- Quick Summary of FreshCap Mushroom Supplements Review
- The Bottom Line: Are They Worth It?
Mushrooms are certainly having a moment! In fact, I can't think of any other supplement that I'm being asked about more at the moment in my work as a registered dietitian. I admit that I didn't even realize that mushrooms are so popular that they now come in gummy form until a colleague mentioned that she was recommending them to some of her clients.
What is making everyone in the health world so mad for mushrooms? The truth is that mushrooms have been used medicinally for centuries, and there are plenty of mushroom supplement benefits. In addition to being great sources of essentials like fiber, antioxidants, and selenium, the ordinary mushroom has been shown to mitigate risks associated with serious conditions like diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's, and cancer.
The mushroom product that I'm asked about the most is called FreshCap Mushrooms. These are delicious gummies that pack tons of mushroom power into an easy-to-eat form. I can’t let the mushroom supplement craze get any bigger without chiming in with my own FreshCap review based on my analysis of the product's ingredients.
Quick Summary of FreshCap Mushroom Supplements Review
FreshCap Mushrooms
What Is FreshCap Mushrooms?
I sort of love that one of the founders of FreshCap Mushrooms holds a degree in nutrition and food science. In fact, the brand's two founders are so obsessed with mushrooms that they even owned and operated their own mushroom farm for years before starting this company. This background really says a lot to me about the brand's understanding of mushrooms. It also speaks of a commitment to quality that I find so rare among supplement brands today that often seem like they are just jumping on the latest health “gimmick.”
Functional Mushroom’s Offered and Their Benefits
I really want to jump into the meat of what's in each FreshCap Mushroom gummy because there's so much to unpack here. This brand doesn't just toss in a few common mushrooms. You're getting exotic meadows full of mushrooms from around the world when you twist open the cap. I'm actually surprised by just how many top-tier mushroom varieties are used by this brand. I don't think there's another supplement out there that combines so many different mushrooms in one single product.
Lion’s Mane
Lion's mane mushrooms are white, shaggy mushrooms that are commonly used for both culinary and medicinal purposes in China, India, Japan, and Korea. These are quite possibly the most nutritious mushrooms on the planet.
Key Benefits
There's strong evidence that lion's mane protects against dementia and Alzheimer's. Lion's mane is full of compounds called hericenones and erinacines that can stimulate the growth of brain cells. Lion's mane could offer some roaring benefits for reducing anxiety. Lion's mane is also a powerhouse for healing. In addition to speeding up recovery time following injury, lion's mane may also help the brain to bounce back after a stroke. The anti-inflammatory properties of lion's mane support claims that it can help with digestive distress. It has even been linked with ulcer reductions.
Lion's mane may also help you to have the heart of a lion! That's because this amazing mushroom has demonstrated an ability to improve fat metabolism while lowering triglyceride levels. That means that it can help with heart health, cholesterol levels, and weight.
There's really almost too much to cover when it comes to the benefits of lion's mane. I'll close it out by saying that there's strong evidence to support claims that this mushroom can slow the growth of cancer cells, boost the immune system, and reverse symptoms of diabetes.
Turkey Tail
Known for its flamboyant resemblance to strutting feathers, the turkey tail mushroom is considered a powerhouse for the immune system. These mushrooms can be great for both preventing sickness and helping you to recover from colds.
Key Benefits
It's hard to beat turkey tail if you're trying to trot away from oxidative stress. This mushroom has been shown to contain an impressive mix of antioxidants that includes phenols and flavonoids. Turkey tail also contains polysaccharopeptides that have powerful immune-boosting properties. Most notable of all is turkey tail's documented ability to potentially prevent and inhibit the growth of tumor cells.
Cordyceps
Used in Chinese herbal medicine for centuries, cordyceps actually grow in the larvae of insects. They are collected and dried before being added to supplements.
Key Benefits
Fitness-minded people have reasons to be especially excited about cordyceps. That's because they have actually been shown to improve the way your body uses oxygen when working out. In addition, they increase adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production to deliver energy to the muscles during workouts. There's also the big anti-aging benefit that deserves a little coverage. Mice studies have shown that cordyceps can actually slow down cell aging.
Chaga
Native to places like Northern Europe, Siberia, Russia, Korea, and Canada, chaga actually looks like a lump of burnt coal when you come across it in the wild.
