulite by increasing lymphatic drainage and also stretching the skin’s tissue.
One study on a caffeine cream showed the potential for caffeine to be used as a cellulite treatment. However, since this was a cream and not a scrub, it remains to be seen if a scrub would offer the same great benefits.
5. Coffee Scrubs are Amazing for Your Hair
When I first dived into the research portion of this article, I knew about the benefits of coffee scrub for your skin, but I didn’t think it would offer hair benefits, too.
If you rub the scrub into your scalp, it will exfoliate the area and stimulate hair growth.
In fact, coffee benefits for hair include:
- Promote hair growth
- Remove clogged scalp pores
- Obliterate dead skin cells
Exfoliation also helps you get rid of dirt and oil buildup on the scalp. Simply massage the scrub into the scalp thoroughly and let it sit for five to ten minutes before rinsing.
And, over time, you’ll notice your hair grows faster and is healthier.
6. Remove Dead Skin Cells for Nicer Skin
Finally, another one of the great coffee body scrub benefits is the removal of dead skin. When you add sugar to your scrub, it will help exfoliate the skin and remove those dead skin cells that clog your pores, trap impurities and stop you from being your best, radiant self.
Exfoliation is crucial to maintaining a glowing complexion and allowing your skin to retain more moisture.
The amazing benefits of exfoliation will leave you with radiant skin. When applying, make sure to make circular motions, use warm water when removing the scrub and use fresh ground coffee instead of instant.
Also, if you like to wear make-up, exfoliating first will prep the skin for you.
We’ve learned a lot about coffee scrub benefits in this article, and now it’s time to give a scrub a try to see how they work for you. You can choose to make your own DIY coffee scrub or purchase a ready-made product.
Note: A lot of the studies surrounding coffee and its many benefits are related to consuming coffee. However, since these compounds, substances, and even caffeine are absorbed through the skin, many of the benefits of consuming coffee should also be experienced in a coffee scrub.
Health and Wellness
Mushrooms in your coffee? It may not be the first pairing that comes to mind when you think about coffee, but mushroom coffee is the latest trend in alternative health. And as it turns out, there may be quite a few potential benefits to adding medicinal mushrooms to your morning cup of Joe. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of mushroom coffee.
What is Mushroom Coffee and How Is It Made?
Mushroom coffee is exactly what it sounds like – a coffee drink made with mushrooms. Most blends contain ground mushrooms and coffee beans. The mushroom flavor isn’t too overpowering, and when combined with the coffee, it gives the drink a slightly nutty, smooth flavor.
Because mushroom coffee is usually touted as a health drink, it usually contains medicinal or functional mushrooms rather than culinary mushrooms, like shiitake.
When making mushroom coffee, the fruiting bodies of functional mushrooms (which contain spores) are first extracted. Next, they’re ground into a fine powder and mixed with the coffee beans. Typically, mushroom coffee has a 1:1 ratio of coffee to mushrooms.
You can find this type of coffee in instant form, pods or K-cups and ground coffee.
Mushroom coffee is prepared just like any other type of coffee. You can add milk, sugar – whatever you normally add to your coffee.
Types of Mushroom Coffee
There are many different types of mushroom coffee, but the most popular varieties include mushrooms known for their medicinal properties. These include:
Lion’s Mane Coffee
Lion’s mane mushroom coffee is one of the most popular varieties because of the benefits that lion’s mane offers.
Also known as yamabushitake or hou tou gu, lion’s mane mushrooms have culinary and medicinal purposes. Research has shown that lion’s mane can help:
Lion’s mane coffee is a popular blend because of the potential benefits it offers, and it’s commonly paired with other mushrooms to maximize the benefits.
Reishi Coffee
Iconic reishi mushrooms are known for their medicinal properties. These brown bracket mushrooms are known to help:
- Boost the immune system
- Promote heart health
- Reduce cholesterol and blood pressure
Studies have also shown that regular consumption of reishi may help reduce depression and anxiety.
Reishi mushrooms are also known as adaptogens, which help the body better adapt to and handle stress.
Chaga Coffee
Chaga mushroom coffee, like reishi, can help with blood sugar regulation and even reduce inflammation. Some evidence suggests that chaga mushrooms can help fight cancer cells.
Chaga has a neutral taste that’s not too overpowering. When blended with coffee, you may not even taste them.
Turkey’s Tail Coffee
Turkey’s tail mushroom coffee has a slightly bitter and earthy flavor. The coffee beans help balance the flavor, but some people believe it’s still an acquired taste.
