Coffee is often celebrated for its numerous health benefits, from its rich antioxidant content to its well-documented energy-boosting properties. However, this much-loved beverage can also come with its fair share of undesirable side effects, including jitters, indigestion, energy crashes, and sleep problems.
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to reduce the adverse effects of your daily cup of joe and even pile on additional health perks? Enter lion’s mane coffee.
Get ready to uncover the many benefits of this unique blend and learn how to quickly and easily create your own lion’s mane mushroom coffee at home!
What Is Lion’s Mane Coffee?
If you’re visualizing a cup of coffee with mushrooms floating on top—don’t worry. That’s not what this is. Lion’s mane coffee is a blend of dried, ground lion’s mane mushrooms and ground coffee beans that creates a smooth, tasty brew.
Also known as Hericium erinaceus, lion’s mane mushroom has been used medicinally in Asian countries for centuries. It’s named after its unique shaggy, white appearance, which resembles—you guessed it—a lion’s mane.
Lion’s mane is considered a functional mushroom, which refers to a type of mushroom that’s recognized for its potential health benefits beyond its nutritional value. Chaga mushroom, reishi, and turkey tail are other examples. Lion’s mane contains bioactive substances that have many beneficial effects on the body, especially the brain, heart, and gut.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Regular Coffee?
On its own, coffee has been linked to many impressive health benefits:
- Rich in antioxidants and essential nutrients, such as potassium, vitamin B3, and phosphorus.
- Enhances focus and cognition while delaying fatigue.[*]
- May reduce risk of type 2 diabetes.[*]
- May reduce the risk of certain neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.[*]
- May promote improved weight management.[*]
- May safeguard the liver.[*]
- May reduce depression risk.[*]
- May promote heart health.[*]
But coffee isn’t without potential downsides. Coffee consumption can contribute to indigestion and sleep problems in some people. Many coffee drinkers also experience jitters and the dreaded “caffeine crash” a few hours after drinking a cup of joe.
What Are the Benefits of Lion’s Mane?
Adding lion’s mane mushroom to coffee elevates the beverage to a new level. This infusion not only supplements your cup with additional health benefits, but also serves to mitigate some of the less desirable effects traditionally associated with coffee consumption.
Let’s take a look at some of the potential health benefits of lion’s mane:
#1: Cognitive Enhancement
Lion’s mane mushroom is known as the “smart mushroom” for good reason. It contains bioactive substances, specifically hericenones and erinacines, that appear to boost the production of nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).[*]
These proteins play critical roles in maintaining, organizing, and regenerating neurons, the cells responsible for brain function. By promoting the health and growth of neurons, lion’s mane has the potential to improve cognitive functions, such as memory, learning, and concentration.
Furthermore, preliminary animal research suggests that lion’s mane could potentially protect against Alzheimer’s disease, a degenerative brain disease that causes progressive memory loss.[*][*][*]
#2: Mood Regulation
Feeling on edge or blue? Lion’s mane could help. Some animal research indicates that lion’s mane can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression by reducing brain inflammation.[*]
Other animal-based studies suggest that lion’s mane can help regenerate brain cells and improve functioning of the hippocampus, a part of the brain that processes emotional responses.[*][*]
Psst!: You can also reduce stress with these mood-boosting foods!
#3: Digestive Support
Mushrooms, including lion’s mane, are rich sources of prebiotics and polysaccharides. Prebiotics are a type of dietary fiber that act as food for the beneficial bacteria residing in your gut. This promotes the growth and activity of these healthy microbes, aiding in the maintenance of a balanced gut microbiome.
Polysaccharides, particularly a type called beta-glucans found in mushrooms, also serve as a food source for beneficial gut bacteria, which supports overall gut health.
#4: Adaptogenic Support
Adaptogens are a unique class of plants and mushrooms that help balance, restore, and protect the body. They work at a molecular level to regulate the hypothalamic, pituitary, and adrenal glands—all of which are involved in the body’s response to stress and fatigue.
Lion’s mane is considered an adaptogen due to its potential ability to help the body adapt to stress. The adaptogenic properties of lion’s mane may help balance the negative effects of the coffee. Unlike the quick jolt and subsequent crash often associated with regular coffee, the addition of lion’s mane may result in a more sustained and stable energy boost (sans jitters and a crash!).
#5: Heart Support
Heart health is a major concern for many individuals, and lion’s mane may offer some potential benefits in this area. Animal research suggests that this mushroom can lower triglyceride levels, which, when elevated, are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.[*]
By promoting a healthier lipid profile, lion’s mane coffee might contribute to better cardiovascular health.
How to Make Lion’s Mane Coffee
If you’re wondering how to make lion’s mane coffee, rest assured, you don’t need to venture into the forest to hunt for mushrooms. Although that sounds like quite an adventure, it’s fortunately not necessary, and for safety reasons, we don’t recommend it!
In fact, making lion’s mane coffee can be even simpler than making a regular cup of coffee thanks to our newest product, IQJOE.
IQJOE is a sugar-free, low-carb instant coffee powder that combines the highest quality Brazilian coffee with a functional blend of brain nutrients, including 8X-concentrated lion’s mane mushrooms and magnesium L-threonate. This dark roast is designed to fuel your body and mind, offering a unique and delicious take on your daily coffee ritual.
How to make:
1. Pour a packet of IQJOE into 8-12 ounces of hot water.
2. Mix until dissolved.
3. Enjoy and feel the benefits of crash-free energy!
IQJOE comes in four flavors: Original Black, Vanilla Spice, Toasted Hazelnut, and Caffè Mocha. Not sure which flavor to choose? Try our 16-stick Variety Pack to find your favorites!
A Final Word on Lion’s Mane Coffee
Both coffee and lion’s mane are superstars in their own right, but when brewed together, they create a concoction that goes beyond the usual morning energy boost. Lion’s mane coffee holds the potential to enhance not only your mornings, but your overall wellness journey, providing a daily dose of cognitive, digestive, and adaptogenic support with every sip.
Written by Katie Koschalk, a health and wellness writer, certified holistic nutritionist, and certified personal trainer based in California.
