In recent years, mushroom-infused beverages have surged in popularity as health-conscious consumers gravitate toward functional drinks made with natural ingredients. These beverages align with the broader wellness movement, offering both unique flavors and scientifically backed benefits, such as supporting the body’s natural resilience to stress and naturally uplifting mood. [1]
Functional mushrooms commonly used in healthy drinks include lion’s mane, chaga, turkey tail, maitake, cordyceps and reishi, all of which are well-known for their high nutritional value. These fungi not only impart nutrition and distinct flavors but also enhance food and drinks with functional health advantages, driving demand across the beverage industry. [2]
6 Functional Mushrooms that can elevate your drinks*
Organic Chaga Mushroom
Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) is called the “king of mushrooms” for a reason. Aside from its long history of use in traditional medicine, chaga is also a good source of protein, dietary fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants, bioactive polysaccharides and essential nutrients. Analysis of chaga’s composition reveals it contains the following beneficial components: [3]
· Beta glucans – a type of soluble fiber with many health-supporting properties
· Triterpenoids – plant compounds known for maintenance of good overall health
· Melanin – a naturally occurring pigment with strong free radical-scavenging properties [4]
· Antioxidants – including phenolic acids, flavonoids and superoxide dismutase, an enzyme known to protect healthy cells from oxidative damage
· Essential vitamins – including vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, D2 and K
· Essential minerals - including calcium, copper, iron, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfur, selenium and zinc
Often brewed as an herbal tea, chaga is naturally caffeine-free and has a somewhat earthy taste. [5] Its impressive nutrient profile and associated benefits make chaga a great addition to healthy drinks and recipes.
If you’re planning to explore chaga’s remarkable benefits, the Health Ranger Store is offering clean, lab-verified Health Ranger Select Organic Chaga Mushroom Powder 100g. All Health Ranger Select mushrooms are meticulously sourced for purity and potency and exclusively grown in the USA.
Every batch of our premium mushroom powders are lab tested for the presence of lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury – common heavy metal contaminants found in low-grade mushrooms. Our limits are some of the most stringent in the industry, ensuring that you get only the cleanest functional mushrooms.
Health Ranger Select Organic Chaga Mushroom Powder 100g is vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, China-free, certified Kosher and organic, and extensively lab tested for glyphosate, heavy metals and microbiology.
Here’s a simple recipe for a delicious and nutritious Chaga Chai Latte: [6]
Ingredients
2 ½ cups non-dairy milk of your choice
2 black tea bags (can be skipped if you prefer a caffeine-free drink)
1 teaspoon Health Ranger Select Organic Chaga Mushroom Powder
2 heaping teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of salt
2 to 3 tablespoons your choice of sweetener
Ice
Optional: Coconut whipped cream to serve
Instructions
1. Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to simmer slightly.
2. Turn off the heat and submerge the black tea bags into the heated milk. Remove the bags after 3-5 minutes.
3. Add the chaga powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and your choice of sweetener. Stir until combined over medium-high heat.
4. Taste and adjust the sweetness.
5. Serve hot or iced (allow the brewed chai to completely cool before pouring over a glass of ice) and top with coconut whipped cream if desired.
Organic Cordyceps Mushroom
A highly valued tonic herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), cordyceps was once used by ancient healers. [7] Packed with nutrients and powerful antioxidants that can fight oxidative stress, studies have shown that cordyceps can support healthy energy levels and maximize athletic performance. [8]
Cordyceps mushroom has been described as having an earthy, nutty flavor with a hint of umami which many people find appealing. [9] It owes its incredible health-supporting properties to a wide variety of beneficial components, such as: [10]
· Essential nutrients
o Amino acids like lysine, glutamic acid, proline and threonine
o Vitamins B1, B2, B12, E and K
o Minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, selenium and zinc
o Unsaturated fatty acids like linoleic acid (omega-6)
· Antioxidants like phenolic compounds, flavonoids and carotenoids
· Bioactive polysaccharides, which are complex carbohydrates that perform a wide range of important biological activities for optimal health and wellness [11]
· Nucleosides like cordycepin, a potent antioxidant and the main active component of cordyceps, and adenosine, an integral component of ATP – the energy currency of cells
The health-supporting properties of cordyceps are widely recognized, but due to the high cost and limited availability of this functional mushroom, fake cordyceps products made with non-fungal materials like starch or soybean flour abound in the market. If you’re looking for clean, genuine mushroom products that are made of only high-quality ingredients, the Health Ranger Store is where you’ll find them.
