an idea Add mushrooms Other foods are not new, as the Chinese used them for medicinal purposes thousands of years ago, before mushrooms turned into an alternative to coffee due to the lack of coffee beans in Finland during World War II.
After that, putting mushrooms in drinks became common until the phenomenon of “mushroom coffee” appeared, which is prepared from ground coffee mixed with certain types of medicinal mushroom extracts, which can be purchased in pre-prepared and quick-to-cook packages.
Mushroom coffee is promoted as a healthy alternative to regular coffee, and is said to have many benefits such as: improving sleep, supporting memory, reducing stress, strengthening immunity, reducing inflammation, relieving muscle pain, and increasing energy levels.
However, the marketing status of mushroom coffee, which made it among the “best selling instant coffee” list on Amazon, did not prevent it from raising questions from experts about the validity of the claims of its benefits, and the extent to which it deserves the price paid for it.
Dr. Chris Eliades, MD, mentioned in a previous article on the University Health News website (universityhealthnews), that he does not consider mushroom coffee a substitute for coffee, “it is ground mushrooms or an extract that is added to regular coffee, in the hope of adding the health benefits of mushrooms to the health benefits of coffee.”
He added that the studies accompanying the common claims about the benefits of this type of coffee are “very few”, in contrast to the benefits of regular coffee, “they are well documented and have been studied a lot.”
Evaluating the claims made by the makers of mushroom coffee
Speaking to the Cleveland Clinic,Cleveland Clinic), registered dietitian Beth Zeroni echoed Chris Eliades’ view, saying that “there isn’t a lot of research to suggest that all of these claims are actually true.”
She explained that “mushrooms in general have some wonderful benefits, as they may reduce inflammation and contain antioxidants that can help support the immune system, but they are benefits that can be obtained from eating mushrooms even with salt, and in terms of nutrition, there is no useful research that supports The Health Claims Made by the Makers of Mushroom Coffee.
And she attributed the uproar that accompanied the marketing of mushroom coffee since its appearance, to her idea based on a scientifically unproven assumption that all the benefits of mushrooms can be achieved after processing and brewing them along with morning coffee, “but the truth is that mushroom coffee is expensive and has fewer health benefits than eating mushrooms.” Whole mushrooms.
So Beth Zeroni isn’t tempted to recommend mushroom coffee, “not only because it costs twice as much as regular coffee, but because there’s so little reliable research on its benefits.”
Notes on mushroom coffee
Among the observations that stopped the experts in their review of the alleged benefits of mushroom coffee:
- The caffeine trick: Mushroom coffee is promoted as having “about half the caffeine of regular coffee,” but Dr Linda J Strausedirector of a medical consulting company, explains that “this is because the mushroom coffee blends are prepared with a smaller amount than the ground coffee beans used in preparing regular coffee, yet they contain much more caffeine than decaffeinated coffee.”
- Calories and fat: While regular coffee is almost devoid of calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol, mushroom coffee can add about 55 calories in 100 grams, in addition to one gram of saturated fat and two grams of cholesterol. “In exchange for providing some healthy carbohydrates, plus more than 1 gram of dietary fiber,” says Dr. Iliad.
- Health risks: There are types of mushrooms “that are rich in oxalate, which may increase the risk of kidney stones,” according to Beth Zeroni and Eliades. Mushrooms may also exacerbate the suffering of some people “who have digestive problems or are allergic to eating mushrooms.” It is an allergy whose symptoms may come “in the form of stomach pain, vomiting and difficulty breathing,” according to the certified nutritionist Sarah Olshewski.
Expert opinion
Coffee has become a must-have in the morning routine for many around the world Researches The United States alone consumes about 400 million cups a day. This widespread popularity is what prompts some companies to introduce new alternatives to regular coffee – such as mushroom coffee – claiming that it contains more nutrients.
“If you are a fan of the higher caffeine content, you will not like the taste and effects of mushroom coffee as a replacement for your regular daily coffee,” Eliades says. But still, you can get all the benefits of mushrooms, which contain many nutrients that are good for health, such as antioxidants, vitamins, calcium, potassium, and more fiber, by adding them to your food.
Sarah Olshewski points out, “The importance of consulting a doctor to ensure that the type of mushroom in mushroom coffee is appropriate for a person’s health condition.” This is what Beth Zeroni advises, who wants to start his day with a cup of mushroom coffee, to “try one type of mushroom powder at a time, and track any symptoms he may encounter, in order to avoid them.”
Although she does not see anything wrong with drinking mushroom coffee, “as long as there are fewer sugar or bleach additives, and the person does not have problems with the digestive system or kidneys,” she reminds that what is best for health is “eating whole fresh mushrooms, and not drinking processed mushrooms in expensive coffee.” “.