Bulletproof recently released their popular Brain Octane Oil in a softgel form, and while some of our testers liked the product, most felt like it did not deliver enough caprylic acid triglyceride bang, for the buck.

Still looking for an easier way to take Bulletproof Coffee on the road, our testers were excited about the company’s new product: InstaMix, a powdered blend of MCT and grass-fed butter, which  is meant to be mixed in with fresh-brewed coffee. Read on to see if  this powder ended up being better than the softgels, and whether or not this is the answer to taking Bulletproof Coffee on the road.

The Ingredients

Per packet: Caprylic Acid Triglycerides (Brain Octane Oil), Grass-fed Butter, Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin, Oleic Fatty Acid (from Olive Oil)

Caprylic Acid Triglycerides (Brain Octane Oil)

Medium-chain triglycerides, normally in the form of refined coconut oils, have become popular in recent years, largely thanks to the work of Bulletproof founder Dave Asprey.

They’re a primary ingredient in Bulletproof Coffee, and Bulletproof/Upgraded self claims they provide sustained energy to the brain without the crash of stimulants. Research indicates MCT oil creates more ketone bodies when metabolized than most other fats, and these ketone bodies may be quickly utilized by the brain for energy. Their consumption in place of other calories sources has also been linked to increased fat loss.

Regular coconut oil contains only about 8% caprylic acid, so Bulletproof’s Brain Octane Oil is a highly refined derivative of coconut oil targeted toward brain function. Of course, that’s not to say the other lipid compounds in coconut oil don’t have their own potential benefits. Brain Octane Oil may not be as readily stored as fat within the human body, meaning it’s either metabolized for relatively quick energy or expelled as waste.

Bulletproof also claims slowing the digestion of their Brain Octane Oil carries benefits for gut biome health and microbial balance. However, research on that potential benefit is so far pretty sparse, and we’ve chosen to assess the product’s effects as they pertain to mental performance.

A normal tablespoon of liquid-form Brain Octane Oil contains 15 grams of caprylic acid. One packet of Brain Octane contains about 10 grams, so significantly more than the softgels, but still less than a serving of the original oil.

Grass-Fed Butter

Grass-fed butter is rich in vitamin K2, a vitamin essential for bone health. It is also loaded with butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that can help ameliorate inflammation in the digestive tract.

Other Ingredients: Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin, Sorbitol, Vitamin E TPGS.

Nutritional Value

Amount per serving: Calories 135, Fat Cal. 117, Total Fat 13g (20% DV), Sat. Fat 10g (48% DV), Trans Fat 0g, Cholest. 15mg (5% DV), Sodium 0g (0% DV), Total carb. 5g (2% DV), Fiber 0g (0% DV), Sugars 0g, Protein 0g, Vitamin A (4% DV), Vitamin C (0% DV), Calcium (0% DV), Iron (0% DV). Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Usage Guidelines

Tear open a packet of InstaMix and pour into 8 oz freshly brewed Upgraded Coffee. For best results, shake InstaMix and Upgraded Coffee in a sealed Bulletproof Travel Mug. Alternatively, stir until well mixed. Enjoy, and feel the power.

What Our Testers Say

“These are a huge improvement over the softgels. I like that they have a mixture of the MCT, high-quality grass-fed butter, because let’s face it, carrying around a stick of butter is just as impractical as carrying around a bottle of oil. I had great energy with this, and even used it in the afternoon, with great success. ”

“I liked the softgels, and have reached for them a couple of times when I needed a caffeine-free boost during my day. These are not as practical as the pills, but they are more potent. I liked it  mixed with my caffeine-free tea, and will continue using it. The flavor was nutty, and pretty comforting.”

“This mix is pretty solid when it comes to helping stave off hunger pangs, and give me a boost of energy. I tried mixing it with my cold brew, and had a disastrously clumpy result. I will stick to mixing it in warm coffee going forward. I have had some stomach issues with the full tablespoon of MCT oil before, but this didn’t bother me at all. ”

“This is a pretty great alternative for when I don’t have the time to make my Bulletproof coffee at home. I still prefer the “real” stuff, but this  is easy to mix, and it stacks well with my regular nootropic regimen. I will keep a couple of these in my briefcase, and at the office, for emergencies. ”

BrainWiz Tips

• When it comes to MCT oil, the manufacturer suggests starting with 1 teaspoon of oil to coffee, and gradually increasing until you reach 1 to 2 tablespoons per cup of coffee. Some people experience an upset stomach when first trying MCT oil, and InstaMix is no different. BrainWiz testers have been drinking Bulletproof coffee and/or tea for years, so take your time working up to the full packet, if this is your first experience with MCT oil.
• Most of our testers relied on their “regular” Bulletproof coffee in the morning, consumed an InstaMix beverage with lunch, which helped them fight afternoon hunger pangs, and slump.

