How Much Mushroom Coffee Per Day Should You Drink?
We get it — mushroom coffee is delicious (especially when you drink it as a frothy mocha). It’s easy to lose track of things and drink two or three cups, but haven’t you wondered how much you should actually be drinking per day?
To answer this question, it’s important to understand what’s in your cup. Caffeine, functional mushrooms, and extract strength all play a role. Let’s break down what mushroom coffee actually is, how much you should drink, and how different ingredients affect things.
What Is Mushroom Coffee?
Mushroom coffee is typically a mix of coffee with dried mushroom extract powder. Popular mushrooms include lion’s mane (which is linked to focus and cognitive support), chaga (which is antioxidant-rich), reishi (which chills you out), and cordyceps (which is associated with endurance).
When blended right, the flavor is still coffee-forward, with just a subtle earthy undertone. While some blends are lower in caffeine than traditional coffee, others match it cup for cup. For most people, though, the major draw is that mushroom coffee tastes like your morning brew while boasting many more benefits.
How Much Mushroom Coffee Should You Drink Per Day?
For most healthy adults, one to two cups of mushroom coffee per day is a safe, sensible sweet spot. This is about the dosage we recommend for our Mushroom Coffee+, as well.
Many reputable blends pack between one and three grams of mushrooms per serving, which puts two cups squarely in the range used in the research on functional mushrooms. Plus, even if the caffeine content is lower than your usual drip, it still adds up when combined with other sources like tea, soda, or your after-lunch energy drink.
Do the Ingredients Make a Difference?
While one to two cups of mushroom coffee is generally a good place to start, the exact ingredients used in your mushroom coffee can make a huge difference. Let’s look at some ingredients that might affect the dosage.
Functional Mushrooms
Species like lion’s mane, chaga, reishi, and cordyceps each bring their own potential benefits, but they also have their own dosing sweet spots. For example, lion’s mane research often uses one to three grams per day, while reishi studies might use even more.
If your blend is generous with its extracts, one cup might get you close to those research-adjacent ranges. In that case, cup number two could be more about taste than necessity.
On the flip side, if the label shows smaller amounts per serving, two cups may be needed to reach your daily goal. The key is knowing what’s in your mug.
Coffee
One of mushroom coffee’s biggest selling points is that it often has less caffeine than regular coffee. However, “often” doesn’t mean “always.” Some blends clock in at 150 mg per serving, while others contain no coffee whatsoever — just bitter herbs that mimic the earthy taste. Our Mushroom Coffee+ contains 45 mg per serving, which is right in the sweet spot.
The FDA’s general guideline for healthy adults is to keep daily caffeine under 400 mg, but your personal limit might be much lower if you’re sensitive or prone to anxiety. And while you might be able to stretch yourself, your tolerance is ultimately set by your genes.
That means your safe mushroom coffee dosage depends on its caffeine content and any other sources of caffeine you consume throughout the day. Two cups of a low-caffeine blend are probably fine for most people. However, two cups of a high-caffeine blend plus a mid-afternoon latte might cause restless nights and caffeine-fueled overthinking.
L-Theanine
Found naturally in green tea, we’ve added L-theanine to our mushroom blends to smooth out the negative side effects of caffeine, support sleep, and encourage a state of calm focus. If your mushroom coffee includes l-theanine, you might feel calmer even at slightly higher caffeine levels, which could tempt you to pour that third cup.
But remember: L-theanine doesn’t make you immune to caffeine’s other effects, like late-night tossing and turning or the subtle creep of over-reliance. It can make mushroom coffee more tolerable for those with caffeine sensitivity, but it’s not a free pass to double your intake without paying attention to the other ingredients.
Collagen
Collagen in mushroom coffee is less about altering your caffeine tolerance and more about adding benefits to your cup. It’s a structural protein your body naturally produces, and adding it to coffee can be a convenient way to bump up your daily intake.
Collagen itself isn’t stimulating, so it won’t cause jitters or mess with your sleep. However, if your blend has a meaningful dose of collagen (say, five to 10 grams), you may already be hitting your daily target in just one or two cups. At that point, drinking more is just… well, extra collagen you probably don’t need.
Who Shouldn’t Drink Mushroom Coffee?
As much as we’d like mushroom coffee to be for everyone, there are a few groups who should proceed with caution (or skip it altogether). If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, put your cuppa on hold until your healthcare provider gives the all-clear. The same goes for anyone on blood thinners or certain immune-modulating medications, since mushrooms like chaga and reishi may interact with them.
If you have a mushroom allergy, kidney issues (chaga can be high in oxalates), or autoimmune conditions, it’s also important to talk to your doctor before you start drinking mushroom coffee. And of course, if caffeine gives you the jitters, makes your heart race, or disrupts your sleep, you’ll want to rethink how much caffeine should be in your cup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Three Cups a Day Okay?
For most healthy adults, three cups a day might be fine if the blend is low in caffeine and mushroom extract per serving. But if your coffee is higher in either, three cups could push you past recommended ranges, leading to restless nights or digestive discomfort. Always check the label and factor in your other caffeine sources before making that third pour a habit.
Can You Drink Mushroom Coffee at Night?
If your mushroom coffee contains caffeine, drinking it at night will almost certainly affect your sleep. Even lower-caffeine blends can disrupt sleep for sensitive folks. If you want to wind down with a cup of something warm, opt for a caffeine-free mushroom blend or a mug of calming herbal tea.
Does It Matter Which Brand You Choose?
Absolutely. Some brands contain different types of mushrooms, varied concentrations of caffeine, and unique active ingredients that don’t translate to other brands of mushroom coffee. Transparent labeling can help you decide how many cups fit your needs, and third-party testing ensures what’s on the label is actually in the jar.
The Bottom Line
Mushroom coffee can be a delicious and functional upgrade to your daily brew if you know your limits. Most healthy adults do well with one to two cups per day, adjusting based on mushroom extract amounts, caffeine content, and added extras like l-theanine or collagen.
As you shop for the right cuppa, make sure you check your labels and adjust your expectations accordingly. For more information on mushroom coffee, check out the Everyday Dose blog today.
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