Last updated: October 2026
Mushroom hot chocolate is cacao powder blended with a mushroom extract, usually reishi, lion’s mane or chaga, that you stir into warm milk. When we checked UK options in October 2026, labels that stated an amount gave from 500mg to over 2,000mg of mushroom per serving, and most contain a little natural caffeine from the cacao.
Below: what to check on the label, how six UK options compare, an easy recipe and who should skip it. We don’t rate or rank other brands’ products.
Our mushroom hot chocolate: the Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex is a reishi hot chocolate made with reishi mushroom extract, organic cacao, maca, coconut milk powder and organic coconut sugar. Vegan, made in the UK and third-party lab tested, with around 30 servings a pouch.
What is mushroom hot chocolate?
It is a hot chocolate mix with a functional mushroom added, normally as a dried extract so it dissolves and doesn’t taste of mushrooms. Reishi is the most common choice for an evening cup; lion’s mane and chaga turn up in daytime blends. Many mixes also add maca, ashwagandha, cinnamon or coconut milk powder.
These are culinary and supplement mushrooms, not magic mushrooms. They contain no psilocybin. It sits alongside mushroom coffee, which has far more caffeine. For the mushrooms themselves, our UK mushroom supplement guide covers capsules and powders too.
What to check on the label
Two tubs can look the same and contain very different amounts. These are the lines worth reading:
- Which mushroom. Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum or G. lingzhi), lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus), chaga, cordyceps or tremella. One named mushroom or a blend.
- Extract or whole powder. An extract is concentrated; ground mushroom powder is not. Our guide to reishi powder vs extract explains the difference.
- Milligrams per serving. Look for a figure per mug, not just “infused with”. Some labels give an equivalent: Spacegoods lists reishi as “1000mg” made “from 66.7mg 15:1 extract”, so the scoop holds 66.7mg of extract.
- Fruiting body or mycelium. The fruiting body is the mushroom you can see. Mycelium is the root-like network, and some products grow it on grain. A 2025 lab study of chaga supplements found grain-grown mycelium products were rich in starch, while the mushroom itself had none.
- Beta-glucans stated or not. Starch can count towards a vague “polysaccharides” figure, so a stated beta-glucan percentage tells you more.
- Sugar and sweeteners. Check grams of sugar per serving and whether it uses coconut sugar, stevia, monk fruit or nothing at all.
- Caffeine. Cacao always carries some. A few brands give a figure; others say “caffeine-free” or say nothing.
- Vegan and extras. Check for milk powder, collagen or added herbs such as ashwagandha if you avoid them.
UK mushroom hot chocolates compared
Label facts from each brand’s own website, checked October 2026. Evopure isn’t connected with the other brands.
| Product | Mushrooms | Amount stated per serving? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evopure Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex | Reishi extract | Not stated | Organic cacao, maca, coconut milk powder, coconut sugar; vegan |
| DIRTEA Cacao | Lion’s mane, tremella, reishi | Yes: 1,100mg, 1,100mg, 500mg | Fruiting bodies; states over 40% beta-glucans; 6g serving |
| Rheal Coco Dream | Reishi extract | Yes: 500mg | Coconut sugar, under 1.5g sugar; KSM-66 ashwagandha |
| Four Sigmatic Calm Cacao | Reishi fruiting body extract | Not on the page we read | 2g coconut palm sugar, stevia; 6mg caffeine per packet |
| Spacegoods Sleep+ | Reishi, maitake | Yes: 1,000mg each (extract equivalent) | 200mg magnesium; stevia; no added sugar |
| Quirky Monkey Choc-O-Shroom | Lion’s mane, reishi, cordyceps | Not on its product page | Unsweetened; ashwagandha, maca; vegan |
The biggest differences are how much mushroom you get, whether it is sweetened and what else is in the tub. DIRTEA describes its Cacao as caffeine-free, while Four Sigmatic gives 6mg per packet on its international store, which ships to the UK. More detail is in our guides to DIRTEA, Rheal, Four Sigmatic and Spacegoods.
Our pick for a mushroom hot chocolate is our own Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex: reishi mushroom extract with organic cacao, maca root extract, coconut milk powder and organic coconut sugar, with no artificial sweeteners or flavourings. It tastes like a rich, lightly sweet hot chocolate, it is vegan and every batch is third-party lab tested (reports on request). It contains a little natural caffeine from the cacao. Our product page doesn’t yet give a reishi figure in milligrams per serving, so if that number matters most to you, the table above shows which brands state one.
Some people pair it with the Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex, a berry drink powder with 148mg of magnesium per serving (magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue), or Sleep CBD Oil, broad spectrum CBD with passion flower extract.
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.