Summary

While not as portable as the Brain Octane Softgels, InstaMix is a (surprisingly great) alternative for those looking for the BulletProof Coffee experience on the go. These packets are TSA-approved, and easy to take along in a carry-on, making it the perfect addition to a road-warrior’s nootropic chest.

The fact that these packets are also caffeine and stimulant-free makes them even more universally appealing.

The post Reviewing InstaMix: Bulletproof Coffee on the Go? appeared first on Brain Wiz.

But coffee is a big and complex world, and it’s tough to figure out where to start among the many thousands of varieties, farms, roasters, and brands producing “boutique” or “speciality” brews. We haven’t tried all the world has to offer, but we’ve made our way through some of the more common single estate coffees, and we’ve compiled our favorites below. Everyone has their personal preferences, but these are five companies with coffees that have helped us get more done (and enjoy our morning fix) time and time again.

1. Caveman Coffee Company

It’s no secret we love Caveman Coffee, and one of their founders, Tait Fletcher, was among the first to turn us on to the intersections of fitness and biohacking. Caveman Coffee is just a couple years old, and they don’t have a ton of products available, but that’s largely because they’ve taken their time sourcing incredibly specific coffee varieties. In fact, they go beyond single origin and single estate, focusing on single family coffee varieties from Colombia, Brazil, and Ethiopia.

From their website:

Caveman Coffee is not only a Single Origin/Single Estate Coffee, it is a Single Family Coffee. Our beans are grown, washed, dried, and roasted by one family. That’s right, a father and son team run the growing and drying in Colombia and the other two sons handle the small batch roasting.

We’ve found Caveman Coffee to be incredibly consistent in flavor profile, and it goes well with MCT oil and other productivity enhancers.

2. Picacho Coffee Micro Lots

Produced seasonally in very limited quantities, Picacho’s micro lot coffees are actually split between single-estate and cooperative growers. But the highlights, at least in our opinion, are definitely the single estate varieties, including several from the farm of Colombian farmer German Valenzuela.

Are Picacho Coffee’s micro lots cheap? Rarely. Are they delicious, well-sourced, and complex in their flavor profiles? Absolutely. It’s the kind of coffee you’re going to want to savor and enjoy, whether you’re crushing work or looking for a smooth weekend wakeup.

3. Intelligentsia Coffee 

Intellgentsia is a pioneering company in well-sourced, single estate or single origin coffees. Their single origin coffees include information on location, farmers, and harvest dates. If you’re a coffee nerd or just want to learn more about what’s behind the brew in your cup, their website and packaging is full of enough information to keep you occupied. Their single origin coffees come from a variety of countries and climates, so you’ll be able to narrow down which you like best based on everything from growing season to elevation.

4. Union Hand Roasted Coffee

With varieties from Costa Rica to Indonesia, Brazil to Rwanda, Union Hand Roasted Coffee produces some excellent coffees with easy-to-follow pedigrees. Are you someone who cares, highly, about what you’re putting into your body? Learn how each batch is grown, harvested, and roasted, along with who’s doing each step of the process along the way. Union takes a lot of the worry out of coffee so you can concentrate on enjoying your brew, and using it to get more done.

5. Bulletproof Coffee

Bulletproof gets their “Upgraded” coffee from single estates in Guatemala (though to be fair, some may argue their final roasts aren’t technically “single estate” but more “single origin,” coming from the same region but not necessarily the same farm). Their company popularized the combo of high-quality coffee, butter, and medium-chain triglyceride oil, it’s called “Bulletproof Coffee” for a reason!

And Bulletproof isn’t a newbie in the world of nootropics and productivity enhancement; in fact, it’s largely the foundation of their company, and they’ve made their coffee to reflect the high-performance edge their customers look for. We can’t say for sure if Bulletproof’s Central American-sourced beans make you leaps and bounds more productive than the standard roast off a supermarket shelf, but they sure do pair well with fats, like the company’s own Brain Octane oil, that may enhance mental clarity and focus. When it comes to mentioning high-performance, well-sourced coffees, Bulletproof’s is one we would feel bad leaving off our list.

The post The Best Single Estate Coffee Brands appeared first on Brain Wiz.

So while most coffee can give a boost, the type of coffee can make a huge difference in the flavor, effectiveness, and experience of drinking coffee. And since coffee is a plant — one of the world’s most important crops! — where the beans come from dictates the quality and properties of your particular brew.

