We know, we know. Mycology Nutrition’s patented blend of 100% natural mushroom coffee mix doesn’t need spicing up. It’s perfect as it is, you say, rolling your eyes, before taking another sip of your Focus blend and sighing contentedly as birds fly in from outside and start to trill just as a slice of sunshine basks you in a heavenly glow. We hear you, mushroom-heads. The potential health benefits of our mushroom coffee blends are more than enough to revitalise your morning and help you reclaim your day from the boring drudgery of over-familiar blends and spirit-sapping crashes.
But we’d be remiss to not admit that certain accompaniments can add a different dimension to your coffee game, depending on what you’re looking for. And we’re all about experimentation here at Mycology Nutrition. And we know you’re all for experimentation too, considering you took the bold jump to replace the safety of traditional coffee with something a little more electric. But we understand that there is a limit. Pineapple on pizza? Polarising, but it works for some people. Pineapple in coffee? Don't go there. Our R&D department really, really suggests you don't go there.
So we’ve crunched the numbers, compiled the hard data, and drunk approximately 150,000 cups of coffee, all to bring you a blog that details exactly which ingredients dovetail with our scintillating mushroom coffee range.
Coconut oil
It’s alright, saturated fats, you can come out now. People have stopped being so mean. There’s a growing appreciation for the concept of adding so-called MCT oils to your coffee, and that’s largely because, like the other entries on this list, the benefits aren’t just a one-way ticket to flavour town.
MCT stands for medium-chain triglyceride, which is the technical term for this specific subtype of fatty acid. While the benefits of MCT oil are mainly referred to within the context of the keto diet (here’s a great explainer on the potential pros and cons if you’re uninitiated), there is a decent amount of clinical data to suggest that ingestion could have benefits outside of sticking to that carbs-exclusionary diet.
The body digests MCTs a lot quicker than most other fats, and the prospect of storing fats also generally proves far less likely. A study found that athletes who consumed MCTs worked harder and for longer. Naturally, everything in moderation—a generous helping of coconut oil in your coffee can set you back a few hundred calories, so you could see it as a weekly treat. But for those that are active, coconut oil in your mushroom coffee is a fantastic way to improve performance.
Peanut Butter
Apart from the fact that peanut butter is one of the best sources of protein available (bodybuilders literally eat it by the spoonful) and protein is one of the best ways to feed that big grey lump in your head (don’t be modest, it’s massive), there’s also the fact that it tastes great in your mushroom coffee. And coupled with the general boost in cognition you can expect from our various mixtures (especially our Endurance blend!), one or two spoonfuls is a solid way to increase your energy levels.
The science suggests that an imbalanced protein/carbohydrate ratio can affect the brain’s serotonin levels. Amino acids, which form the foundation of protein, have a crucial role in the development of neurotransmitters. Protein is used to synthesise the chemical that produces dopamine. All this to say: protein is important, however you get it.
Lemon
Zest is best. At least, that’s what the scientists say. Potentially. That doesn’t really sound like something they’d say, but for the sake of argument, just imagine they do. One thing they have definitely said is that the combination of daily lemon intake and walking could very well reduce blood pressure.
And so we’d imagine that they’d also wholeheartedly endorse our totally quirky, endearingly left-field suggestion of adding a spritz of yellow ball to your morning/afternoon / evening brew. So on top of keeping those taste buds guessing, bamboozled, and hoodwinked – easily surprised little things they are—you’re also potentially keeping on top of your blood pressure. Flavour, meet function, AKA the Mycology Nutrition way.
Oatmeal
Now hear us out. We know this might be the moment that you think Mycology Nutrition jumped the shark; that the traumatic events of the pineapple coffee debacle have scrambled our sense of what belongs in our cups. That we spent so much time figuring out if we could, we didn’t stop to question if we should. But hear us out.
Oatmeal is a whole grain, which is an actual superfood amidst a sea of misleading marketing about superfoods. They’re packed with high levels of fibre, are low fat, and, due to their nature as a starchy carbohydrate, release energy slowly and consistently. In terms of what you should be putting into your body, it's the real deal Holyfield.
You’ve got B vitamins, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, micronutrients, and protein – barrels of good stuff. Oatmeal has all of that and tastes good. It's a no-brainer. So whip up a batch and then mix it with some oat milk and mushroom coffee—oh, and add a tiny dollop of honey to it and tell us you haven’t been converted immediately.
Mixing Mixes
OK, alright, you’ve got us, bang to rights. This one’s cheating. We’ll hold our hands up high and admit that. But if it works, it works. We’ve found that one of the best ways to enhance the already mouthwatering flavours of mushroom coffee is to experiment with mixing them together. We’ve also found that doing so can increase the nootropic benefit of each specific blend.
Focus is utterly fantastic for a sharp, instantaneous neurological boost—this herb and mushroom blend was crafted specifically to promote mental acuity and fight executive dysfunction. But pairing it with Endurance adds longevity to the process, so you get the best of both worlds. The same goes for mixing Endurance with Immunity and Immunity with Focus.
These wonderful blends of herbs and mushrooms—always 100% natural—can accentuate and strengthen each other when mixed together. Admittedly, it’s not for everyone—there's a faction in the office that believes the flavours of each product are so finely balanced and optimised that merging them together sacrifices some of their original power.
And we can understand that point of view. None of these options are here to replace your current mushroom coffee setup—we are sure you view coffee in the same way we do, as a thing to be treated with love and reverence. It’s likely you have things perfectly calibrated already—you know what you’re doing, and it always amazes us to hear about the ingenious ways you’ve levelled up your morning ritual.
We just think that when you have a solid foundation, you can afford to experiment because you know you can always come back to consistency. So take all of these with a pinch of lemon. And if you have your own recipes, please share! Unless they include pineapple.
For more written goodness, be sure to check out our blog page.