Mushroom chai is a warm, spiced drink that combines functional mushrooms, such as reishi or lion’s mane, with the classic chai spices: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and clove. It is usually lower in caffeine than coffee, and often caffeine-free, depending on the base. The spice does most of the talking on flavour, so a well-made cup tastes of gingerbread and warmth rather than of mushrooms. Below we cover what is in it, what the evidence does and does not say, what to look for when buying, and how to make a very good cup at home.
TL;DR
- Mushroom chai is functional mushrooms plus chai spices. The base can be black tea, rooibos or no tea at all, and that choice decides the caffeine.
- Chai is generally lower in caffeine than coffee, and a caffeine-free base removes it entirely.
- Human evidence for lion’s mane and reishi is promising but still emerging. Treat a cup as a pleasant daily ritual, not a treatment.
- Check the label for the mushroom part used (fruiting body or mycelium), the percentage and the testing, not just the front-of-pack claims.
- You can make your own at home with a caffeine-free mushroom tea bag, a few whole spices and warm milk or a plant-based alternative.
Table of Contents
- What is mushroom chai?
- How much caffeine is in mushroom chai?
- What the mushrooms may do, and what we do not know yet
- Powder, extract or tea bag: what to look for
- Why we think tea bags make a good chai base
- How to make mushroom chai at home
- Which mushroom for which time of day
- Our perspective
- Try the chai method with our teas
- Mushroom chai and sensitive stomachs or bladders
- Common mistakes with mushroom chai
- FAQ
- Sources
What is mushroom chai?
Traditional masala chai is black tea simmered with spices and usually milk. Mushroom chai keeps the spice mix and swaps some or all of the tea for functional mushroom ingredients. You will see it sold in three main forms:
- Instant powders that you stir into hot water or milk. These are the most common in UK shops and online.
- Loose or bagged blends where dried mushroom pieces sit alongside spices and a base such as rooibos or black tea.
- Café drinks, where a barista adds mushroom powder to a chai latte.
The spices are the reason the drink works as a gateway to mushrooms. Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and clove are strong, sweet and warming, and they cover the earthy, slightly bitter notes that mushrooms bring. Reviewers of popular powders often make the same point: the spices carry the flavour and the drink does not taste like mushrooms.
The mushrooms most often used are reishi, lion’s mane, chaga and cordyceps. Reishi suits an evening chai because of its calming reputation. Lion’s mane tends to appear in blends pitched at focus.
How much caffeine is in mushroom chai?
This is the question that most often sends people to mushroom chai in the first place, and it depends entirely on the base.
- Black tea base: The British Heart Foundation gives roughly 50mg of caffeine for a standard cup of black tea against around 95mg for a cup of coffee, so a traditional chai sits well below coffee.
- Rooibos base: BBC Good Food notes that herbal infusions not made from the tea plant, including rooibos and ginger, are caffeine-free. A rooibos chai has the depth of a tea-based chai without the stimulant.
- No tea at all: A blend of mushrooms and spices has no tea plant in it, so no caffeine from tea.
For context, the BHF says up to 400mg of caffeine a day is generally considered safe for most adults. NHS advice for pregnancy is lower, at no more than 200mg a day, roughly two mugs of instant coffee. If you are pregnant, a caffeine-free chai makes counting easier, though you should check with your midwife or GP before adding any mushroom product, because the research on mushrooms in pregnancy is thin.
Always read the label. A product called chai may well contain black tea, and some mushroom powders also include added caffeine sources. If the label does not say caffeine-free, assume it contains some.
What the mushrooms may do, and what we do not know yet
Mushrooms have been used in traditional medicine in East Asia for centuries. Modern research is more cautious. Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) and reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) contain beta-glucans and other polysaccharides, and these are the compounds researchers are most interested in.
A review of human studies on mushrooms for cognition and mood points to trends of improvement: reishi in people dealing with taxing illness, and lion’s mane in the context of cognitive decline. That is not the same as proving a benefit for healthy adults drinking a cup of chai after lunch. The studies are small, the populations specific, and large long-term trials are still needed.
What can we say honestly?
- Mushroom chai is a comforting, flavourful drink with a low or zero caffeine load.
- The mushrooms in it have an interesting research profile, especially lion’s mane for cognition and reishi for calm.