Want to get more out of your cup, whether it’s just for taste or a necessary caffeine jolt? It’s worth trying a single estate coffee, and with the rise of specialty and transparently sourced coffee varieties, they’re becoming easier (and cheaper) than ever to find.

Read below to see exactly how single estate coffee can make all the difference — and give you a productive (and ethical) edge in the process.

1. It tastes much better.

Most blend coffees are made by taking beans from all over the place — different countries, climates, etc. — mixing them together, then roasting until they generally taste uniform. The subtle variations in flavor, intensity, and even caffeine level are lost in this process, which can leave coffee burnt in order to get a more uniform taste. That’ll have you forcing down one cup after the other instead of enjoying and looking forward to a serving of a single estate coffee.

In single estate coffee, the beans aren’t just from the same region — they’re from the same farm, where a single flavor can shine through. That makes for a better tasting cup with actual flavor instead of a rough approximation of what coffee “should” taste like.

2. It’s more effective.

Did you know darker roasts actually have less caffeine than lighter roasts? Blend coffees are often very dark roasts that zap much of the caffeine and nutrient content from the coffee, leaving behind a heavy, cling-to-your-tongue flavor with no subtlety and less caffeine. Single origin (and ideally single estate) beans don’t need that super dark roast to mask poor flavor, as they’re already delicious, so they may end up containing more of that sweet, sweet caffeine.

3. It’s cleaner/organic.

Single estate coffees are easier to find in organic, pesticide-free varieties because they usually come from smaller, family-owned farms, not the mega plantations that the biggest brands use. Coffee is one of the most chemically treated crops in the world, and it’s worth your time to search for a cleaner product. Single estate is a big step in that direction.

4. It’s more ethical.

Know more about where your coffee comes from? Good, you’re taking a step in the right direction toward drinking more ethically sourced, fair trade coffee. The rise of single estate coffee’s popularity is making it easier for smaller family farms and growers to survive on the market.

5. It gives you control.

In our interview with biohacker and former UFC fighter Tait Fletcher, we talked a lot about how important it can be to “pirate” your own life. What does that mean, exactly? It means taking back control of your consumption and making your own choices for what you eat, drink, and buy. Your habits make an impact on your health, wellness, and productivity every day and for years to come.

Taking control of what you’re consuming, and making the effort to know where your coffee is coming from, sets a positive tone that puts you in the driver’s seat. You get to make the choices and take agency in what you’re putting into your body, regardless of what the coffee mega-chains push you toward. And you might discover your new favorite brew in the process.

The post 5 Ways Single Estate Coffee Gives You A Better Buzz appeared first on Brain Wiz.

Beyond the screen, Tait’s passion project revolves around helping people take control of their lifestyles through his successful podcast, Pirate Life Radio, and Caveman Coffee, a company specializing in extremely high-quality, single-estate coffees, along with MCT oil and other supplementary products.

We sat down with Tait to talk about mental performance, nutrition, nootropics, and what it means to Pirate your lifestyle.

Tell us a little about how Caveman Coffee came about?

It goes way back. Whenever I get into something, I talk about it a lot. I find stuff out, and I pass it along, and that turns me on to new things. Back in my days as a professional fighter, I was always really nervous about diet, because I had to cut weight AND come in in appropriate condition. I had to preserve the strength and endurance to operate well.

That didn’t allow a lot of variance in my diet. That career ended, but now I’m a professional actor and stuntman, so my body is still a professional tool, and I still want to keep moving beautifully as well as long as I can.

That all led to curiosity to explore a lot of different diets: ketogenic, let’s try that out and be disciplined about it for six months. What does a Paleo diet look like? What effect does insulin suppression have on my body and my emotions?

You were biohacking!

Definitely. I always joke, all you biohackers, understand we see your WHOLE life. You see a lot of these guys talk about a strict ketogenic diet, then they’ll have 15 beers over the weekend! For me, I have to be all in, find out what the result is, and then go from there. I went deep into it, I go into the blood work as well. If I’m feeling great and my outsides are great, maybe there’s something to adjust there. And a lot of folks are asking me about my routine and what I’m doing. That leads to a lot of conversations that are meaty, not just blabber. I got to speak with all these beautiful people who were dialing things in and working to get a handle on it.

I became interested in coffee, interested in mycotoxins, different strains of mold, the ways coffee is procured. I realized a lot of major chains tasted the same, whether I was in South Africa or Boston. And I started learning that’s because the coffee is all burnt to the same degree! They’re not having one roaster, they’re procuring beans that are years old some times, and they just shuffle them together to make blends. That allows them to work the commodity market of coffee greatly.