Key Benefits
Chaga has been used in Northern European folk medicine for ages. The key benefit is immune support. That's because chaga promotes the formation of cytokines that help to regulate the immune system. Chaga actually triggers white blood cells to help fight off viruses and bacteria. Several studies have demonstrated chaga's strong anti-cancer properties.
Reishi
Used alongside standard medical treatments in China and Japan for decades, reishi has many different uses. It is a colorful, kidney-shaped mushroom with a fanned tip.
Key Benefits
Resishi shows promise for its anti-cancer benefits. Test-tube studies show that resishi can kill cancer cells. There's also evidence that this mushroom can stabilize blood sugar levels, boost antioxidant function in the body, and increase levels of “good” HDL cholesterol.
Types of Mushroom Supplements Offered
I know I said at the beginning that this was a review of FreshCap Mushroom gummies. While I'm mostly focusing on the gummies simply because they are the most popular product in the FreshCap lineup, I do want to also cover some of the other products offered by the brand. What I love about the way FreshCap structures its lineup is that each product will actually tell what it achieves right in the description. That makes it easy to shop for energy, relaxation, endurance, immunity, digestive support, or whatever else you're looking for!
Capsules
If you want all the mushrooms, the complex is your best bet. However, you can also purchase capsules for all of the different mushroom varieties offered in the complex.
Powders
You can also choose to go with either the complex or individual mushrooms when you choose FreshCap powders. These are so easy to blend into a morning smoothie!
Drinks
FreshCap offers three elixirs. I was actually pretty excited to find out that the brand sells mushroom coffee. You can also opt for the lion's mane elixir or reishi elixir.
Gummies
There's only one option for gummies. The Mushroom Gummies Ultimate Complex is designed using the best of everything for immunity, focus, and energy.
Shroomies (Mushrooms for Dogs)
FreshCap didn't forget about your four-legged bestie. These dog treats are specially formulated using seven functional mushrooms crafted into a tasty, chewy treat. This mushroom treat is designed to support heart health, joint health, cognitive health, and immune system strength.
Most Popular FreshCap Mushroom Supplements
I know there's a lot to unpack in this robust product line. I want to go over the “hot” items in the lineup that deserve some special attention.
Thrive 6 Ultimate Mushroom Complex Extract (60g Powder)
You can add this stuff to anything! Designed for immunity, cognition, and energy, this organic blend is made from whole fruiting bodies with bioactive compounds. Each serving is packed with chaga, cordyceps, lion's mane, turkey tail, and reishi.
Turkey Tail Capsules and Mushroom Extract Powder
You're getting 100% pure turkey tail capsules made from whole mushroom fruiting bodies. They also offer a mushroom extract powder, which you can mix in with pretty much any drink you want.
Mushroom Coffee
This a great brand to choose if you've been looking to try mushroom coffee for the first time. FreshCap's mushroom coffee is an instant coffee made with lion’s mane, chaga, and ashwagandha. It's formulated to boost productivity while also providing stress relief.
Mushroom Gummies
FreshCap uses a really tasty cola flavor for its gummies that can feel very fresh if you're sort of done with fruity gummies. You're getting a vegan formula made with 100% fruiting bodies that delivers 145 mg beta-glucan per serving. The blend contains chaga, cordyceps, lion's mane, turkey tail, reishi, tapioca syrup, cane sugar, natural flavors, pectin, citric acid, and sodium citrate.
Unwind Reishi Elixir
This elixir is designed to support relaxation, reduce stress, and help you sleep better. It blends reishi and chaga with soothing botanicals. It also contains l as L-theanine and magnesium!
Focus Lion’s Mane Elixir
A great way to start your day, FreshCap's Lion's Mane Elixir blends lion's mane, rose hips, and Neumentix® spearmint extract to support focus and concentration. The blend also contains organic monk fruit extract for natural sweetness.
Where to Buy and Pricing
Where can you actually buy FreshCap's products? I'm surprised that some major retail chains haven't picked up this brand yet. This is an online-only brand for now. While you can pick up some FreshCap Mushroom products on Amazon, the easiest way to partake in the goodness is to simply order directly from the brand online. FreshCap's website actually makes ordering fun and easy because you visit each product page to read all of the product information. In fact, this brand is one of the best when it comes to product transparency. Every single ingredient in every single product is listed right on the product page.