- Doses in trials are often higher than a single cup of tea would deliver, and effects in studies typically appear over weeks, not after one drink.
- It is not a cure for anything, and it is no substitute for medical care.
The benefit many people notice first is simpler: swapping a third coffee for a warm, caffeine-free cup means less caffeine, a calmer afternoon and a better chance of sleeping well. That is a real gain, and it needs no mushroom claims to justify it.
Powder, extract or tea bag: what to look for
Most of the chai blends on the market are powders. A few things separate a good product from a pretty tin.
Fruiting body or mycelium
The fruiting body is the part of the mushroom you would recognise: the cap and stem. Mycelium is the root-like network, and it is often grown on grain, so some mycelium products contain a good deal of leftover grain starch. When a brand names the fruiting body and gives a percentage, you know what you are paying for. When it only says mushroom blend, you do not.
The percentage
A label that lists mushrooms among the first ingredients and states the proportion is far more useful than one that quotes a single large milligram figure for the whole blend. Ask what share of the formula is mushroom and what share is filler, sweetener or spice.
Extraction
Mushroom cell walls are tough. Traditionally, mushroom teas are simmered for a long time in hot water, and many powders use hot-water extraction to make the beta-glucans easier to access. If a powder does not mention how it was processed, ask the seller. A bag of dried fruiting body that steeps for a few minutes will give you flavour and some water-soluble compounds, but it will not behave like a concentrated extract, and a brand should not suggest otherwise.
Sweeteners and base
Some chai powders are largely sugar, creamer or maltodextrin. Check the nutrition panel. If you are watching caffeine, check whether the base is black tea or rooibos.
Testing and sourcing
Look for organic ingredients, a stated country of manufacture and independent lab testing. Mushrooms absorb what is in their growing medium, so testing for heavy metals and contaminants matters.
Why we think tea bags make a good chai base
We make botanical teas, so we have a view here, and we will state it plainly. A tea bag gives you control. You choose the spice level, the milk, the sweetness and the strength, and you get a proper ritual: kettle, steep, sip. There is no clumping powder and no grit.
Our blends contain 40% fruiting body mushrooms, are naturally caffeine-free, organic and crafted in the UK, with lab testing and biodegradable pyramid tea bags. That 40% figure is the point of difference: the mushroom is the main ingredient of the blend, not a pinch added for the label.
How to make mushroom chai at home
This is a simple method built around a caffeine-free mushroom tea bag. It makes one large mug.
You will need
- 1 mushroom tea bag (we like our Reishi botanical tea for an evening cup, or our Lion’s Mane botanical tea for the morning)
- 250ml water
- 100ml milk or a plant-based alternative
- 1 cinnamon stick or half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 2 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 2 thin slices of fresh ginger
- 1 clove, optional
- Honey or maple syrup, to taste
Method
- Put the water, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and clove in a small pan and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. The longer you go, the bolder the spice.
- Add the milk and warm it through without letting it boil hard.
- Place the tea bag in your mug and strain the spiced milk over it.
- Steep for 5 minutes, remove the bag, and sweeten if you like.
Tweaks
- For a richer chai, use oat milk and add a pinch of black pepper.
- For iced chai, steep stronger, cool, and pour over ice.
- If you want a little caffeine, add a black tea bag for the last three minutes. You then lose the caffeine-free benefit, so keep that in mind for evening cups.
This is a recipe we suggest, not a standardised product, and the taste is yours to adjust. If you are new to mushroom teas, our beginner’s guide to botanical mushroom tea explains the basics of each species.
Which mushroom for which time of day
| Time | Mushroom | Why people choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Lion’s mane | Known for its focus and clarity reputation. Our guide to lion’s mane and brain health goes deeper. |
| Afternoon | Shiitake or maitake | Everyday balance and wellbeing, a gentle alternative to a second coffee. |
| Evening | Reishi | Chosen for relaxation. See our piece on reishi tea for sleep and stress. |
| Cold season | Agaricus | Picked by people who want immune support in their routine. |
Reishi chai in particular is an increasingly popular evening drink. The reishi is earthy and a little bitter, and the cinnamon and ginger round it off well. Because our reishi tea is caffeine-free, it fits easily into a wind-down routine.
