Funny this is my first post following my rant against woo. However, I’m a firm believer in natural healing, especially when backed by science and focused on nutrition.
First off, I know I should be eating WFPB for best health. I’m making some strides but considering I had both pork and chicken dumplings for dinner, it’s definitely a struggle.
So, to the point: reishi hot cacao mix from Four Sigmatic. This isn’t a paid post or anything, just my take on night one. Let me fill you in on how I ended up with mushrooms in my hot cacao.
Years ago when I was still living in Nashville, I came across something that lead me to look into mushroom hot chocolate (just assume I mean cacao instead of cocoa when referring to hot chocolate, it’s all I use). I don’t recall the company, though at the time I was buying a lot from Essential Living Foods, so it may have been from them though I don’t think it was. ELF used to have an amazing selection of ethically sourced nuts and foods. Over the years, their selection has both dwindled and changed more to mixes than being able to get single ingredients. Back to this concept of mushrooms in hot chocolate though…
I don’t recall the company but much like in the last week or so, the company touted the health benefits of mushrooms and being able to drink hot chocolate. This piqued my interest because I have a big weakness for hot drinks and especially hot chocolate during the cold months. However, all those years ago I never ended up purchasing this intriguing mixture. It was hard to find and pricey.
Fast forward to this week.
I started seeing ads for Mud/Wtr. I recalled my previous interest in the similar product and so I started digging to find reviews and actual health benefits. I’m already a fan of mushrooms- I eat them regularly and I use cordyceps for respiratory health.
I’ve also been on a “health kick,” trying to utilize food and natural remedies to keep me healthy. I started drinking Gut Shot beet and ginger multiple times a day- that stuff tastes amazing. I’ve been taking lots of other probiotics too and even loading up on echinacea to try to boost my immunity. So after looking into the studies that have been done on reishi mushrooms, and after what I already knew about cordyceps, drinking something loaded with these didn’t sound bad.
Then I looked at the price. Mud/Wtr is about $2/serving, at $30 for a bottle. Maybe others are comfortable paying that but it’s a little steep for my winter hot chocolate. As I was searching for reviews, people mentioned Four Sigmatic. I looked it up and saw I could get 20 servings for the same $30. Worth a try once you lower the price to $1.60/ serving. Or at least that’s what I told myself.
Reishi is the mushroom in this particular blend of cacao powder and natural sweeteners. One of the big complaints about reishi I saw is that it supposedly tastes awful. I believe that. Reviewers said you couldn’t taste it and the reishi led to better sleep and a feeling of relaxation.
My take: I made it with twice the amount of recommended liquid (almond milk in this case) and I added an extra dash of cacao. It has a slightly bitter taste but on this first night, I may have over heated my almond milk and been too heavy with the cacao. All in all, it’s a pleasant drinking experience. It doesn’t taste like the dirt taste reishi is supposed to have. It’s not overly sweet either. I feel pretty relaxed after drinking it but I’m also exhausted after a long day of work and finally relaxed following a big meal.
Like many natural remedies, reishi is supposed to act best over the long term, so I’ll report back in a few weeks. Right now though, I’d say it makes a tasty warm treat without being cloyingly sweet.
And yes, I did add some organic marshmallows because I’m actually 12 inside.