How to make mushroom hot chocolate
Our oat milk version, for one mug:
- Warm 250ml of oat milk in a pan until steaming. Don’t let it boil.
- Put 1 to 2 teaspoons (4 to 8g) of Reishi Cacao in a mug with a splash of the warm milk and stir to a smooth paste.
- Pour in the rest of the milk, stirring or frothing as you go.
- Add a pinch of cinnamon or sea salt if you like. Taste before adding any sweetener.
For an iced version, make the paste with a little hot water, then top up with cold oat milk and ice. Other brands use different scoop sizes, from 5g to 8g, so follow the directions on your tub.
More ideas: our hot chocolate recipes, a healthy hot chocolate with less sugar, a ceremonial cacao cup, or bake it into a vegan pumpkin chocolate protein cake. It also makes an easy alcohol-free nightcap.
Caffeine and drinking it in the evening
Mushrooms contain no caffeine, but cacao does. USDA data lists about 230mg of caffeine and 2,057mg of theobromine per 100g of unsweetened cocoa powder, so each gram of cocoa carries about 2mg of caffeine. A mug made with 2 to 5g of cocoa would have roughly 5mg to 12mg (our estimate), against about 100mg in a cup of instant coffee and 75mg in a cup of tea (NHS).
EFSA says single doses of 100mg of caffeine may affect sleep in some adults when taken close to bedtime. A mushroom hot chocolate sits well below that, which is why many people drink one in the evening. If you are very sensitive to caffeine, have it earlier. Our guide on hot chocolate before bed goes into timing.
Reishi has no authorised health claims in the UK, and we don’t sell it as a sleep aid. For what the research does and doesn’t show, read reishi cacao benefits. If it’s lion’s mane you’re after, our lion’s mane guide covers doses and evidence.
Who should skip it
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- Under 18s. Our products are for adults (18+) only.
- Anyone on medication. Check with your GP or pharmacist first.
- Blood thinners or blood pressure medicines. The MSD Manual says reishi might slow blood clotting and might lower blood pressure, so it may add to warfarin, clopidogrel, regular ibuprofen or blood pressure tablets. Also check first if you have a bleeding disorder, low blood pressure or surgery coming up.
- Liver problems. The MSD Manual notes that taking powdered reishi for more than a month could damage the liver.
- Mushroom allergy, or if a blend contains a herb you have been told to avoid, such as ashwagandha.
Stop if you get an upset stomach, rash, dizziness or nosebleeds.
FAQs
What is the best mushroom hot chocolate in the UK?
There isn’t one best mix for everyone. Check which mushroom it uses, the milligrams per serving, fruiting body or mycelium, sugar and caffeine. Ours is the Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex, a vegan reishi hot chocolate made in the UK.
Does mushroom hot chocolate taste of mushrooms?
Not usually. Extracts are used in small amounts, so it tastes mainly of cacao, sometimes with a slightly earthy or bitter finish. Unsweetened mixes taste darker.
Does mushroom hot chocolate have caffeine?
Usually a little, from the cacao: unsweetened cocoa powder has about 2mg of caffeine per gram. That is far less than a cup of tea or coffee. Our Reishi Cacao contains a little natural caffeine.
Is mushroom hot chocolate legal in the UK?
Yes. It uses functional mushrooms such as reishi and lion’s mane, which contain no psilocybin. Magic mushrooms are a different thing and are a Class A drug in the UK.
Can I drink mushroom hot chocolate every day?
Many adults have one mug a day. Stick to the serving on the label, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take blood thinners, blood pressure medicines or any other medication.
Is mushroom hot chocolate better than mushroom coffee?
They suit different times of day. Mushroom coffee usually has 50mg to 120mg of caffeine a serving, while mushroom hot chocolate has only a few milligrams from the cacao, so it suits the evening better.
Sources
- NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy (caffeine).
- EFSA. Caffeine.
- USDA FoodData Central: “Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened” (FDC ID 169593).
- MSD Manual (Consumer Version). Reishi. Last updated July 2025.
- GOV.UK. Drugs penalties.
- Windsor C, et al. (2025). Comparative study of chaga (Inonotus obliquus) dietary supplements using complementary analytical techniques. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. PMID 40243601. The authors work for a mushroom extract supplier.
- Brand pages checked October 2026: DIRTEA Cacao, Rheal Coco Dream, Four Sigmatic Calm Cacao, Spacegoods Sleep+ and Quirky Monkey Choc-O-Shroom.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Evopure makes the Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex, Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex and Sleep CBD Oil. Evopure isn’t connected with any other brand named here; their details come from their own websites, checked in October 2026. Brands: if something is out of date, email support@evopure.co.uk.