If you really want to get high quality nutritious coffee, see, I’d never thought about coffee as nutritious before. Coffee is a fruit that’s roasted into a bean, and there are different parts of the roast that affect that. The darker the roast, the more robust the flavor, but a lot of the caffeine and antioxidants are going to be burned out of the bean.

I started talking to my business partner Keith Jardine about this, and then another partner, Lacie Mackey, who’s a high level trainer and athlete. We got on this road of coffee and nutrition together, then I started having discussions on twitter about people’s favorite single origin roasters, and I started trading bags with people, sort of like an informal coffee club.

Then Keith introduced me to a guy named David, he and his brother Juan immigrated from Colombia and have a coffee roaster in Albuquerque. They have the roaster here and a family plantation in Colombia, they get the beans from the plantation there and roast them in New Mexico.

Single origin is from the same region, single estate is even better than that, it’s all off the same farm. All the beans we do are hand picked, cold washed, come from the same estate and same family. They’re the highest quality coffee beans in the world. And I realized I needed and wanted to share that with people. We thought up a brand around that, and we went from there.

Our parent company is Pirate Life, and the whole idea is to educate ourselves about our own wellness. The conversation a lot of times is that we get sick, and we need some pills to get us back on the track to wellness. We’re all victims of our lifestyle, whether you’re a hang glider or a rodeo rider or professional chef.

But I want to empower people to Pirate their Lifestyle, help people find out what consumption does to them. The only vote that counts for me is to vote with my dollars. My good friend Joe Rogan says voting in the national elections is like pro wrestling. It might make you feel better, but it doesn’t affect the outcome. So where I spend my dollars makes the difference, which is why I spend my money on small based community companies. Maybe that costs a little more, but real food costs more in this day and age, crazy enough.

Caveman Coffee rose out of that, as did my Pirate Life podcast and a few other things we have in the works. We didn’t want a business, we wanted a movement to empower people.

Caveman sells high quality coffee, and you also sell MCT oil. Is that something you incorporate into your own routine?

I travel a lot, and I’m always warding off fatigue. Wherever I end up, I need to be on and 100% present. My nutrition is super important for me.

MCT is a nice healthy fat that you can derive from coconuts or palm oil. But with palm oil, you have destruction of rainforest and great ape habitat, so we try to be careful of how we source, and we do it from coconuts. I use it in my coffee to keep my fats high. I keep my fats high because I feel better that way. I spoke a little bit on the ketogenic diet; personally, I’ve found that keeping my carbohydrate count to 50 or 30 grams a day or less, I feel great. But in order to do that, I have to eat a ton of fat. Then my body creates ketones, and my body is fueled off adipose tissue.

MCT oil supplants the use of cream in my coffee. I have a little whip that I blend it up with, it’s nice and creamy and delicious. That and fish oil I take religiously.

What are some some tips to fighting fatigue and staying your best on the road?

For me, it’s diet, so much of it is diet. I used to have really bad mood swings when I was a sugar burner. When I burn sugar as fuel, I crash, and then I’m on this roller coaster all day long, and it played with my emotions, I got surly. I’m a slave to food in this way.

That’s one of the reasons I went on the ketogenic diet, fats don’t do that to me. If I need to take a little cat nap, I can wake up good and present. And I take Alpha BRAIN at night before I go to bed, which is a great product that Onnit puts out, your readers are probably familiar with it. I sleep deeper.

That’s just me, a lot of people take it throughout the day for mental clarity, I don’t do that, I take like four or five of them at night. And of course, it’s probably against the recommended dosage on the bottle, but I’m 240 pounds and I’m used to taking a lot of things. I get into REM sleep a lot quicker than I normally would, and even shorter duration sleep I’m getting more benefits out of. But that’s what biohacking is all about, getting the most out of what you’re doing.

We get a lot of questions from folks on supplement dosage, especially when it comes to Alpha BRAIN. We’ve noticed a huge amount of variation about how it will work for some people.

I just spent the weekend with [Onnit CEO] Aubrey, and he was talking about how different people are affected differently by it. Experience is the best information we have, and my experience is going to be deviated from yours.

And one more supplement I take daily is ZMA. I find the zinc, magnesium, and B6 highly useful for my rest and recovery.

How I work out these days is different than how I worked out as a professional combative athlete. Now I do higher volume in a shorter duration. I try not to have any metabolic conditioning workouts that last more than 8 to twelve minutes.

Where can people find out more about you, and what’s the best way for people to get in touch?

