I’VE been looking to up my wellness game and a big part of that involves dramatically reducing my caffeine intake.
Like many people living a busy lifestyle, I’ve found myself overdoing the coffee, which can be detrimental to both your health AND your wallet.
Dirtea blends, from £30
In pursuit of a healthier alternative, I stumbled upon Dirtea’s Mushroom Powders, each boasting unique benefits.
Intrigued by the promise of a more balanced and focused daily life, I decided to put these magical mushroom powders to the test.
Join me on this journey as we unravel Dirtea‘s offerings, exploring whether these powders can really replace my regular flat white, providing not just a caffeine alternative but a noticeable boost to well-being and performance.
Are these mushroom-infused elixirs true game-changers and the key to a healthier, energy-boosted lifestyle? Let’s find out…
Rating: 4/5
Pros:
- Energy boost without the crash
- Good range of powders for different energy needs
- Blends are available if you don’t want to give up on coffee just yet
Cons:
- Doesn’t taste great on its own
- Some powders mix more easily than others
- Not as cheap as shop-bought coffee alternatives
How I tested Dirtea
I tried three different Dirtea products and considered these important factors: taste and consistency of each drink, how easy they were to make, how much of a caffeine boost they provided me and if they were a good alternative to my regular daily coffee habit.
I also evaluated how well I performed in the gym when drinking them and how well they delivered what they are said to target health-wise. Another area I looked at was the packaging and delivery of the items I tried and whether I would incorporate them into my normal routine.
Dirtea review: quick summary
Dirtea blends, from £30
In my exploration of Dirtea’s Mushroom Powders, I’m happy to confirm I have discovered a welcome addition to my wellness routine.
All three powders offered a departure from my typical coffee habit and had noticeably unique benefits. What impressed me most was the subtle and sustained energy boost, allowing a big reduction in my overall caffeine intake.
I wasn’t able to completely give up on coffee. However, I have managed to keep up a one-a-day maximum with the help of Dirtea’s powders, which I would consider a win.
Dirtea does also offer a Coffee Mushroom Super Blend which includes caffeine (albeit 80% less than your normal cup).
I wasn’t able to fully review this product but my first impressions were positive; it tastes as good as any premium ground coffee I’ve had before and could be a great option for those looking to reap the benefits of mushrooms while still getting a caffeine kick.
The Super Blend and all three individual powders are priced from £30 for 30 servings, but you can get further discounts with a monthly, quarterly or annual subscription.
DIRTEA Immunity Powder (Chaga – the energy mushroom)
DIRTEA Immunity Powder, £38 (30 SERVINGS)
Starting with Dirtea’s Chaga Immunity Powder, my first impressions were great. The branding is simple but stylish and the powder comes in a handy tin that can easily be taken to work. A note for first-time users: be careful when opening!
The small sealed bag is deceptively full and you will likely make a mess when on its first outing. It’s also impossible to put back into the tin once opened, so immediately decanting the powder directly into the tin is recommended.
The powder resembles high-quality ground coffee and has a slightly sweet yet earthy taste. I wasn’t ready to give up on coffee just yet so it went into my morning Americano for the first time round. Despite its sticky consistency, it blends easily and leaves the coffee’s flavour mostly unaffected.
It was difficult to note any real change at first but after a week of consistent use, I was starting to notice I had more sustained energy throughout the day and didn’t find myself crashing so much late afternoon.
Living up to its reputation as the energy mushroom; remarkably, I managed to scale back my coffee intake, transitioning from two daily cups to just one (with chaga) in the morning.
I did try going full mushroom in my second week but found myself craving a coffee by midday. Whether this was due to my energy needs or just habit is hard to say, but I was still really happy to have cut my caffeine intake down by half.
The earthy, subtle taste, when combined with coffee, made Chaga a welcome addition to my wellness journey, offering a genuinely effective alternative to excess caffeine.
DIRTEA Focus Powder (Lion’s Mane – the concentration mushroom)
DIRTEA Focus Powder, £38 (60 SERVINGS)
Onto the Dirtea Lion’s Mane Focus Powder and my mission to improve my concentration.
The powder, less sticky than Chaga’s, is also lighter in colour and has a more floral, fruitier taste. Mixing proved slightly more demanding, requiring additional stirring to eliminate all the lumps.
As someone who is admittedly a little scatterbrained, I was eager to embrace the potential focus benefits. To my surprise, Lion’s Mane lived up to its claims.
Even during the worst of the January blues, I experienced heightened productivity, successfully tackling tasks and finding myself less distracted throughout the day.
While it may not replace my coffee entirely, Lion’s Mane has undeniably found a place in my routine, offering a flavorful and effective tool for concentration improvement.
DIRTEA Performance Powder (Cordyceps – the performance mushroom)
DIRTEA Performance Powder £38 (30 SERVINGS)
Last but not least, Dirtea’s Cordyceps Performance Powder is marketed as an all-natural performance-enhancing supplement.
Until trying Cordyceps, I opted for a caffeine-fueled pre-workout powder to boost my endurance in the gym.
Anyone who’s tried these will know they can be highly effective but come with a nasty crash and some undesirable side effects (tingling skin and shaking hands to name a few), so I was quite keen to try something natural.
I’m happy to say that Dirtea’s Cordyceps exceeded expectations, providing ample energy for even the most demanding HIIT class without the unwelcome jitters.
I did find Cordyceps to be the most mushroomy of the mushroom powders so I ended up adding it to my protein shake to mask the taste.
Despite the flavour, I was able to effortlessly integrate the supplement into my routine, offering a sustainable energy source without the negative side effects associated with conventional pre-workout supplements.
Where can I buy Dirtea?
Dirtea is available directly from dirteaworld.com and from several online stockists such as Ocado, Holland and Barrett, Selfridges, Lookfantastic and Healf.
How much does Dirtea cost?
Dirtea powders and blends are priced from £30 for 30 servings but can go up to £172 for a full box set of the range.
Additional discounts are available for monthly, quarterly or annual subscriptions, so if you plan on taking Dirtea daily this is a more cost-effective option.
Although the price point is still high compared to what you’d spend on instant coffee.
However, if you’re like me and you find yourself regularly visiting Starbucks for your daily caffeine pick-me-up, then switching to Dirtea can be a great way to save money while enhancing your health with some mushroomy goodness.
What is Dirtea made of?
Dirtea products contain high quality mushrooms – between 1000mg and 3000mg per serving to be exact – that are sourced directly from the farm with 100% fruiting bodies.
Their products are non GMO and vegan, with the brand priding iteself on creating pure, potent and highly effective products.
The selection of natural, powerful superfoods in Dirtea includes: Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Reishi, Chaga, and Tremella.
