If coffee gives you jitters or just doesn’t jive with your system, you might be considering gentler beverage alternatives. One option is mushroom coffee: Decidedly viral and influencer-approved, it touts various health benefits, without that shaky, wired feel coffee can bring. But if you’re eyeing the price tag suspiciously, you might wonder: Can I pay for mushroom coffee with my HSA or FSA? 

Below, we’ll break down exactly when and how you can use your HSA or FSA for mushroom coffee and give a comprehensive overview of its nutritional merit with insights from a registered dietitian. 

The Expert

• Emily Villaseca, RDN, owner and lead dietitian at Pass the Chia

A Mushroom Coffee Overview: Health Benefits and Considerations

Before we explore how mushroom coffee might fit into your HSA/FSA spree, let’s first find out if it’s worth your funds in the first place. 

Regular Coffee vs. Mushroom Coffee: Nutritional Differences

“The biggest difference between the two is the amount of caffeine they provide,” says Villaseca. Predictably, mushroom coffees tend to contain way less caffeine than a cup of coffee (around 100 mg for most brews). But other than that, they’re not so different nutritionally.

“Looking at nutrient panels for regular coffee vs. mushroom coffees shows these are really very similar. Regular coffee is often celebrated as a source of antioxidants, and some mushroom coffees say they include things like B-vitamins, [but] they’re not a stellar source (AKA not where you should count on getting most of your vitamins),” says Villaseca. 

Key Benefits of Switching to Mushroom Coffee

“There are many claimed benefits of mushroom coffee, including everything from lowering risk of cancer and heart disease to improving immunity and lowering allergic reactions. It’s important to know there are few human studies that support these claims— most studies have been done in test tubes only or in rodents. That means you’ve got to take the results of those studies with a grain of salt and know they may not translate to health benefits for you,” says Villaseca. 

That said, lowering caffeine intake alone can help you overcome coffee-related jitters, and acid content is worth considering: “For most people, trying a mushroom coffee is a safe option and might leave you feeling less jittery and more focused than your usual cup of coffee. [It] may also be less acidic, so it may be helpful for those more prone to acid reflux,” says Villaseca. 

Who Should Avoid Mushroom Coffee?

While mushroom coffee is generally safe, if you have an underlying medical condition, it’s best to talk to your doctor before trying it. “I would be cautious in recommending mushroom coffee to those with GI issues or with chronic health issues, especially involving the kidneys or liver. Those organs do so much work in filtering out things that you don’t need, or that can be harmful to you. If you’ve got impairment there, you’re at a higher risk of developing further health issues,” says Villaseca. 

What to Look for When Shopping for Mushroom Coffee

Ingredient quality and transparency are the main qualities to look for in your mushroom coffee of choice. “I would actually consider mushroom coffees to be more of a supplement than a food item, and I want to make sure supplements go through a kind of verification that they contain what they say they do, and nothing they shouldn’t,” says Villaseca. 

“Spend some time on brand websites and look for anything talking about how they ensure product quality, sourcing, or research. If you can find ones that are third-party verified (which means an organization other than the company has verified what’s inside), that’s even better!”

Is Mushroom Coffee HSA/FSA-Eligible?

Mushroom coffee isn’t automatically HSA/FSA-eligible, but you may be able to use your HSA/FSA funds for it with a Letter of Medical Necessity, or LMN. This document, completed by a physician, helps secure HSA/FSA reimbursement by explaining that you need the product to help treat, prevent, or diagnose a specific medical condition (like anxiety, ADHD, or digestive inflammation). 

This might sound complicated, but it’s pretty seamless through Truemed, an online platform that provides LMNs virtually, with no in-person visit required. Luckily, Stridekick is a Truemed-partnered site, meaning you can shop for HSA/FSA-eligible products (including coffee alternatives) directly through the Stridekick Shop. When you choose a product, you’ll get redirected to checkout, where you can choose to pay with HSA/FSA and complete the Truemed online survey. A physician will remotely review your answers, and LMNs are typically sent within 24 to 48 hours. 

Mushroom Coffee From the Stridekick Shop

Everyday Dose and MUD/WTR are two HSA/FSA-eligible mushroom coffee brands available from the Stridekick Shop, with multiple beverage options to suit your morning (or pre-workout) routine. 

Everyday Dose

Ready to give up the jitters, but not coffee altogether? Try Everyday Dose, a brand that creates gut-friendly blends of coffee, functional mushrooms, and collagen for calm, sustained energy. Plus, all of its ingredients are third-party tested for heavy metals, mycotoxins, allergens, and mold. Options include:

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• Coffee+ (Mild or Medium Roast), a blend of 100% Arabica coffee with lion’s mane and chaga mushrooms, grass-fed collagen protein, and L-theanine
• Matcha+, a blend of ceremonial-grade Japanese matcha, lion’s mane and chaga mushrooms, grass-fed collagen protein, and L-theanine

MUD/WTR

MUD/WTR is a third-party tested coffee alternative made to provide jitter-free focus and energy. It contains organic mushrooms, cacao, chai spices, and adaptogens for a smooth, earthy flavor with a fraction of the caffeine found in the typical cup of joe. Options include:

• MUD/WTR Original, a mushroom-based coffee alternative with 35 mg of caffeine from black tea, plus 2,240 mg of functional mushrooms
• MUD/WTR Matcha, a higher-caffeine option with 55 mg of caffeine from Japanese matcha, plus the same functional mushroom blend as the original brew
• MUD/WTR Rest, a nighttime formula with zero caffeine to support sleep quality and relaxation, with turmeric, reishi mushroom, and ashwagandha
• MUD/WTR Hot Cacao, made to satisfy your evening or dessert cravings with organic cacao, lion’s mane, ashwagandha, and maca to provide cognitive support, stress relief, and hormonal balance
• MUD/WTR Turmeric, a golden, zero-caffeine blend with turmeric, chai spices, and functional mushrooms to support natural energy and overall balance

Swapping coffee for these alternatives might just help calm your mind, and you’ll still have a sippable morning beverage to look forward to. To find more products for your self-care routine, browse the complete selection of goodies on the Stridekick Shop.