I try to answer all my messages. I’m on Twitter and Instagram, Taitimus Maximus is my Snapchat, and I’m responsible to all of those. You can find out more about our coffee and MCT on Caveman Coffee’s website. And of course Pirate Life Radio, I’m honored to be able to have the conversations I’ve had with some really fantastic people. I get to talk to people I really admire who are living high octane lives and have found fantastic success and serenity by walking an alternate route than what they were given as kids generally.

The post The Pirate Biohacker: Interviewing Tait Fletcher of Caveman Coffee appeared first on Brain Wiz.

No review box found! Insert a valid box ID.

The company has developed a number of instant drink mixes featuring Chaga, Reishi, and Cordyceps mushrooms, and these formulas are targeted at boosting digestion, immunity, relaxation, and/or focus. Several of their products feature common nootropic ingredients combined with mushroom extracts and instant drink mixes like coffee and hot chocolate.

Mushroom Coffee with Cordyceps is one such product, which Four Sigmatic says provides stimulatory effects of caffeine without the jitteriness. Our testers tried out the coffee, reviewing it for both its purported effects and flavor. Read below to see what we found.

The Ingredients

Active Ingredients:

Instant Coffee Powder – Caffeine 40 mg

The world’s most popular stimulant, caffeine reduces drowsiness and sedation by inhibiting adenosine (a nervous system depressant) from reaching receptors in the brain. There are extensive studies on the effects of caffeine on cognition, alertness, and athletic performance.

Strong Mushroom Dual-Extract 500 mg

Siberian Chaga Mushroom Dual-Extract (Inonotus obliquus) – 350 mg

The Chaga mushroom has been used extensively in both Ayurvedic and traditional medicine. The extract is typically prescribed for its diuretic and potentially anti-cancer properties. Four Sigmatic claims the highly alkaline mushroom also helps neutralize some of coffee’s natural acidity and bitterness, resulting in a smoother taste along with increased anti-oxidants properties.

Chaga mushrooms have been used in the past as replacement for coffee during times when it’s in short supply, so it’s not a big surprise that the two could be paired as far as flavor profile.

Cordyceps Dual-Extract – 150 mg

The cordyceps mushroom is an adaptogen that has been used in Chinese and Tibetan medicine as a treatment for numerous ailments, though its exact effects on the body still need to be determined through extensive clinical research. There’s also some early but promising clinical research indicating cordyceps extract has significant anti-fatigue properties, which is one of Four Sigmatic’s main claims about the ingredient.

While previously medicinal cordyceps mushrooms were hatched inside caterpillars, the mushrooms used in the Four Sigmatic’s products are vegan. Their site also contains extensive information about their ingredient extraction processes.

Usage Guidelines

Instant – Add one packet to 7fl oz of hot water.

What Our Testers Say

“The Mushroom Coffee with Cordyceps had me feeling like I’m enjoying a cup of coffee without worrying about bouncing off the walls, and the subsequent crash. My caffeine tolerance is prety low. My limit is usually ¼ cup of coffee before I start feeling off, but I was able to enjoy my whole cup, and the clean energy that came with it. There’s not a ton of caffeine in here, but I still felt effects.”

“I wasn’t crazy about the potency of this when mixed with the full amount of water, but I did feel a nice bit of energy after taking it. I ended up following it with my regular cup of coffee, and also tried mixing it with less water, which got me better results. I would use it again, especially on trips where quality coffee options are limited. Like the company claims, this coffee doesn’t taste acidic at all, or just very mildly so.”

“This was a little too mild for me on its own, so I mixed it in with my cold brew. The flavor was fine, and I do think that the Cordyceps took a bit of my jitters out, maybe not quite on the level of 200mg or so of l-theanine, which I like pairing with caffeine, but it was still noticeable. I will keep adding this to my normal brew for days when I need an extra push and don’t want to feel jumpy.”

“I mixed 1 packet with a vanilla protein shake, and it was amazing. There was a really mild, and sustained wave of energy, with no slump. It was a little too tea-like for me with the full 7 oz of hot water, but it was just right in my shake.”

Brain Wiz Tips

• Four Sigmatic’s Mushroom Coffee mixes well with both cold and hot liquids.
• The taste is mild. Our testers had success mixing it with less water for a stronger taste.
• This supplement contains about half the caffeine as a regular cup of coffee, making this a potentially solid option for those sensitive to caffeine or other stimulants.
• Some of our java junkie testers mixed the powder with hot or cold coffee for a stronger taste and buzz.

<li”>This coffee is noticeably less acidic than plain coffee.

