JUPITER, Fla. — It's a trend making its way to the Sunshine State.
"Mushroom coffee" is gaining popularity for its health benefits. Some physicians claim the exotic cup of joe can help you with various ailments.
It can be hard to believe that coffee and mushrooms go hand-in-hand.
"You can combine the two and it makes for a happy, healthy start to the day," said Dr. Ken Grey, a holistic physician with Jupiter Medical Center.
Grey prescribes exotic mushroom supplements to help prevent cancer cell proliferation. He said it also helps fight fatigue and boost the immune system for years.
"This is one of the new trends that we see helping so many people," he said. "Anti-inflammatory, it's great for cardiovascular health, great for energy, great for autoimmune disease and awesome for combating cancer."
He said its popularity is increasing, and mushroom coffee is making its way to several regions of the country.
Grey is not a fan of caffeine but acknowledges morning coffee is part of daily routines.
"It's balance. Yin and yang, so it appeals to me very much," he said.
A top question often asked is if the coffee tasted like mushrooms. The answer is no.
And it's not the kind of mushroom you may be thinking about.
"Typically when you think medicinal, you think, 'Oh, is it the one that gives you the high?' " Grey said. "This is not what we are talking about when we talk about these mushrooms and coffee blends."
He insists mushrooms are for everyone.
"They're highly intelligent as a food," he says.
Grey said don't be surprised if you see this show up in your local coffee shop.
"As we are getting more diverse coffee shops, you will get more of it," said Grey.