Turkey’s tail has a long history of use in traditional medicine. It’s believed to help improve immune function and reduce inflammation.
These mushrooms also contain prebiotics that can help improve digestion and feed the good bacteria in your gut.
Cordyceps Coffee
Cordyceps are actually a parasitic fungus, but they’re known for their health benefits. When taken regularly, these mushrooms can:
7 Mushroom Coffee Benefits – Is Mushroom Coffee Good for You?
Mushroom coffee blends often contain multiple types of mushrooms. The combination of these mushrooms and the coffee beans gives them their unique benefits. Some of the top benefits of mushroom coffee include:
1. More Energy and Endurance
The caffeine in mushroom coffee stimulates your central nervous system, giving you a boost of energy and helping you feel more alert.
When caffeine hits the brain, it stops the production of adenosine. When this happens:
- The body can release neurotransmitters like glutamate and dopamine. These feel-good chemicals can uplift your mood and put a little pep in your step.
- The body temporarily stops producing the chemicals that tell us it’s time to sleep.
These reactions make us feel more alert and energized.
But it’s not just the caffeine that can boost your energy levels and give you more endurance. Cordyceps mushroom powder, for example, can help improve endurance, stamina and oxygen capacity. Cordyceps can also support your recovery after a workout.
Other vitamins and nutrients in mushrooms can help support brain health.
2. Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Medicinal mushrooms are rich in antioxidants that can help fight free radicals that damage cells. Chaga, a popular mushroom used in mushroom coffee, is especially high in antioxidants.
Many mushroom varieties also have anti-inflammatory compounds, such as:
- Carotenoids
- Polysaccharides
- B vitamins
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury or illness, and it’s a necessary process. However, chronic inflammation can cause chronic disease and other health issues.
Adding mushroom coffee to your daily routine may help support your body’s response to inflammation.
3. Adaptogenic
Many mushrooms have adaptogenic properties. Adaptogens are believed to help the body adapt to physical and mental stress. They’re commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic medicine for these purposes.
If you’re going through a particularly stressful time, the adaptogenic properties of mushrooms may help you better cope with the stress. But be mindful of your consumption. When taking over an extended period of time, adaptogens may lose their effectiveness.
4. Lower Caffeine Levels
If you’re like many coffee drinkers, you probably consume multiple cups of coffee each day. But all of that caffeine can make you feel jittery and miserable.
One great advantage of mushroom coffee is that it doesn’t contain quite as much caffeine as regular coffee. In fact, the mushroom coffee you find in stores and online usually contains about half the caffeine of regular coffee.
With lower caffeine levels, you get the benefits of improved focus and alertness without the jitters.
If you’re sensitive to caffeine or you just want to lower your intake, mushroom coffee may be an excellent choice for you. However, it’s still essential to check the packaging for specifics on the caffeine content.
5. Helps Support the Immune System
Mushrooms are well-known for their immune-supporting effects. When mushroom coffee contains the whole mushroom (both the fruiting bodies and the mycelium), they also contain prebiotic fiber that promotes healthy gut flora.
All of the antioxidants, sterols, peptides, proteins, vitamins and minerals in mushrooms help further support the immune system.
Test tube studies have found that Turkey’s tail mushrooms and their fermented substrates have some immune-boosting effects.
6. May Promote Liver Health
Mushroom coffee can contain a variety of mushrooms, including those that help support liver health.
Reishi, for example, has properties that promote liver function and may even prevent liver disease. It can help the body flush out toxins more efficiently.
One study found that reishi may have properties that prevent liver damage. This effect is thanks to the mushroom’s antioxidant properties and ability to fight immune responses that hinder liver function.
7. May Improve Digestion
Some mushrooms contain polysaccharides like beta-glucans, which behave like prebiotics and help boost digestion.
Research has shown that beta-glucans can help:
- Lower body weight
- Improve glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol levels in diabetic mice
- Improve insulin sensitivity
Prebiotics can help support the production of healthy gut bacteria, which can play a role in your digestion and immune system health.
So, if you’re looking for ways to boost your digestion or improve your gut health, mushroom coffee may help.
The Takeaway
While mushroom coffee has many reported benefits, it’s important to remember that more research is needed to support these claims. You’ll find plenty of anecdotal evidence of these benefits, but there’s no guarantee that you’ll experience them yourself.
That being said, mushroom coffee is still worth trying and adding to your daily routine. It’s an excellent way to change up your morning routine while fueling your body with antioxidants and essential nutrients.
Curious why people drink coffee? Read our guide: Why Do People Drink Coffee: From Ritual to Habit.
