Once prized for their medicinal value, mushrooms, like lion’s mane, chaga, reishi and cordyceps, are fueling the trend

Edible mushroom varieties are showing up in everything from coffee and soda to chocolate in recent times. Brands promote them as “functional” foods with brain-boosting and sustainable capacities.

Dietitians say Gen Z is embracing mushrooms like lion’s mane, chaga, reishi, and cordyceps, once prized for their medicinal use, for their potential health benefits. These mushrooms are not the same as psychedelic magic mushrooms.

Sales of functional mushroom food and beverage products in the US are up over 450% since 2021, according to NielsenIQ.

Mushroom coffee in particular is gaining ground, with dollar sales up 55% and volume sales jumping 74% so far this year, per Circana data.

Hype outpaces research
While cognitive and wellness benefits are still being studied, consumer enthusiasm for mushroom-infused products continues to grow.