All that exercise got you run down? For an energy boost, reach for a morning cup of stimulating cordyceps coffee. If your first reaction is “you want me to put what in my coffee?” stay with us!

Medicinal mushroom benefits

  • helps the body utilize oxygen more efficiently
  • has antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting qualities
  • contains antioxidants and prebiotics
  • may balance mood and decrease anxiety and depression

This medicinal mushroom is shown to help the body utilize oxygen more efficiently and increase blood flow, making cordyceps a great mushroom for athletes.

Studies show that this supplement can not only improve exercise and athletic performance, but also speed up post-workout muscle recovery.

And cordyceps are just the tip of the iceberg. Mushrooms in general provide tons of health benefits. They’ve been shown to contain powerful antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting qualities and are loaded with antioxidants and digestion-friendly prebiotics.

You can purchase mushroom coffee online or at health food realtors like Whole Foods. But you can also make your own by purchasing a powdered mushroom variety that suits your needs and add it to your morning brew.

Since medicinal mushrooms are available in powdered form (they’re never meant to be eaten raw or whole as they’re not digestible like edible mushrooms are), it’s easy to add a scoop of healing fungi to other things besides coffee, too — like smoothies, teas, hot cocoa, or even a stir-fry.

The best thing about mushrooms is that there’s a type for every purpose.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 tsp. mushroom powder of your choice
  • 1/2 cup brewed coffee, hot
  • 1 cup milk of choice (whole, coconut, almond, etc.), warmed
  • honey or agave, to sweeten
  • a pinch of cinnamon, to taste

Directions

  1. Blend the mushroom powder, hot coffee, warmed milk, sweetener, and cinnamon until frothy.
  2. Pour into a mug and top with a pinch of additional cinnamon, if desired.

Dosage: Drink half a teaspoon, or 2,500 milligrams (mg), of mushroom powder once a day and see the benefits kick in in two weeks’ time. Research studying the benefits of cordyceps on people with severe health conditions use dosages ranging from 2,000 mg up to 6,000 mg per day.

Possible side effects While it’s rare that the side effects exceed mild digestive irritation, the research is mixed regarding the safety of mushrooms. It should be noted, however, that the medicinal use of mushrooms has persisted for centuries, notably in Chinese culture, and therefore has a long history of being ingested by humans.

Tiffany La Forge is a professional chef, recipe developer, and food writer who runs the blog Parsnips and Pastries. Her blog focuses on real food for a balanced life, seasonal recipes, and approachable health advice. When she’s not in the kitchen, Tiffany enjoys yoga, hiking, traveling, organic gardening, and hanging out with her corgi, Cocoa. Visit her at her blog or on Instagram.