Last updated: October 2026
Reishi tea is a bitter, woody drink made by simmering dried reishi mushroom slices in water for 1 to 2 hours, or by stirring reishi extract powder into hot water. Made with reishi alone, it is caffeine-free. Most people drink it in the evening. Human evidence for its benefits is limited, and side effects are usually mild.
Find reishi tea too bitter? Our reishi hot chocolate mixes reishi mushroom extract with organic cacao and maca, so it tastes of chocolate rather than mushroom. It contains a little natural caffeine from the cacao.
How to make reishi tea: recipe card
Reishi (Ganoderma) is too tough and woody to eat, so it is brewed instead. Two ways:
Method 1: dried slices (traditional)
- You need: 2 to 3g of dried reishi slices (about 2 to 4 thin slices) and 750ml of water.
- Simmer: bring to the boil, then simmer gently with a lid on for 1 to 2 hours, until about 500ml (two mugs) is left. Longer simmering makes a stronger, more bitter tea.
- Strain: pour through a sieve and drink warm.
- Store: keep leftovers in a covered jug in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat gently.
Method 2: extract powder (quick)
- You need: one serving of reishi extract powder (often 1 to 2g; follow the pack) and a mug of hot water.
- Stir: mix in well. No simmering needed, as the extraction has already been done.
There is no official UK amount for reishi, so stick to a label serving. For the forms, see reishi powder vs extract vs tincture vs capsules, and for other mushrooms, our mushroom tea guide.
What does reishi tea taste like?
Bitter, earthy and woody, like very strong black tea with a medicinal edge, not like a cooking mushroom. Reishi is high in bitter compounds, mainly triterpenes. To make it nicer:
- Ginger: simmer a few slices of fresh ginger with the reishi.
- Cinnamon: add a cinnamon stick for warmth and natural sweetness.
- Honey: stir in a teaspoon once it has cooled slightly.
- Lemon or orange peel: cuts the bitterness.
- Cacao: whisk the tea with cacao and warm milk for a reishi hot chocolate. See reishi cacao and our healthy hot chocolate guide.
Reishi tea vs reishi coffee vs hot chocolate vs capsules
No form has been shown to work better; it comes down to taste, caffeine and convenience.
| Form | Taste | Caffeine | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reishi tea | Bitter, woody | None (reishi only) | A traditional evening ritual |
| Reishi coffee | Coffee | Yes, from the coffee | Mornings |
| Reishi hot chocolate | Chocolate | A little, from cacao | People who dislike bitter |
| Capsules | None | None, usually | A set amount, no ritual |
Reishi coffee is coffee mixed with reishi extract, so it has caffeine (about 100mg in a cup of instant coffee, says the NHS). See our mushroom coffee guide. Reishi hot chocolate is the easiest way to get past the bitterness. Unsweetened cocoa powder contains about 230mg of caffeine per 100g (USDA), so even an 8g scoop made entirely of cocoa would hold under 20mg.
Our reishi hot chocolate
Our Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex is our own reishi hot chocolate powder. The label lists organic cacao powder, reishi mushroom extract (Ganoderma lucidum), maca root extract, coconut milk powder and organic coconut sugar. It is vegan and made in the UK. You stir 1 to 2 teaspoons (4 to 8g) into warm, not boiling, water or plant milk.
The product page doesn’t state how much reishi is in each serving or which part of the mushroom the extract comes from. And unlike plain reishi tea, it isn’t caffeine-free: it contains a little natural caffeine from the cacao.
Also in the box: our Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex, a berry drink powder with magnesium bisglycinate and citrate (148mg magnesium per serving), glycine, L-theanine and chamomile. Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue. And our Sleep CBD Oil: broad spectrum CBD with passion flower and a terpene blend in MCT oil.
The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.
Red reishi vs black reishi: what the names mean
“Red reishi” is the shiny, reddish-brown mushroom most labels call Ganoderma lucidum. The naming is muddled. DNA testing of 20 reishi products found that 93% were actually Ganoderma lingzhi, the East Asian species, and none contained true European Ganoderma lucidum.
“Black reishi” is usually a darker Ganoderma, often sold as Ganoderma sinense. China uses both G. sinense and G. lucidum as lingzhi, but their triterpene and polysaccharide content differs significantly. There is no good human evidence that one colour works better. A clear label names the species and the part used (fruiting body or mycelium). More in our reishi mushroom guide. Snow fungus is a different mushroom altogether: see tremella.
Reishi tea benefits: what the evidence says
Mushrooms have no authorised health claims in Great Britain, and no trial has tested home-brewed reishi tea. Studies used extracts or powders:
- Fatigue and wellbeing: in a Chinese trial of 132 people with neurasthenia (long-term fatigue), a reishi polysaccharide extract for 8 weeks improved fatigue and wellbeing scores more than placebo.
