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It's the era of functional drinks and everyone is buying in on the trend but does your cup of coffee really need that wellness boost? Several studies, including a 2022 report by Harvard Health have shown that plain black coffee is the healthiest way to consume caffeine and is associated with a longer life. That brings to the fore the question, are wellness coffees worth the spend, since coffee is the original superfood?
Mushroom coffee has been garnering interest online. It's usually made with freeze-dried ground mushrooms that are blended with ground coffee. Because the mushrooms make up part of the coffee beans, mushroom coffee naturally has less caffeine. TikTok and online health trends are touting a cup of mushroom coffee as a better alternative to your daily flat white.
Since it blends a smaller amount of regular coffee with medicinal fungi like chaga which can have some benefits like improved immunity or increased energy. However, no evidence shows combining them with coffee is more beneficial than ingesting them independently.
Nutritionist and author Toby Amidor, who busts food myths on Instagram, recently shared in a podcast, "(I) remind clients that mushroom coffee, as with any other foods or supplements, can’t provide a “magic” solution. If clients are experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, or insomnia, they should be referred to the appropriate health professional."
"They can consume mushrooms (whether fresh, canned, or frozen) and coffee separately and receive the same nutrients; they don’t need to be combined to maximize health benefits," Amidor said.
Superfood Latte, Anyone?
Some independent coffee brands across the world are producing superfood coffees that pair premium coffee with immune-supporting ingredients like Moringa, Spirulina, Ashwagandha, and Matcha. These are all superfoods which act like a bodyguard against harmful pathogens and relieve stress. But can a superfood coffee replace your daily vitamins or offer you something substantial besides diverse flavour profiles, unique ingredient blends and maybe a good feeling about eating right?
If it can, there is hardly any solid evidence around it. The olive oil coffee introduced by a popular American coffee chain garnered a mixed response from its audience. Though the coffee was lauded for its buttery taste and though olive oil is considered a superfood, rich in omega-3s and polyphenols, there’s no actual proof that adding it to one’s coffee offers any added nutritional value. If it can't compete with other nutrients, can a wellness coffee at least rival a simple cup of black coffee?
Experts all over the world agree that a superfood coffee, irrespective of the ingredients, is not a direct replacement for black coffee but rather a complementary choice and its impact varies from person to person and brand to brand. It’s important to note that the word ‘superfood’ is largely a marketing term, associated with ingredients with proven exceptional nutrient density. In 2007, the new EU legislation banned the use of the term superfood unless it is accompanied by a specific authorised health claim.
Moreover, the Public Health Service of England, NHS, has stated over the years that there is no single certified definition of a superfood. Superfood or not, coffee, on its own has been confirmed to be a part of a healthy diet; other popular superfoods which you may find in your coffee, be it avocado, spirulina or even olive oil have also proven to have terrific properties. However, while all excel on their own, there's simply no telling if these superfoods can mesh with your coffee to offer something truly beneficial or worth writing home about.