• It tastes like coffee, NOT mushrooms, though the mouth-feel is slightly thicker when mixed with 7 ounces or less of water.
• Individually packaged servings makes it portable and convenient for travel.
• This product is vegan and Non-GMO.

Supplement Summary

Four Sigmatic’s Mushroom Coffee with Cordyceps surprised us and, at least mildly, impressed even our biggest coffee fanatics. It may be a great option for people who do well on smaller amounts of caffeine but would still like the buzz and energy boost with a lower instance of jitters and no crash. The flavor of the coffee is good, albeit extremely mild, it will likely be too light for those accustomed to a stronger brew. Some of our bolder testers mixed it with both protein shakes and coffee with great success. As with any caffeine-containing product, start slow and assess your tolerance before adding additional ingredients.

For our testers, this product performed basically as advertised, promoting an even wave of energy with no crash and no jitteriness. The convenience was also a plus.

The post New Brain Drink? Reviewing Mushroom Coffee with Cordyceps by Four Sigmatic appeared first on Brain Wiz.

Four Sigmatic bills this form of their instant coffee as a productivity boosters with adaptogenic properties. Read on to see if it lived up to the manufacturer’s claims.

The Ingredients

Instant Coffee Powder – 40 mg caffeine

Caffeine doesn’t so much provide the brain/body with energy as it reduces fatigue. Caffeine actually reduces drowsiness and sedation by inhibiting adenosine (a nervous system depressant) from reaching receptors in the brain. There are extensive studies on the effects of caffeine on cognition, alertness, and athletic performance.

Siberian Chaga Mushroom Dual Extract (Inonotus obliquus) – 250 mg

The Chaga mushroom has been used extensively in both Ayurvedic and traditional medicine. The extract is typically prescribed for its diuretic and potentially anti-cancer properties. Four Sigmatic claims the highly alkaline mushroom also helps neutralize some of coffee’s natural acidity and bitterness, resulting in a smoother taste along with increased anti-oxidants properties.

Chaga mushrooms have been used in the past as replacement for coffee during times when it’s in short supply, so it’s not a big surprise that the two could be paired as far as flavor profile.

Lion’s Mane Mushroom Dual Extract (Yamabushitake) – 250 mg

A dietary mushroom that is now being studied for potentially significant cognitive benefits, Lion’s Mane mushroom may act by increasing nerve growth factor by acting on mRNA. It may also promote the growth of myelin, the protective sheath around nerve fibers that helps conduct impulses between neurons. It may also be neuroprotective in that it could reduce the death rate of certain neurons. In another human study, it was also linked with reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Overall, the current clinical research on Lion’s Mane suggests its potential as a powerful neuroprotective and protector against cognitive decline, but only when taken consistently and in doses much higher than what’s available in Four Sigmatic’s Mushroom Coffee with Lion’s Mane. However, it’s unknown at this point what the minimum effective dose is for this supplement.

Wild Tibetan Rhodiola Extract (water and ethanol extract) – 100 mg

A noted adaptogen with few (if any) noted side effects, rhodiola is an herbal extract shown to boost physical and mental endurance while reducing the perceived symptoms of stress. Rhodiola fights fatigue, and there’s some anecdotal evidence it boost the effects of stimulants like coffee. Generally, a very large amount of rhodiola (over 600 mg) does not seem to boost the ingredient’s effects and may actually reduce them; with rhodiola, less may in fact be more for some users, and some clinical studies have seen effectiveness at doses under 100mg. It’s also a headlining ingredient in stimulant-free stacks like RISE by Nootrobox.

Several of our BrainWiz testers enjoy pairing rhodiola with coffee for a cognitive and energy boost. While several supplements we’ve reviewed include a rhodiola-caffeine pairing, including Neurorise, this is the first coffee product we’ve seen with the herb included.

Usage Guidelines

Add one packet to 7fl oz of hot water or blend into your favorite smoothie.

What Our Testers Say

“This coffee is very mildly caffeinated (Four Sigmatic says it has about half the caffeine of normal coffee), and when I tried their Cordyceps blend, I actually ended up mixing it with cold brew to get more caffeine. But after trying this version, I felt a bit more in the sense of sustained energy, or at least less fatigue throughout the day than I normally do. The effect was somewhat similar to their Cordyceps coffee, but moreso. It’s also a convenient way to get rhodiola and coffee in one supplement, which is something I normally combine on my own up to twice a day.”

“I’ve played around with the best way to mix Four Sigmatic’s blends, and I’ve settled on putting them in protein shakes. I felt less of an energy boost than with the cordyceps version, but this one definitely kept me calm after I took it. The taste seemed similar to their other mushroom coffees, if you don’t like earthy tastes, may not be the best option for you.”

