I’ll be the first to admit that I probably drink too much coffee — black, no sugar and upwards of four cups a day — so the prospect of mushroom coffee? Intensely appealing. And with Holland & Barrett reporting a 150% increase in the sale of mushroom products year on year, likely due to claims it can improve your focus and cognition, I was curious to test it for myself. Could it really be a (delish) alternative for those particularly sensitive to caffeine?

“Mushrooms have been a cornerstone of traditional practices in Asia for thousands of years,” details Niamh McCormack, commercial trends & acceleration lead at Holland & Barrett. “Today, as consumers increasingly seek out ancient ingredients and holistic approaches, these fungi are experiencing a major resurgence.”

Granted, regular coffee has many proven benefits, including being a good source of antioxidants and fibre, but I do often find myself struggling to focus on work after lunch — even with the aid of a black Americano. Thankfully, Dr Rayyan Zafar, scientist at Imperial College London and chief scientific officer at Moodeys, revealed that mushrooms such as lion’s mane have been proven to enhance cognition, while chaga can support immunity. Cordyceps mushrooms have also been linked with improved physical performance, and reishi with stress reduction. So far, so promising.

Both experts were keen to point out that additional research is needed to learn more about the individual benefits of mushrooms in coffee — hence why I volunteered to sample a selection myself. So, keep reading for a rundown on everything you need to know about mushroom coffee, including answers to your FAQs, as well as the best worth making space in your wellness budget for.

SKIP TO: What is mushroom coffee? | Mushroom coffee FAQs | How we test mushroom coffee.

Meet the experts:

What is mushroom coffee?

“Mushroom coffee is a blend of traditional coffee beans and extracts from medicinal mushrooms such as lion’s mane, chaga, reishi, cordyceps, and turkey tail,” explains Zafar. “These mushrooms are renowned for their adaptogenic and potential neurotrophic properties, which can help the body manage stress and maintain balance.

“The resulting brew tastes very similar to coffee; however, it often comes with earthy undertones, and typically contains less caffeine than standard coffee.” This, he says, makes it a gentler option for those sensitive to caffeine’s effects. “Further, the addition of the mushroom products is believed to enhance and interact with the effects of the caffeine and polyphenols and antioxidants in coffee.” Sign us up.

Since 2021, the GLAMOUR team — writers, editors and committed freelancers — has made it a priority to personally test a host of supplements, multivitamins and protein powders to boost your diet and overall wellbeing.

Every mushroom coffee in this round-up was mixed up and made into a cup of white coffee before being reviewed against the following criteria: ease of use, efficacy — how long until we noticed a difference — taste and value for money, such as the number of servings per pack. We also considered the quality and types of mushrooms. Unsurprisingly, only our favourites made it into the edit below.

Ahead, the best mushroom coffee for 2025, approved by GLAMOUR’s shopping editors: