Say Goodbye to Plain Coffee: Meet the Mushroom-Infused Brain Boosters!

Functional coffees are quickly becoming a popular choice in coffee shops across the UK and beyond. These drinks are made by adding ingredients like mushrooms, protein, or collagen to regular coffee, with the hope of providing extra health benefits. For example, lion's mane mushroom is believed to help with focus and mental clarity, without causing the jittery feeling that strong coffee sometimes brings. Zak Haddad, who owns Sipp coffee shop in Greater Manchester, has been drinking lion's mane coffee for three years and says it helps him feel clear-headed. At his shop, customers can choose from four types of mushroom powder and can pay a little more to add these or collagen to their drinks.

Functional coffees were once only found in health food stores, but now they are appearing in mainstream coffee shops and supermarkets. Holland and Barrett has nearly doubled its selection of mushroom coffees, and Marks & Spencer now offers lion's mane lattes in their cafes. Starbucks has also joined the trend, selling protein coffee with high-protein milk and cold foam in the US, and ready-made protein coffee in the UK. According to food research company Tastewise, functional coffee is one of the top trends for 2026, with the number of mushroom coffees on UK menus increasing by 30 percent in the past year. Nutritionist Eli Brecher says people are more interested in wellbeing and energy stability, and adding extra ingredients to coffee feels like an easy upgrade.

Black Sheep Coffee is another chain offering functional add-ons, such as protein powder and CBD, and has launched a range of lattes with ingredients like prebiotic fibers for gut health and collagen for skin. Their lion's mane latte is the bestseller, and customers are adding functional ingredients to about 15 percent of all orders. Prices for these add-ons vary, but they can add up over time. In the US, Starbucks customers pay extra for high-protein milk or cold foam. However, not everyone is convinced. Some people have never heard of mushroom coffee or other functional ingredients, while others, like Mariam Begum, drink coffee with collagen every day, believing it helps their skin, joints, and hair.

Lauren Devlin, a former power-lifter, combines coffee and protein shakes at home, saying it makes her feel fuller. The taste of functional coffee is usually similar to regular coffee, with only a slight difference. There is still confusion about what functional coffee does, and some people worry about the mushrooms used, but they are not the same as magic mushrooms and do not have psychoactive effects. Some regular drinkers say functional coffee helps them focus and feel less anxious, but experts caution that the health benefits are not proven. Most people do not need extra protein, and the amount of functional ingredients in coffee is often too low to have a significant effect. Nutritionists say that while research is promising, functional coffee should be seen as an add-on, not a magic solution. If you enjoy it and can afford it, go ahead, but remember it is not essential for most people.