Is Mud\Wtr the key to more energy and better sleep? (2024)

Mud\Wtr (available at Mud\Wtr) wants to replace your morning cup of coffee with…mushrooms. It may sound strange, but mushrooms like chaga and reishi can provide tons of health benefits for your body and mind. If you’re someone who gets that dreaded caffeine crash mid-day and have considered looking for alternatives, Mud\Wtr could be the solution.

Fortunately, none of the brand’s drinks taste like mud—and they’re simple to prepare. If you’re interested in how drinking mushrooms can affect your mood and energy levels, you should give Mud\Wtr a try.

I didn’t feel like I was giving up caffeine—the ingredients combined with the small amount of caffeine in the chai and matcha kept me energetic and focused throughout the day.

About Mud\Wtr

Marketed as a “coffee alternative,” Mud\Wtr makes enhanced drink blends to help you start your morning alert and focused—without the typical cup of joe. Its beverages contain ingredients like cacao, mushrooms, and turmeric to help you focus and boost your mood and energy levels.

Mud\Wtr blends contain anywhere from 0 to 55 mg of caffeine, about half or less than the average cup of coffee. Each is boosted with a blend of mushrooms to promote brain function and focus, including lion’s mane, chaga, reishi, cordyceps, and turkey tail. The brand currently makes four drink varieties—cacao, matcha, turmeric, and rooibos.

Cacao: This masala chai includes cacao and Mud\Wtr’s mushroom blend of lion’s mane, chaga, reishi, and cordyceps. It contains 35 mg of caffeine, on par with your average chai, and 2,240 mg of mushrooms.

Matcha: The most caffeinated blend from Mud\Wtr, the matcha blend contains 55 mg of caffeine, which is typical for a standard serving of matcha. It also includes Mud\Wtr’s mushroom blend—3,000 mg per serving—alongside cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, cardamom, and pink salt.

Turmeric: This caffeine-free drink features a blend of turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and black pepper, as well as rooibos tea extract and 1,840 mg of mushrooms per serving. It also includes powdered lucuma, a South American fruit that's flavor has been described as similar to caramel or sweet potato. There's also powdered baobab fruit, which tastes mango-like, for bonus antioxidants.

Rooibos: Like the turmeric drink, Mud\Wtr’s rooibos chai is caffeine-free. It contains 2,240 mg of mushrooms and is made with a blend of turmeric and chai spices. Throw in valerian root, ashwagandha root, and chamomile extract, and this rooibos tea is a recipe for rest and relaxation.

Mud\Wtr starter kits cost $60 and include a 30-serving canister of your drink of choice, a rechargeable handheld milk frother, and a guidebook to get you started. A 30-serving tin costs $50, and a 90-serving bag costs $125, though there is a subscribe-and-save option that can save you $10 or $15.

What we like about Mud\Wtr

It’s easy to make

I make matcha at home semi-regularly, and as you may know, it has a tendency to clump up if you’re not diligent about your whisking. Using a matcha whisk really isn’t that tedious, but the included Mud\Wtr milk frother made whipping up each drink a breeze.

The first few cups I made, I used the frother to dissolve the powder into hot water and then added milk. It was exceptionally easy and quick.

But since I prefer iced beverages, I also tried frothing the Mud\Wtr directly into cold milk, and I’m happy to report it resulted in the same smooth consistency. I ended up preparing all four drinks this way and it worked like a charm.

The various flavors are all tasty

While I love a good iced matcha or chai, I generally prefer my mushrooms sauteed in some sort of pasta dish. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how delectable Mud\Wtr drinks are. They taste much like any other brand of tea I’ve tried, maybe with a little extra cinnamon spice, but no unpleasant earthy, mushroom taste.

The chai is particularly flavorful, and I think I prefer Mud\Wtr matcha to the basic brand I’ve been buying at the grocery store.

I had never tried turmeric or rooibos tea before—so I don’t have a frame of reference—but I found those both delicious as well.

It delivers on its promises

I usually drink multiple cups of coffee a day, just about every day. I don’t experience any of the “crashes and jitters” Mud\Wtr claims to avoid, but I was worried I would feel sluggish or unfocused when giving up my morning iced latte.

I’m pleased to report I didn’t notice much of a change in my energy levels, and it was easy to stay focused throughout the day.

However, we should note that these blends don't feel like coffee alternatives, necessarily. Coffee lovers may be disappointed if they expect a similar flavor profile from Mud\Wtr beverages.

What we don’t like about Mud\Wtr

The containers are messy

Though the tin containers look quite chic, they’re equally as messy when it comes to actually making your drink.

The tops tend to get stuck and require some pulling, which often resulted in spilling powder on the counter once I actually got the container open. It wasn’t the end of the world, but it happened enough to irk me.

It’s expensive

Granted, Mud\Wtr is enhanced with mushrooms, adaptogens, and other ingredients that are good for your body and mind. However, at nearly $8 an ounce, it’s much more expensive than most alternatives.

You can easily find matcha and chai on Amazon for a third of the price of Mud\Wtr—so if you’re just interested in a tasty cup of tea, you can probably skip it.

What people are saying about Mud\Wtr

Reviewers don’t have enough good things to say about Mud\Wtr. Many say they’ve quit drinking coffee thanks to Mud\Wtr, and have plenty of energy and focus to last the whole day. Many also say they sleep better and feel more well rested.

“I have noticed an easier time falling and staying asleep which is something I struggled with heavily while drinking coffee multiple times a day to keep me awake,” one reviewer says.

“The flavor of Mud\Wtr is not one to substitute coffee, but the effects surely do. I have one cup of Mud\Wtr in the morning and go through the entire day without feeling groggy or sleepy and have energy to last me until bedtime. Couldn’t be more pleased with my Mud\Wtr experience!”

Should you buy Mud\Wtr?

Maybe, if you’re interested in the benefits of mushrooms and ditching caffeine

Overall, I’m happy I tried Mud\Wtr. I like the flavors available and I didn’t feel like I was giving up caffeine—the ingredients combined with the small amount of caffeine in the chai and matcha kept me energetic and focused throughout the day.

But because of the price, I just can’t see myself buying Mud\Wtr in the future. I’ve given up caffeine before, and after about three days of misery and exhaustion, your energy levels return back to normal on their own—with or without Mud\Wtr. If you’re seriously interested in cutting caffeine out of your life, you can do so without any supplements and get the same results.

That being said, I thought Mud\Wtr was delicious. If you’re interested in seeing the benefits of mushrooms for yourself, you’ll love all of Mud\Wtr’s offerings.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.