Lab verified for purity and potency, Health Ranger Select Organic Cordyceps Mushroom Powder 100g delivers all the nutritional goodness and potent phytonutrients of organic cordyceps mushrooms in a convenient powder form. Adhering to the strictest standards, our premium cordyceps mushroom powder is also extensively lab tested for glyphosate, heavy metals and microbiology, so you can be sure of both quality and safety.
Organic Lion's Mane Mushroom
Hericium erinaceus, commonly known as lion’s mane because of its resemblance to a shaggy lion’s mane, is a white fungus that can be found growing on hardwood trees. A staple herb in TCM and Native American culture, lion’s mane has many impressive benefits to offer for the mind and body. [12] Centuries ago, Buddhist monks in China were said to have used lion’s mane during meditation. [13]
Traditionally, lion’s mane is used to make tonics, added to culinary dishes or brewed into an herbal tea. Unlike most mushrooms, lion’s mane has a mild, sweet flavor. [14] Nutrition-wise, lion’s mane is a good source of the following nutrients and phytonutrients: [15]
· Protein and fiber (2.5 and 4.4 grams, g, respectively, per 100 g)
· Bioactive polysaccharides like beta-glucan
· Vitamins like B1, B2, B3, B6, B7 (biotin), B9 and D
· Minerals like copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and zinc
· Antioxidants like phenolic compounds and terpenoids, particularly, hericenones and erinacines, two natural compounds that have been shown to support healthy cells [16]
· Ergothioneine, an amino acid with potent antioxidant properties that can only be obtained from dietary sources, such as mushrooms and fermented foods [17]
To enjoy the full benefits of lion’s mane, purchase products only from sources you can trust. Health Ranger Select Organic Lion's Mane Mushroom Powder 100g is a clean, high-quality mushroom powder made from organic lion’s mane exclusively grown in the USA. Lab verified for purity and potency, every batch of our premium lion’s mane powder is lab tested for harmful contaminants like lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury.
Health Ranger Select Organic Lion's Mane Mushroom Powder 100g is vegan, non-GMO, China-free and certified Kosher and organic.
Wondering how to incorporate lion’s mane into your daily routine? Try this recipe for Spiced Mushroom Cold Brew Coffee, which combines the nutritional benefits of 3 functional mushrooms: chaga, cordyceps and lion’s mane! [18]
Ingredients
1 cup cold brew coffee
½ cup non-dairy milk (e.g., almond milk, coconut cream, etc.) or grass-fed dairy whole milk
1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon almond or cashew butter
1 teaspoon Health Ranger Select Organic Chaga Mushroom Powder
1 teaspoon Health Ranger Select Organic Cordyceps Mushroom Powder
1 teaspoon Health Ranger Select Organic Lion’s Mane Mushroom Powder
1 scoop vegan or grass-fed whey protein powder
1 to 3 drops vanilla stevia
Handful of cashews and coconut shreds
Instructions
1. Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until you reach your desired consistency.
