THE GREENEST SAYS:
Do you need a side of mushrooms with your hot cocoa? This hot chocolate mix is a tasty blend of reishi mushroom fruiting bodies, cinnamon, cardamom, cacao, palm sugar, and stevia. One of my favorite things about Four Sigmatic products is the quality of ingredients in their mixes. And this Four Sigmatic Mushroom Cacao with Reishi is no exception. First off, their reishi mushrooms are USDA-certified organic. It doesn’t get much better than that. And their products are third-party tested for potency. All this transparency in quality is a breath of fresh air in today’s wellness market. The cost is pretty steep at $2 a cup of cocoa for a small-ish 6 ounce cup, but you get what you pay for.
The flavor is warm and relaxing, which does make it a great addition to your evening routine. I recommend blending this mix in milk with a frother if you can, otherwise it’s difficult to completely dissolve. Each packet contains 500mg of reishi. While reishi does have promise to help with reducing stress and helpingyou sleep better, it’s usually not instantaneous. Any initial relaxing effects you feel while sipping won’t be due to the mushrooms. Your zen state is more likely due to the routine and state of mind while sipping. – Kelsey Lorencz, RDN
WHAT IS THIS PRODUCT?
This is a cacao powder infused with reishi mushroom extract. This tastes like hot cocoa, not mushrooms (much like Four Sigmatic’s mushroom coffee taste like coffee, not mushrooms, too.)
Does this Four Sigmatic Mushroom Cacao with Reishi Use Fruiting Bodies or Mycelium?
Fruiting bodies, which, if you’re new to functional and medicinal mushrooms, this is what you want to look for. The fruiting body is the part of the mushroom that you see — where the toads sit, as it were — while the mycelium is the root that’s usually under the ground. And this is the part that contains the highest concentration of adaptogens and beneficial antioxidants.
HOW MUCH FUNCTIONAL MUSHROOMS AND ADAPTOGENS ARE IN THIS PRODUCT?
Each packet contains 500mg of reishi fruiting bodies. There’s ten packets in this box, so there’s 5,000 mgs of reishi mushroom extract in this box. We did that math all by ourselves.
Also Read: 8 Healthy Foods That Help With Ovulation
WILL THIS Four Sigmatic Mushroom Cacao with Reishi GET YOU HIGH?
Not at all. These aren’t those kind of mushrooms. The reishi mushroom is considered a super food with adaptogenic qualities. But it’s like the shiitakes and other mushrooms in your grocery store.
HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU TAKE?
While this has no psychoactive effects, reishi is known to be a help sleep aid. So don’t drink a bunch of them before driving — especially if you’ve never tried this before. As with everything, we always suggest drinking one when you’ll be in the comfort of your own home, especially the first time.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO BECOME EFFECTIVE?
Everyone is different. Some people begin to feel a sense of calm and better sleep after the first cup. Others, it takes a while. (While some people don’t feel any different at all.) We do like to point out that medicinal mushroom and adaptogens are not going to completely change the way you feel overnight. Most people feel their effects after incorporating these products into their regimens over time. Anyone who tells you you’ll feel amazing after the first sip is trying to sell you something.
Also Read: What are beta-glucans and what do they do?
IS THIS Four Sigmatic Mushroom Cacao with Reishi LEGAL?
Completely and totally. Reishi mushrooms may sound weird (they’re actually quite popular in Finland and Asian cultures), but they are similar to the mushrooms you can buy at the store.
IS THIS PRODUCT TESTED AND CERTIFIED?
While they don’t post their lab results, they do have a very long breakdown of how and why rigorous testing of their products is important. Which we love to see.
Read our other Four Sigmatic product reviews:
Four Sigmatic Ground Mushroom Coffee with Lion’s Mane
Golden Latte with Turkey Tail
Four Sigmatic Protein Superfood Powder
Chai Latte with Reishi and Turkey Tail
Four Sigmatic Reishi Elixir Mix
