Brands like Mud / Wtr are offering functional mushroom coffee alternatives and mushroom powders to consumers eager to harness the benefits of mushrooms .
SIPPING ON MUSHROOMS If you are envisioning a cup of coffee with a portabella on top , breathe a sigh of relief . Functional coffee , or coffee that is produced by grinding coffee beans with any number of ingredients , including mushrooms , offers consumers more than caffeine out of their morning-time joe .
Regular coffee works as a stimulant , which fights fatigue by blocking receptors and increasing the body ’ s level of energy-regulating neurotransmitters . Eventually though , regular coffee will cause an energy crash . Functional coffee , however , works to offset these effects by adding ingredients to the ground mix that moderates the effects of metabolizing caffeine , while simultaneously reducing anxiety and boosting immunity . The end product is a dark , silky and nutty brew that mimics the look and taste of regular coffee .
Celebrities endorsing functional coffee range from pop-culture icons like Gwyneth Paltrow to supermodels like Elle Macpherson . Functional coffee is just one way that mushrooms are popping up inside drinkware .
Mushroom wine , which has been popular in South Asia for years , is hitting American bar carts by storm . Capitalizing on the growing trend of health and wellness , mushroom wine is typically categorized in two ways — regular wines that add mushroom flavoring , and wines made from fermented mushrooms .
Global pop star Katy Perry teamed up with Morgan McLachlan , co-founder of a Los Angeles-based botanical beverage company , to create a French aperitif-inspired , non-alcoholic drink , De Soi . De Soi uses the immune-supporting reishi mushroom , for both flavor and function , and combines them with fruit juices and herbs to create a taste that some compare to a chardonnay .
VERSATILITY GALORE Mushrooms are also becoming popular in topical oils , as well as for face masks and other beauty purposes , because of their ability to fight signs of aging . Chaga and reishi mushrooms are often found in face creams , due to their antioxidant properties that help restore moisture and reduce wrinkles . Kojic acid , made from several different types of fungi , is commonly found in products that fight hyperpigmentation in skin .
Allen Carroll , a researcher who studied soil science at Auburn University , became so fascinated by mushrooms that he began a mushroom laboratory and education center , Fungi Farm , in Dadeville , Alabama . “ Mushrooms , when used topically in the form of oils and
62 SEA ISLAND LIFE | SPRING / SUMMER 2023