2. Taste and adjust the flavor by adding more milk, spices or sweetener.
3. Serve with ice and enjoy.
Organic Maitake Mushroom
Maitake mushroom (Grifola frondosa) is fondly called “hen of the woods” because it resembles the tail feathers of a hen. Known for its natural adaptogenic properties, maitake is widely used to support a healthy stress response. [19] In Japan, where maitake cultivation first started, maitake, together with shiitake and reishi mushrooms, was traditionally used to make tonics that help promote overall wellness. [20]
Thanks to its high trehalose (natural sugar) content, maitake has a sweet and umami taste that many find delicious. Maitake contains a wealth of nutrients and phytonutrients that contribute to its health benefits, such as: [21]
· Protein and dietary fiber
· Vitamins like B2, B3, B5, B6 and D (from ergosterol, a vitamin D precursor)
· Minerals like copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and selenium
· Beta-glucans and other bioactive polysaccharides that have been found to support a healthy intestinal microflora [22]
· Triterpenes, which are known for their numerous health-supporting properties, including antioxidant activities
· Antioxidants like phenolic acids and flavonoids
· Bioactive enzymes that have been shown to support the body’s natural detoxification processes
To help you experience the remarkable health benefits of real organic maitake mushroom, the Health Ranger Store is proud to offer Health Ranger Select Organic Maitake Mushroom Powder 100g. Made from only high-quality maitake mushrooms grown in the USA, our premium mushroom powder is lab verified for cleanliness and potency, ensuring that you get nothing but the pure nutritional goodness of maitake with each serving.
Health Ranger Select Organic Maitake Mushroom Powder 100g contains no fillers or additives and is vegan, non-GMO and certified Kosher and organic. It is also meticulously lab tested for glyphosate, heavy metals and microbiology.
Ready to try a maitake mushroom-infused drink? Here’s a quick and easy recipe for a creamy Maitake Mushroom and Turmeric Latte: [23]
Ingredients
20 g maitake mushroom or about 4 teaspoons Health Ranger Select Organic Maitake Mushroom Powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 tablespoon organic maple syrup
2 slices of fresh ginger root
350 mL unsweetened almond, rice or oat milk
Instructions
1. Place all the ingredients in a blender or smoothie maker and blend until smooth (about 1 minute).
2. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and heat up gently.
3. Take the saucepan off the heat just before the mixture boils.
4. Divide the liquid into two cups and enjoy hot.
Organic Reishi Mushroom
Ganoderma lucidum, also known as reishi or lingzhi, can be described as a large, dark-colored mushroom with a glossy “lacquered” exterior and a wooden texture. Once used by traditional Asian healers to support good health, reishi is widely documented in the Ben Cao Gang Mu, China’s first pharmacopoeia. [24]
Thanks to its abundance of triterpenes, reishi has a bitter taste. It also contains chitin, a protein that gives it a woody flavor. [25] Analysis of reishi mushrooms composition reveals that it can provide plenty of beneficial compounds, including:
· Protein
o Bioactive proteins like lectins, LZ-8, ganodermin and various enzymes that contribute to reishi’s reported health benefits
o 18 different amino acids, the most abundant of which is lysine [26]
· Dietary fiber (3.5 g per 100 g of whole mushroom)
· Minerals like phosphorus, silica, sulfur, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese and strontium
· Vitamins like B1, B2, B3, B6, C and D (from ergosterol)
· Antioxidants like phenolic compounds, triterpenes, polysaccharides and polysaccharide peptides
Support good health and wellness by incorporating reishi, the “queen of mushrooms,” into various recipes with our Health Ranger Select Organic Reishi Mushroom Powder 100g. Like all Health Ranger Select functional mushrooms, this product is meticulously sourced for purity and potency and made from high-quality organic mushrooms exclusively grown in the USA. The Health Ranger Store offers reishi in powder form for longer shelf life, ease of storage, convenience and versatility.
Health Ranger Select Organic Reishi Mushroom Powder 100g is vegan, non-GMO, certified Kosher and organic, and lab verified for purity and potency. For your peace of mind and safety, it is also extensively lab tested for glyphosate, heavy metals and microbiology.
