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If you’ve never heard of adaptogenic coffee before, I understand ― I was in the same boat until about two weeks ago.
But according to London Nootropics, who produce several varieties of the stuff, it’s pretty simple. The term refers to regular java mixed with other ingredients, like mushrooms.
Those extras are the “adaptogens,” the company says.
They’re designed to counterbalance the jitter-inducing effects of caffeine while adding complementary and additional powers to the hot drink: lion’s mane mushroom, found in the brand’s Flow coffee, is meant to “support memory, focus and concentration”.
I’ll be honest: I’m not usually one for supplements or “superfoods,” and I was a little sceptical of the promises adaptogenic coffee made.
London Nootropic’s Mojo coffee, which is “designed for physical endurance, strength and vitality” promised to perk me up without the coffee shakes, while their Zen blend said it would make me feel “calm and alert.”
It all sounded too good to be true.
But looking at the site’s rave reviews (it’s got a 4.8-star average rating from over 8,000 reviews) and considering how terrible my energy levels have been recently, I thought I’d give them a try.
After all, I figured that a sceptic unwilling to test their beliefs is just as bad as a mindless trend follower. Plus, I really liked the branding (psst ― you can get London Nootropic’s coffee for 15% less by entering code HUFFPOST at checkout).
And?
I got a (pretty) box full of all three coffees (Zen, Flow, and Mojo) late on Monday evening.
As if to test my decision, I proceeded to have the worst sleep of my life ahead of a very early, very intense 6am workout. So yes, Mojo was my first choice.
If I’m honest, I was craving my beloved French press coffee to get me through the morning ― but in the interest of getting an unadulterated result, I tried the Mojo and nothing else (it’s “designed for physical strength [and] endurance” after all).
I opened the instant sachet and emptied it into my cup. It smelled slightly sweeter and nuttier than regular coffee and was way quicker to make than my usual cafetière kind.
The taste was a little more floral and funky (in a good way – a bit like matcha), thanks to the additions of energy-boosting ginseng and Cordyceps mushroom.
London Nootropics advises adding milk to the coffee, which I didn’t read ― I wish I’d tried it that way because I can imagine it tasting like a hazelnut latte, but it’s still impressively smooth without.
The taste was good, but its effects on my workout were even better. I went from as bedraggled as you can see me below to happily sweaty, despite having had the worst sleep I’d faced this week, my gym session was the best I’ve had in ages.
It seems I’m with the reviewers on this one. I’d give it a solid 9/10 for its energy boost and 8/10 for taste ― extra points for my lack of caffeine headache.
Later the same day, I was trawling through my inbox when I realised I should probably try their Flow option.
My midday work slump was happening later than usual, but there was no denying it, I needed something to get me through the rest of the day.
Their Flow offering said it’d “help you discover motivation, mental clarity and focus” while also “reducing procrastination” thanks to its lion’s mane and Rhodiola add-ins.
Best believe I tore that sachet open.
Again, the smell was slightly sweeter than I’m used to ― it tasted a bit like rosewater combined with some nutty add-ins, which is nicer than I’m making it sound.
Reviewers were impressed by its brain fog-clearing abilities; again, I’m with them.
I don’t think it led me to become a hyperactive writing machine, but it was enough to get me to manage my tasks well for the rest of the day while feeling pretty good about myself.
Given that I’m usually null and void past three in the afternoon, that’s a huge win. I’d give it a 9/10 for perking me up at work and an 8/10 for the taste.
It took until Wednesday for me to try the brand’s Zen coffee, which promised to relax, destress and “balance” me.
I thought I’d try it in the evening because I couldn’t un-frazzle myself from a busy day and frankly wanted to try anything I could.
If (like me) facing the smell of coffee last thing is not exactly your ideal routine, good news ― this one had a lovely cocoa aroma, and it tasted a bit like it too.
I reckon if I had to mix milk into one of these, it’d be this one, but as it was I enjoyed the non-bitter, chocolatey taste.
It contains soothing ashwagandha and L-theanine, which reviewers found really calming.
I don’t know if it was the routine, the hot drink, or just taking the time for myself, but I agree again!
My mind usually races for hours after I finish my day, but this helped me to switch off (though you shouldn’t drink anything with caffeine too close to your bedtime).
It’s a 9/10 for taste and an 8.5/10 for calming me, I think.
So what’s the verdict?
Some of my scepticism has been banished.
A load of the ingredients have been well-researched – there are a lot of literature about lion’s mane’s benefits, the soothing effects of Rhodiola, and the helpful properties of ginseng, though they can be hard to definitively prove.
The brand uses what it calls “barista-grade” coffee in all of its products, which might be why they don’t taste “off,” and they don’t use any artificial flavourings.
The best thing about them is the lack of those coffee jitters and headaches, which I hadn’t realised were so bad until I’d gone without them.
I’d recommend them with one caveat; the sachets can run a little pricey at around £1 a cup or 80p for a sachet in their huge box, which is undeniably bougie.
But if you want to give your health-conscious friend a gift or try the coffee yourself, we have a 15%-off code ― type HUFFPOST at checkout to get the discount until the 15th of October.