“I have a fairly low caffeine tolerance, and I enjoyed this lightly caffeinated coffee about as much as Four Sigmatic’s Mushroom Coffee with Cordyceps (which is to say, a significant amount). I’ve been taking Rhodiola for years, and I’ve learned it doesn’t take much to give me an added sense of calm in the face of stress. Overall, this blend worked well for me. It’s not the tastiest drink to start the day, but when paired with breakfast, which I always try to do on the occasions when I drink coffee, I really liked this blend. The packets are also really convenient for travel, I’m tossing a few in my toiletries bag for work trips.”

“I didn’t experience any energy boost from this, but I like the taste (not very acidic, so good for the first cup in the morning). It’d be a solid option to keep at my desk when I don’t have time to run out for coffee, but I might experiment with taking two packets at once.”

BrainWiz Tips

• Four Sigmatic’s Mushroom Coffees mix well with both cold and hot liquids.
• This is a mild coffee that tastes far less acidic than most others we’ve tried.
• Has a slightly earthy taste.
• Four Sigmatic’s mushroom coffees are vegan and Non-GMO.
• A convenient option for travel with the portable, single-serving packs.
• A few of our testers experimented with mixing this into shakes and other drinks (which Four Sigmatic recommends trying). It was a welcome addition to vanilla or chocolate protein shakes as far as taste, texture, and effect.
• Like their other mushroom coffees, the taste is mild. Our testers had success mixing it with less water for a stronger taste.
• This supplement contains about half the caffeine as a regular cup of coffee, making this a potentially solid option for those sensitive to caffeine or other stimulants.

Supplement Summary

Four Sigmatic’s Mushroom Coffee with Lion’s Mane was generally well received by our testers, who appreciated its mild taste and calming effect. While we’re slightly skeptical this amount of Lion’s Mane can significantly boost cognition with one serving, we enjoyed the rhodiola-caffeine pairing for a stress-fighting combo. We recommend new users experiment with various ways to mix or prepare this coffee, including protein shakes and both hot and cold preparations.

For its cost and ingredient profile, Mushroom Coffee with Lion’s Mane provides solid value for its cost-per-serving in a travel-friendly and convenient delivery system.

The post Adaptogen Coffee? Mushroom Coffee with Lion’s Mane by Four Sigmatic appeared first on Brain Wiz.

Recently, neuroscientist-backed truBrain (click for current price) has released a line of what they call “performance coffee,” which sells with “focus sticks” packing Alpha-GPC and l-theanine. TruBrain is best known for their nootropic “shots,” which provide a variety of nootropic compounds in slick, on-the-go packaging. (Read our full review of truBrain shots in regular, caffeine-free, and boost.)

With the rise in popularity of Bulletproof Coffee, it’s no surprise companies are following suite with their own roasts and complimentary or bundled supplements. But how does truBrain’s brüd hold up in the eyes of a longtime coffee drinker? I tested it out under numerous circumstances, along with a few other BrainWiz testers. Read below to see my final thoughts!

The Ingredients

Coffee: According to the manufacturer, brüd coffee is shade grown, single origin, and fair trade. In a video (embedded below), truBrain explains they put their coffee through a “special cold marinade pre-roast process with trained plant stems” before roasting in order to get an optimized brew.

However, the company doesn’t list the geographic origins of their beans, although it claims all customers receive beans roasted within 48 hours of shipping.

Focus Sticks: 

Alpha-GPC, 200mg

Alpha-GPC is the most efficient compound to increase both systemic and brain concentrations of choline when ingested orally. It’s been linked to increased cognition and reduced cognitive decline, in addition to, more recently, increased power output and growth hormone production in athletes. It’s a form of choline we tend to see most often in supplements from more reputable and higher quality manufacturers.

L-Theanine, 200mg

Theanine is a calming amino acid that is also non-sedative. Research suggests pairs well with caffeine and/or coffee in order to reduce jitters and increase focus. One of our favorite simple stacks featuring just the caffeine/l-theanine pairing is Smart Caffeine.

In addition to the above, focus sticks contain organic blue agave, purified water, manitol, vegetable glycerine, and silicon dioxide.

Usage Guidelines

• Take our beans and brew them however you like.
• beans + focus sticks = smart coffee

Brud Coffee Focus Sticks reviews and side effects

My Personal Experience

I first tried brüd in several different preparations: Cold brewed in a french press, drip coffee in a standard 12-cup coffee maker, and as espresso. This is a remarkably light roast, and because I drink dark roasts normally, I found it to be a little lighter on the tastebuds than I would have liked. True to what the company claims, it’s very much non-bitter. While it’s smooth to sip, its very light nature means it does not mix well with dairy if you enjoy those types of beverages; the result just seems like watery milk or cream.