Enjoy the health-supporting properties of reishi in this Evening Vegan Mushroom Golden Milk recipe: [27]
Ingredients
½ cup coconut milk
¾ cup almond milk
½ tablespoon honey or your choice of sweetener
½ tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cinnamon stick or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons carob powder (optional)
Small pinch of black pepper and freshly grated ginger
½ to 1 teaspoon Health Ranger Select Organic Reishi Mushroom Powder
Instructions
1. Add coconut milk, ground turmeric, grated ginger, cinnamon (stick or powder), coconut oil, black pepper, reishi powder, carob (if using) and your preferred sweetener to a saucepan. Whisk to combine and place over medium heat.
2. Heat the mixture until hot to the touch but not boiling (about 3 to 4 minutes). Whisk continuously.
3. Turn off the heat and adjust the taste.
4. For a smoother drink, strain the mixture to take out the cinnamon stick and ginger pieces. Enjoy.
Organic Turkey Tail Mushroom
Turkey tail mushroom (Trametes versicolor) has been used for thousands of years as a natural remedy. [28] Today, turkey tail is best known for its ability to support the immune system.
Turkey tail is said to have a mild earthy flavor. [29] Naturally rich in bioactive components that can support overall health in various ways, turkey tail has been linked to numerous health benefits. The potent chemicals responsible for turkey tail’s health-supporting properties include: [30]
· Bioactive polysaccharides, most notably beta-glucan
· Ergosterol, a lipid (mycosterol) found in the cell membranes of fungi that also serves as a vitamin D precursor
· Antioxidants like polysaccharide peptide (PSP), polysaccharide K (PSK), fungisterol, beta-sitosterol, phenolic acids, flavonoids and triterpenoids
· Vitamins like B1, B2, B3, C and D (from ergosterol) [31]
· Minerals like calcium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and zinc
If you’re looking for lab-verified, high-quality turkey tail mushroom in a convenient powder form, the Health Ranger Store’s got what you need. Health Ranger Select Organic Turkey Tail Mushroom Powder 100g is one of the cleanest functional mushrooms you’ll find on the market.
Health Ranger Select Organic Turkey Tail Mushroom Powder 100g is made from organic turkey tail exclusively grown in the USA and is vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free and certified Kosher and organic. It is also extensively lab tested for glyphosate, heavy metals and microbiology.
Here’s a simple but delicious recipe for a nutritious Turkey Tail Mushroom Latte: [32]
Ingredients
1 teaspoon Health Ranger Select Organic Turkey Tail Mushroom Powder
1 teaspoon honey or your choice of sweetener
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 cup dairy-free milk of your choice
1 shot espresso or 1/3 cup strong brewed coffee
Instructions
1. Add the turkey tail powder, sweetener and ground cinnamon to a small blender.
2. Steam or heat the dairy-free milk until hot then add to the blender together with the espresso or brewed coffee. Blend on high until frothy and well-blended.
3. Taste and adjust the flavor. Enjoy.
Support optimal overall health and wellness this summer by making healthy beverages with our nutritious organic mushroom powders!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose any diseases.
References
[1] https://health.clevelandclinic.org
[2] https://whalepodshipper.com
[4] https://www.sciencedirect.com
[5] https://www.thewhistlingkettle.com
[6] https://www.realmushrooms.com
[7] https://www.sciencedirect.com
[8] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[9] https://www.realmushrooms.com
[10] https://link.springer.com
[11] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com
[12] https://health.clevelandclinic.org
[13] https://cascadiamushrooms.com
[14] https://health.clevelandclinic.org
[15] https://www.verywellhealth.com
[16] https://www.mdpi.com
[17] https://www.cambridge.org
[18] https://www.realmushrooms.com
[20] https://www.peacehealth.org
[21] https://www.mdpi.com
[22] https://www.cell.com
[23] https://www.liveseybrosmushrooms.co.uk
[24] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[26] https://www.mdpi.com
[27] https://www.realmushrooms.com
[28] http://mecklenburghsquaregarden.org.uk
[30] https://www.sciencedirect.com
[31] https://www.sciencedirect.com
[32] https://antioxi-supplements.com
