Looking to quit coffee? Or even just cut back? But are you scared that without it, you'll start feeling sluggish in the morning and tired all the time?

Don't worry! This won't happen. There are a plethora of other options that can serve as your energizing morning ritual but without all the drawbacks of normal coffee. One that's come to my attention is the use of medicinal mushrooms to relieve the anxiety and jitteriness that coffee can cause.

Medicinal mushrooms have been increasing in popularity in western wellness circles over the last few years, including features on popular wellness blogs blogs like MindBodyGreen and Well+Good, and even specialty mushroom coffee shops like this one in San Francisco (The Chaga Company Cafe). Having been cherished in eastern medicine for thousands of years, medicinal mushrooms are finally getting their moment worldwide. 

Despite what you may be imagining, Mushroom coffee is similar to regular ground coffee, only now with medicinal mushroom infused in the ground coffee. Don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like mushrooms, and the prep is as simple as mixing a spoonful into water and stirring a little, or using a mini-frother for extra foaminess. 

Many brands have only a few functional mushrooms mixed in, but since each and every mushroom offers so much value, it’s best when you can find a blend with as many as possible mixed in! RYZE has 6 medicinal mushrooms: Cordyceps, for energy enhancing properties, Lion’s Mane for brain health and a cognitive boost, Shiitake and King Trumpet for incredible immune-enhancing qualities, Turkey Tail for gut health and good digestion, Reishi for promoting good quality sleep and busting stress. 

With all of these mushrooms, just imagine all the amazing health benefits you could feel from just one cup a day. Drinking it daily, you’ll find that this stuff works wonders. RYZE's mushroom coffee blend is a convenient mix of some of the healthiest functional superfoods around. You can mix it into hot water, or if you’re really hardcore like the Healthy Ballerina, you can add it to brewed coffee ;) It dissolves really nicely in hot or cold beverages, so you can even add it to an iced latte or smoothie for an on-the-go meal. 

Here’s a little more about what I’ve been feeling ever since I made the switch from coffee to mushroom coffee.

Usually, when I drank coffee I would feel alert sure, but would have these sensations of heart racing, restless knee shakes, and wasted energy. With mushroom coffee, I don’t feel anxious or jumpy, but just tuned in. I suppose that’s the best way to describe it. Focused, but calm. I have tons of energy but never find it hard to fall asleep at night, even if I have a cup of mushroom coffee later in the afternoon. With regular coffee, if I had a cup after noon, forget about getting to bed any earlier than the wee hours of the morning. Another HUGE thing I’ve noticed since drinking mushroom coffee? My digestion is totally normalized. Regular coffee would throw off my stomach a lot and always leave this upset feeling, but I liked the other perks too much, so I’d deal with the discomfort. Now I don’t have to. In fact, the functional mushrooms in RYZE mushroom coffee, especially Turkey Tail, are anti-microbials and help keep the digestive system working properly by regulating gut bacteria.  

Scientific studies and clinical trials have shown the benefits of these mushrooms as well, especially Reishi, Lion’s Mane Cordyceps, and King Trumpet. Their healing properties include: anti-inflammation, anti-viral, gut health, antioxidant rich (even more than cherished ones like cacao, blueberries, and acai), flush liver toxins, anti-tumor, stimulate neuron growth, and prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. Check out this article to learn more about the research and benefits of these functional mushrooms.

Another amazing thing? They’re incredible at calming anxiety and reducing stress. Many functional mushrooms are adaptogens, meaning they are able to the body “adapt” and heal. As the famous integrative medicine expert Andrew Weil explains, adaptogens support the body’s ability to bring itself back to homeostasis. Some studies confirm they lessen the stress effect by supporting the glands responsible for balancing hormones, and regulating everything from energy levels and metabolism, to brain function, and even our emotional response. 

The last thing I’ll add is that, even though it has less than ½ the caffeine in a normal cup of coffee (which is a very good thing!), you may be worried if it’ll keep you alert like coffee does? YES! In fact, it’s far better at sustaining alertness, not leaving you with those dreaded afternoon slumps. 

I can report that mushroom coffee has been the best addition to my daily routine in a long, long time! If you’re someone who loves coffee, but are caffeine-sensitive and don’t like the anxious and jittery feeling that comes with normal coffee, check mushroom coffee out immediately. I don’t think you’ll look back. 

My two cents? This health trend is here to stay and I only want to see it growing in the next few years. 

Find more out about RYZE mushroom coffee below.