I was never a big coffee drinker.  Not out of any high minded health reasons, necessarily — I just didn’t like the way it made me feel.  Jittery, anxious, higher strung… Pretty much like your average New Yorker.  Seeing as I was doing everything I could to counteract the energy of my former city, coffee just wasn’t for me.

Now that I’m a mom, and one living on the fairer (calmer) coast, there have definitely been days when I craved a good cup of joe. I would source some great organic coffee from the cafe down the street, add coconut oil (or sometimes even some grass-fed butter… more on why that’s a must here), and still, an hour later, I would find myself a little more testy or jittery or wired.

Why does this happen? Coffee does a number on your adrenals, stimulating a fight-or-flight response that can leave you feeling wired, and then depleted.  People who drink coffee on the regular pretty much live in this state, so it’s a little less noticeable.  But that fatigue you feel before you’ve had your first cup? Or at 3pm? Or in the evening? Or pretty much anytime between your cups of coffee?  Yeah… that’s adrenal fatigue.  And it is no bueno.  In addition to messing with your body and mind, this caffeinated adrenal overexertion also stimulates the release of cortisol, which leads to higher stress levels, poor sleep, premature aging, and even weight gain.

Ok, ok, so we get why coffee isn’t the best thing in the world.  Well there’s got to be a better option out there, right? One that isn’t a pseudo-coffee hippie drink (though I definitely love me some chicory)?

You’re in luck, my wired friend!  A group of adorable nordic guys (seriously, they’re all ridiculously cute) from Finland left their cushy corporate jobs to form Four Sigmatic, an awesome startup harnessing the power of mushrooms (yes, mushrooms) to make delicious, healthy versions of all your favorite hot bevvies. These guys knew what so many other cultures and healing traditions the world over have known for hundreds of years: mushrooms are magical.

These potent fungi are one of the most studied superfoods out there, and have been shown to perform all kinds of magical feats, like preventing cancer, lowering stress levels, improving concentration, boosting mood, increasing motivation, and so much more.  Unfortunately, in our silly country, we eat far too few of these magical foods, and aren’t in the habit of supplementing our diet with some of the more potent (and less conventionally edible) forms that are the most beneficial.

So the idea of combining amazing ‘shrooms like reishi, lion’s mane, cordyceps, chaga, maitake, and shiitake with coffee, tea, and hot cocoa is straight up brilliant.  AND delicious.

The hubs has been taking the Mushroom Coffee with Cordyceps and Chaga to work with him and mixing it with ice cold almond milk for the yummiest morning treat.  The chaga is an amazing antioxidant and is super alkaline, which counteracts the acidity of coffee (one of the reasons coffee can cause digestive issues and premature aging); while the cordyceps provides a clean cellular energy boost and adrenal support, again counteracting the negative adrenal effects of coffee.  These powerhouses are blended with 100% pure arabica coffee that is totally pesticide free.  The result is a delicious instant coffee that tastes just like a great cup of coffee (because it is a great cup of coffee), and gives your body so much clean energy, adrenal support, and antioxidant benefits, with absolutely no jitters.

My favorite is the Mushroom Hot Cacao with Reishi, which I’ve been whipping out on those chillier early summer evenings.  Reishi is one of my favorite mushrooms for stress relief, improving sleep, and supporting hormonal balance.  It’s seriously a mom’s best friend. Combine that with the antioxidant power of cacao, and the digestive and blood sugar supporting benefits of cinnamon and cardamom, and you’ve got yourself a truly decadent, super healthy treat that warms body and soul.  On hot days, I like to  drink it iced with almond milk or add it to my smoothies.  It’s also really yummy combined with the Mushroom Coffee to make a super duper potent mocha!

They also have a whole slew of other delicious mushroom concoctions to help you target specifically what ails you.  To boost immunity, try the Chaga Mushroom Elixir Mix (“Force Field in a Cup!”), which is an insanely potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-aging bomb for the system.  Combined with eleuthro, this elixir can decrease pain and keep you healthy year round.

Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up.

So next time you need a cup of coffee, or want to slow down and sip some cocoa, or tea, or pretty much anything… harness the power of mushrooms and do it up right.  Your body will thank you!

Want to try Four Sigmatic Mushroom Elixirs for yourself? Get 15% off when you use discount code: theorganicbeauty