Our perspective
We started with tea, not with powders, and that shapes how we think about mushroom chai. A good chai is about the pause: the smell of cardamom as the pan warms, the ten minutes you give yourself. Mushrooms belong in that ritual when they are good quality and present in a meaningful amount, which is why we use a high ratio of fruiting body and balance it with aromatic botanicals so the brew is smooth and not gritty.
We are also wary of overpromising. The human research on medicinal mushrooms is still developing, and we would rather you enjoy a well-made, caffeine-free cup and notice how you feel over several weeks than expect a dramatic effect from one mug. If you are managing a health condition or taking medication, speak to your GP or pharmacist before adding any mushroom product.
Our advice for anyone buying: read the label for fruiting body content, ask for lab testing, check the caffeine, and pick the flavour you will actually look forward to. A drink you enjoy is the one you will keep drinking.
— Leroy
Try the chai method with our teas
We do not sell a ready-made chai powder. What we do offer is a range of premium mushroom botanical teas, each with 40% fruiting body mushrooms, naturally caffeine-free, organic and crafted in the UK, and sold as one-off orders or as subscriptions with discounts. They work as the base for the homemade chai above. Start with the Reishi botanical tea for evenings, the Shiitake botanical tea for an everyday cup, or browse the full range on the MycoBrew shop.
Mushroom chai and sensitive stomachs or bladders
Many people come to mushroom chai because coffee does not agree with them. The NHS 111 Wales page on gastritis describes gastritis as an irritated stomach lining that can cause pain, indigestion and bloating. Reducing caffeinated drinks is among the practical steps the NHS lists for mild indigestion.
For a hospital view of bladder health, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust recommends drinking 6 to 8 mugs or glasses of fluid a day and keeping caffeinated drinks to a minimum.
A caffeine-free chai can help in both cases, but be realistic about why. The main gain is likely the caffeine you have removed, not the mushrooms. Spices such as ginger and clove can themselves be strong for some people, so if you have gastritis, start with a milder spice level and see how you feel. If your symptoms persist, see your GP rather than relying on a drink. Persistent stomach pain, vomiting or black stools need medical attention.
Common mistakes with mushroom chai
- Assuming chai means caffeine-free. Traditional chai uses black tea. Check the base.
- Judging a product by milligrams alone. A big number on the pack means little without knowing the part of the mushroom used and the extraction.
- Boiling the milk hard. It dulls the spice and can make plant milks split.
- Expecting an overnight effect. Studies of lion’s mane and reishi look at consistent use over weeks, and results in specific populations do not automatically apply to everyone.
- Adding too much sugar. A sweet chai latte can cancel out the point of a lighter drink.
FAQ
What is mushroom chai?
Mushroom chai blends functional mushrooms, such as reishi or lion’s mane, with traditional chai spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and clove. It is usually lower in caffeine than coffee and can be completely caffeine-free if it uses a base such as rooibos or no tea. The spices mean it tastes warming and sweet rather than mushroomy.
Is chai higher in caffeine than coffee?
No. According to the British Heart Foundation, a cup of black tea has roughly 50mg of caffeine against about 95mg in a cup of coffee. A chai made with black tea therefore sits below coffee, and mushroom chai made with rooibos or no tea has none.
Is chai tea good for gastritis?
Traditional chai contains black tea and caffeine, which the NHS suggests reducing when you have mild indigestion or gastritis. A caffeine-free chai made with a rooibos base or mushroom tea may suit you better, though strong spices can irritate some people. If symptoms continue, speak to your GP.
Why do people drink mushroom tea?
Most people drink it as a caffeine-free ritual, as a gentler alternative to coffee, or because they are interested in the traditional uses of mushrooms such as lion’s mane for focus and reishi for relaxation. Research on these mushrooms is promising but still emerging, so we would present it as part of a routine, not a treatment.
Can I drink reishi chai in the evening?
Yes, if it is caffeine-free. Check that the base is not black tea, which would add caffeine. Reishi is popular as an evening drink because of its calming reputation, but if you take medication or are pregnant, ask your GP or pharmacist first.
Sources
- Is caffeine bad for you? How much is too much? (British Heart Foundation)
- How much caffeine is in tea? (BBC Good Food)
- Caffeine During Pregnancy (Aptaclub)
- Medicinal Mushrooms for Cognition and Mood: A review of human studies
- NHS 111 Wales: Gastritis
- Fluid and caffeine intake for bladder and bowel health (Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)