There are too many individual products in the FreshCap lineup for me to cover the prices for everything. However, I do want to break down the cost of the gummies for you because this is the product that most people start with. A 60-gummy bottle costs $34.95 if you're just making a one-time purchase. However, you can get this same bottle for $27.96 if you subscribe. You can sign up to have your bottles delivered every one to four months based on your preference.
Capsules in the FreshCap lineup cost the same as gummies. You're still getting that discount if you subscribe. For powders, the cost is $29.99 for a one-time purchase unless you sign up for a subscription to get the price dropped down to just $23.99 per jar.
How much is FreshCap mushroom coffee? While a one-time purchase costs $22.50 for a bag with 15 servings, the subscription cost is $18. The other elixirs are both $37.99 before dropping down to $30.99 with a subscription. If you decide to pick up a bag of Shroomies for your dog, the price is $27.95 for a one-time bag unless you subscribe to get the discounted price of $22.36.
Real FreshCap Mushroom Reviews and Average Rating
What are people actually saying about FreshCap products? It's pretty much five-star reviews across the board with these products. The gummies get especially high ratings from customers. First, people really love the flavor. There's also a strong theme across reviews for the gummies of people enjoying better immunity and gut health.
The capsules hold a five-star ranking across thousands of reviews! The same goes for the powders. The coffee and elixirs also have consistent five-star ratings. As I read through some of the thousands of reviews from real customers, it was clear to see that people are loving the energy and vitality they're getting from these products. Another big theme I saw was that people really attribute improved focus to bringing these products into their lives.
Alternatives Compared to FreshCap Mushroom Supplements
FreshCap certainly isn't the first company to bring mushrooms to the masses. While I happen to think this company does an exceptional job, I do want to share that there are some other companies offering mushroom products.
Four Sigmatic
Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee is considered by many to be the company that put mushrooms on the map. Four Sigmatic's coffee lineup is actually terrific. While the brand is definitely worth trying, you won’t get the gummy, capsule, and elixir products that you're getting with FreshCap.
RYZE
RYZE is another brand that focuses on mushroom coffee. The classic RYZE blend (read review) offers a great mix of cordyceps, lion's mane, reishi, shiitake, turkey tail, and king's trumpet. Again, this is a great coffee company if you want some boutique mushroom coffee without the option to order gummies and other mushroom supplements.
MUD\WTR
This brand offers high-quality mushroom coffee that actually works best if you're trying to taper down your caffeine consumption. That's because MUD\WTR mushroom coffee actually adds caffeine to its mushroom coffee to make it more comparable to real coffee. The creamers made of coconut milk are also really great if you're simply looking for a mushroom coffee company instead of a mushroom wellness brand.
SuperMush
I don't think there's really any reason to feel like you have to choose between FreshCap and SuperMush Spray. Both can actually work great together as part of your mushroom-powered lifestyle. That's because SuperMush makes sprays for things like energy, immunity, and relaxation. These sprays are great if you'd specifically like some quick infusions of lion's mane and cordyceps. While I don't think these sprays can touch the potency of the gummies, capsules, powders, and elixirs offered by FreshCap, I do think they can be great to keep in a purse or bag to get a jolt for the times when life has left you feeling more like cream of mushroom than a fun guy.
The Bottom Line: Are They Worth It?
I have to admit that I am intrigued by FreshCap's lineup. It really impresses me to think that you can get the health benefits of so many rare and valuable mushrooms packed into a single supplement. I really love that these mushroom supplements aren't just designed to help you enjoy vitality today. They are also helping you to fortify your body against a variety of long-term health worries like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Overall, I can only really say good things about the lineup offered by this company. I think it's definitely worth seeing how they make you feel!
Tips for Success from the RD
Mushrooms aren't magic. While the specific mushrooms used by FreshCap are credited with having strong restorative properties, they can't necessarily reverse the other lifestyle factors that are influencing your health. Don't consider a mushroom supplement a magic eraser that's going to undo poor habits like overeating, not exercising, smoking, or drinking excessively.
Adding mushroom supplements to a balanced lifestyle is really the best way to see and feel the results both in the short term and long term. Lastly, I want to say that these mushroom supplements aren't intended to replace your ordinary daily vitamins. Don't skimp on other key supplements just because you're adding mushrooms to the mix.
