An American company with Finnish founders, Four Sigmatic (formerly Four Sigma Foods) specializes in supplements using what they call “the world’s most scientifically studied superfoods”, namely, drinks and supplements infused with mushroom extracts.
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The company has developed a number of instant drink mixes featuring Chaga, Reishi, and Cordyceps mushrooms, and these formulas are targeted at boosting digestion, immunity, relaxation, and/or focus. Several of their products feature common nootropic ingredients combined with mushroom extracts and instant drink mixes like coffee and hot chocolate.
Mushroom Coffee with Cordyceps is one such product, which Four Sigmatic says provides stimulatory effects of caffeine without the jitteriness. Our testers tried out the coffee, reviewing it for both its purported effects and flavor. Read below to see what we found.
The Ingredients
Active Ingredients:
Instant Coffee Powder – Caffeine 40 mg
The world’s most popular stimulant, caffeine reduces drowsiness and sedation by inhibiting adenosine (a nervous system depressant) from reaching receptors in the brain. There are extensive studies on the effects of caffeine on cognition, alertness, and athletic performance.
Strong Mushroom Dual-Extract 500 mg
Siberian Chaga Mushroom Dual-Extract (Inonotus obliquus) – 350 mg
The Chaga mushroom has been used extensively in both Ayurvedic and traditional medicine. The extract is typically prescribed for its diuretic and potentially anti-cancer properties. Four Sigmatic claims the highly alkaline mushroom also helps neutralize some of coffee’s natural acidity and bitterness, resulting in a smoother taste along with increased anti-oxidants properties.
Chaga mushrooms have been used in the past as replacement for coffee during times when it’s in short supply, so it’s not a big surprise that the two could be paired as far as flavor profile.
Cordyceps Dual-Extract – 150 mg
The cordyceps mushroom is an adaptogen that has been used in Chinese and Tibetan medicine as a treatment for numerous ailments, though its exact effects on the body still need to be determined through extensive clinical research. There’s also some early but promising clinical research indicating cordyceps extract has significant anti-fatigue properties, which is one of Four Sigmatic’s main claims about the ingredient.
While previously medicinal cordyceps mushrooms were hatched inside caterpillars, the mushrooms used in the Four Sigmatic’s products are vegan. Their site also contains extensive information about their ingredient extraction processes.
Usage Guidelines
Instant – Add one packet to 7fl oz of hot water.
What Our Testers Say
“The Mushroom Coffee with Cordyceps had me feeling like I’m enjoying a cup of coffee without worrying about bouncing off the walls, and the subsequent crash. My caffeine tolerance is prety low. My limit is usually ¼ cup of coffee before I start feeling off, but I was able to enjoy my whole cup, and the clean energy that came with it. There’s not a ton of caffeine in here, but I still felt effects.”
“I wasn’t crazy about the potency of this when mixed with the full amount of water, but I did feel a nice bit of energy after taking it. I ended up following it with my regular cup of coffee, and also tried mixing it with less water, which got me better results. I would use it again, especially on trips where quality coffee options are limited. Like the company claims, this coffee doesn’t taste acidic at all, or just very mildly so.”
“This was a little too mild for me on its own, so I mixed it in with my cold brew. The flavor was fine, and I do think that the Cordyceps took a bit of my jitters out, maybe not quite on the level of 200mg or so of l-theanine, which I like pairing with caffeine, but it was still noticeable. I will keep adding this to my normal brew for days when I need an extra push and don’t want to feel jumpy.”
“I mixed 1 packet with a vanilla protein shake, and it was amazing. There was a really mild, and sustained wave of energy, with no slump. It was a little too tea-like for me with the full 7 oz of hot water, but it was just right in my shake.”
Brain Wiz Tips
- Four Sigmatic’s Mushroom Coffee mixes well with both cold and hot liquids.
- The taste is mild. Our testers had success mixing it with less water for a stronger taste.
- This supplement contains about half the caffeine as a regular cup of coffee, making this a potentially solid option for those sensitive to caffeine or other stimulants.
- Some of our java junkie testers mixed the powder with hot or cold coffee for a stronger taste and buzz.
<li”>This coffee is noticeably less acidic than plain coffee.
- It tastes like coffee, NOT mushrooms, though the mouth-feel is slightly thicker when mixed with 7 ounces or less of water.
- Individually packaged servings makes it portable and convenient for travel.
- This product is vegan and Non-GMO.
Supplement Summary
Four Sigmatic’s Mushroom Coffee with Cordyceps surprised us and, at least mildly, impressed even our biggest coffee fanatics. It may be a great option for people who do well on smaller amounts of caffeine but would still like the buzz and energy boost with a lower instance of jitters and no crash. The flavor of the coffee is good, albeit extremely mild, it will likely be too light for those accustomed to a stronger brew. Some of our bolder testers mixed it with both protein shakes and coffee with great success. As with any caffeine-containing product, start slow and assess your tolerance before adding additional ingredients.
For our testers, this product performed basically as advertised, promoting an even wave of energy with no crash and no jitteriness. The convenience was also a plus.