Mushroom coffee - Yep, it's a thing!

Mushroom coffee is one of my all-time favorite health boosters. I know it sounds crazy, but I have a feeling you’re going to love this!

But first, a little background:

I am a self-proclaimed coffee snob. I love coffee, yet I don’t drink it regularly (more on that in a bit). Having grown up with a dad who was born and raised in Italy who took his coffee very seriously, I came to know and appreciate good coffee. My dad exclusively used his aluminum, octagon-shaped Bialetti espresso maker (http://amzn.to/2DZAOCL) - the one you place directly on top of a gas burner. He used illy espresso (http://amzn.to/2DXNYQA) and the intoxicating aroma of coffee would very quickly permeate the house - and linger. A drip coffee maker didn’t exist in our house.

I travel to Italy every year to visit my dad’s family (all of whom still live in Italy). And coffee, as you may well know, is a staple of Italian culture. But not just coffee… espresso. It appears to be a non-negotiable start to the day and lunch is not complete without that tiny little cup of espresso - bold, bitter and delicious. I have yet to witness an Italian who skips adding an entire packet of sugar into their tiny espresso (which makes me cringe a little but we’ll talk about sugar another day!) - however, I must admit, it tastes better with just a little sugar since it’s so bold. My 91-year-old Italian grandmother cannot fathom starting her day without her caffè latte and biscotti (Italian for cookies).

Ok, back to the mushroom coffee. Who would've thought they’d be such a great match? Four Sigmatic, that’s who! Four Sigmatic has exploded as a company in the last couple years. They’ve been featured by many magazines, newspapers, podcasts and health gurus. They’ve done an amazing job bringing medicinal mushrooms to the masses and making them more mainstream. And rightfully so - mushrooms boast some serious health benefits. They boost longevity, nourish your gut, help with weight loss, fight cancer and do wonders for our planet. Four Sigmatic is likely most well-known for their mushroom coffee which has about half as much caffeine as regular coffee and they combine it with a few different medicinal mushrooms such as Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Reishi and Cordyceps. Here’s why you should care:

Chaga is considered the king of mushrooms and is said to have the highest amount gram for gram of antioxidants of any food in the world. Chaga has the highest source of melanin of any food. Melanin is great for skin, hair, nails, eyes and acts almost like an internal sunblock. It’s highly anti-viral and anti-inflammatory, protects us from pathogens, great for gut health and very high in minerals like magnesium and zinc.

Reishi is one of the most studied mushrooms and is considered the queen of mushrooms. It promotes a sense of calm in the body, helps you sleep deeper and is very grounding. You can drink it any time of day, but it’s best consumed in the afternoon or evening or when you’re feeling stressed/anxious. It’s great for liver detox, it can help with allergies since it has anti-histaminic properties and also helps with candida.

Cordyceps are a strong energy booster and wonderful for immunity. They build the adrenal glands and are amazing for our lungs and particularly known for boosting athletic performance. Any runners out there? Cordyceps increase VO2 max by up to 15%. They help control insulin and blood sugar levels as well as improve liver function.

Lion’s Mane is a natural cognitive enhancer that improves overall mental health and well-being. I'm drinking it as I write this actually. Lion’s mane supports memory and concentration, is neuroprotective and improves anxiety and depression. It also has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, boosts immune function and helps tremendously with digestive issues like gastritis and inflammatory bowel disease.

How cool are mushrooms? Granted, there’s a huge diversity of 'shrooms out there with over 1.5 million different varieties, so there are some fungi that can kill you, but many that can heal you. Also, about 40% of all pharmaceuticals are derived from fungi. Why not just go straight to the source?

Want to know something else fascinating? Humans share 30-50% of their DNA with mushrooms! WHAT! No wonder they are so great for us.

Yes, it absolutely tastes like a delicious cup of coffee, but there is something unique about the flavor (in a good way). It’s not bitter, you don’t get jittery, there’s no crash and it doesn’t make you sweat. Am I the only one who sweats after drinking coffee?! This was the main reason I didn't drink coffee but once a week(ish), but I guess I don’t have much of an excuse anymore! They sell it in convenient individual packets - it’s a powder that you literally just mix into hot water. They also sell a tin of the same powder that has about 30 servings and they also recently debuted a 1-lb bag of ground 'shroom coffee for anyone who prefers to make it old school. To my surprise, the ground coffee in the bag works pretty well in a French press.

The health benefits are insane and I think everyone needs to get in on this greatness. Don’t like coffee? No problem. They sell many other wonderful mushroom elixirs (with zero caffeine), all of which I continuously stock up on because my husband, Mike, and I both can’t get enough. Here’s an important distinction when it comes to the various brands of medicinal mushroom powders on the market: In order to reap the rewards of medicinal mushrooms, the extract must be derived from fruiting bodies, NOT mycelium. It should state this on the label. Four Sigmatic is one of the few companies that uses the fruiting bodies to create their extracts. This is important because the mycelium have little to no medicinal value.

Ready to try some mushroom coffee for yourself? Check out Four Sigmatic (https://us.foursigmatic.com/) and enjoy reading about all the mushroom magic. They also have some drool-worthy recipes on their site. You might end up buying one of everything. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! *This should help: you can get 10% off your order with coupon code STEADFAST.

Let me know if you try it out!

Have a 'shroomy day,

Sandra

*Full disclaimer: I am a Four Sigmatic affiliate which means if you use my coupon code, I earn a small commission. This allows me to keep doing what I do - help people with their health!