I do see truBrain’s reasoning for keeping the roast light. It’s a common misconception that darker roasts have “stronger” caffeine contents; on the contrary, lighter roasts tend to preserve more of the bean’s caffeine content. True to form, truBrain’s brüd provides a very solid caffeinated kick, I’d estimate among the top 10% of coffee I’ve tried as far as the caffeine boost I actually felt.

My favorite preparation ended up being regular drip coffee, as the cold brew ended up tasting far too mild and the espresso was a disaster with beans this light. Note: The beans do not come pre-ground, so make sure you have a grinder handy before ordering.

Onto the next one: the sticks. The focus sticks are a cool concept, but the packaging makes them a bit difficult to open without scissors. Even then, they’re easy to spill, and more than once I ended up with bits of plastic in my coffee as I tried to cut the stick over my cup. Squeezing and end hard is effective, but it may end up squirting coffee and/or focus stick liquid everywhere. The bit of sugary liquid doesn’t taste like much and wasn’t perceptible in my coffee, so I’d much rather truBrain include these as single-serving powders.

Overall the focus sticks did deliver as far as ingredients, and when paired with any good coffee, I tried a few apart from brüd, they add a nice, calming focus to the caffeine buzz.

What Some of Our Other Testers Say

I asked two of the other Brain Wiz testers who regularly drink coffee for their takes:

“The coffee is a light roast, and I felt like it contained a lot of caffeine; I felt it kick in before I was halfway through my cup. I’d definitely recommend drinking less of this particular brew than you think you’ll need. Also, I couldn’t taste anything from the focus sticks, I thought they would make my coffee much sweeter.”

“Good, non-bitter coffee, I put a bit of sweetener in mine and it tasted great. Definitely a decent bean, but I’m not much of a coffee snob. The focus sticks are a cool gimmick, but like Alexandra, I wish they were just a powder or pill, good pairing of ingredients, the delivery got a little too creative.”

Brain Wiz Tips

• This is a light roast that does not mix well with dairy.
• brüd seems to contain a relatively high caffeine content based on our tests, so don’t go overboard on your first batch.
• Be careful when opening the focus sticks to avoid spillage; we never found a “best” way that worked for us.
• The beans do not come pre-ground.

Summary

Overall, I liked truBrain’s coffee, but I’m not sure I’d subscribe to it every month, which is the deal they’re currently pushing (though unlike some subscription-based companies, they made it very easy to cancel when I wanted to). It’s a good, light roast, but I enjoy variety in my coffee. And while the focus sticks contain a really great pairing of ingredients, their delivery system is a bit too gimmicky for my taste. I may resubscribe every few months to restock, however, and they’re currently (as of writing this article) running a special where the first month is discounted to $19.

If truBrain reimagines the focus sticks into something a little easier to deliver to your actual cup, I’d definitely consider buying them on their own.

The post Performance Coffee? Reviewing brud by truBrain appeared first on Brain Wiz.

When we’re awake, adenosine accumulates in our brains, which causes drowsiness. When we sleep, the brain works to clear itself of adenosine. But coffee competes with this compound and reduces adenosine accumulation (so it doesn’t so much boost energy as it fights drowsiness).

Understanding this timing has led some biohackers to the increasingly famous “coffee nap.” Caffeine’s effects hit their highest point about 30 minutes after consumption. If you consume caffeine, say, in the form of coffee, and then nap for 15 or 20 minutes, you’ll wake up with a brain clear of adenosine and about to be charged with caffeine. This leads to extra alertness and an energetic feeling that stands above caffeine on its own.

Caffeine is often underestimated, so if you’re especially sensitive to stimulants, it’s worth testing the waters in a non-coffee nap situation.

We’ve played around with other caffeine-containing supplements and the “coffee nap” phenomenon. So far, we’ve found it especially effective with 1 or 2 capsules of Neurofuse at the end of a light meal followed immediately by a nap; we awoke after 15 minutes feeling refreshed, energetic, and very, very focused.

We’ve also tried this with Lumonol, but our testers found it difficult to nap; this could be because of Lumonol’s noopept and guarana, which start metabolizing very quickly (Lumonol remains one of the fastest-acting nootropics we’ve ever tried).

The post Take A Coffee Nap For A Caffeinated Productivity Boost appeared first on Brain Wiz.