- Immune markers: a Taiwanese trial in healthy adults found changes in immune cell counts after 84 days of a reishi beta-glucan. Changed lab markers don’t prove fewer illnesses.
- Sleep: rats given reishi extract slept longer, but there is no good human sleep trial. See reishi for sleep.
- Heart health: a Cochrane review found no support for reishi for blood sugar, blood pressure or cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes.
So reishi tea may suit a calm evening ritual, but evidence for specific benefits is limited. Compare reishi vs ashwagandha and lion’s mane vs reishi vs cordyceps.
Reishi tea side effects and who should check first
In short trials, reishi is usually well tolerated. Reported side effects include dry mouth, rashes, upset stomach, diarrhoea, headache, nosebleeds and dizziness, according to the MSD Manual.
The liver: liver injury is rare but has been reported. In the Hong Kong and Thai case reports (one fatal), both patients had drunk traditionally boiled reishi without problems, then developed liver injury 1 to 2 months after switching to reishi powder; both took other medicines. A 2023 US case involved reishi powder with alcohol. If your skin or the whites of your eyes look yellow, stop and ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111.
Check with your GP or pharmacist first if you:
- take blood thinners (warfarin, clopidogrel) or have a bleeding disorder
- have surgery planned, as reishi may raise bleeding risk
- take blood pressure medicines or have low blood pressure
- take diabetes medicines (an animal-study interaction)
- take immunosuppressants or are having chemotherapy
- are pregnant or breastfeeding: safety hasn’t been properly studied
We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Our products are for adults (18+) only. Chaga tea carries different risks; see chaga.
When to drink reishi tea
Most people have it in the evening, 30 to 60 minutes before bed, as a caffeine-free swap for black tea or coffee. It isn’t a sedative, but a warm, unhurried drink can be a useful cue to wind down. Build it into a bedtime routine or compare it with other options in the best teas for sleep.
A reishi mug also makes an alcohol-free nightcap. For the bigger picture, see our functional mushrooms guide or our mushroom supplement buying guide.
Related guides
- Reishi doesn’t have to be a tea: try it baked into this pumpkin chocolate protein cake.
- For what the human trials say about reishi and mood, see reishi for anxiety: what the evidence shows.
- The same fat-first rule applies to CBD tea: stir the oil into milk before pouring in the tea.
FAQs
How do you make reishi tea?
Simmer 2 to 3g of dried reishi slices in 750ml of water with a lid on for 1 to 2 hours, then strain. Or stir a serving of reishi extract powder into hot water.
What does reishi tea taste like?
Bitter, earthy and woody, not like a cooking mushroom. Ginger, cinnamon, honey, citrus peel or cacao make it easier to drink.
Can you drink reishi tea every day?
Many people have a cup a day, and reishi is usually well tolerated in short trials. Stick to a label serving and check with your GP or pharmacist if you take any medication.
Is reishi tea good before bed?
It is a popular caffeine-free evening drink. Rats slept longer on reishi extract, but there is no good human sleep trial, so treat it as a calming ritual rather than a sleep aid.
What are the side effects of reishi tea?
Possible side effects include dry mouth, upset stomach, diarrhoea, headache, dizziness and nosebleeds. Rare liver injury has been reported, mostly with reishi powder. It may interact with blood thinners and blood pressure medicines.
Does reishi tea have caffeine?
No. Tea made only from reishi and water is caffeine-free. Reishi coffee contains caffeine, and reishi hot chocolate contains a little natural caffeine from the cacao.
Sources
- MSD Manual (Consumer Version). Reishi. Reviewed July 2025.
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Reishi mushroom.
- NHS. Jaundice.
- NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy: caffeine.
- USDA FoodData Central. Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened (FDC 169593).
- El Sheikha AF (2022). Ganoderma lucidum as a functional food. Foods. PMID 35407117.
- Loyd AL, et al. (2018). Ganoderma species composition in commercial reishi products. Front Microbiol. PMID 30061872.
- Lv GP, et al. (2012). Sterols and fatty acids in two species of Ganoderma. Chem Cent J. PMID 22293530.
- Tang W, et al. (2005). A Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide extract in neurasthenia. J Med Food. PMID 15857210.
- Chen SN, et al. (2023). Reishi beta-glucan in healthy adults. Foods. PMID 36766186.
- Cui XY, et al. (2012). Extract of Ganoderma lucidum prolongs sleep time in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. PMID 22207209.
- Klupp NL, et al. (2015). Ganoderma lucidum for cardiovascular risk factors. Cochrane. PMID 25686270.
- Wanmuang H, et al. (2007). Fatal hepatitis associated with Ganoderma lucidum powder. PMID 17621752.
- Guedikian R, et al. (2023). Reishi-induced acute liver injury in the setting of alcohol use. Cureus. PMID 37885515.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Evopure makes the Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex, Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex and Sleep CBD Oil.
