Jump to:
Mud Water or MUD\WTR is a coffee alternative made from mushrooms and was designed to replace one’s normal caffeinated beverage (like tea or coffee).
Sold as a powder, it is designed to be added to hot water without needing to steep and tastes like a combination of chai and cocoa.
A deeper look at Mud Water (MUD\WTR)
Mud Water is an interesting concept and one that raises many questions. There has been great discussion on whether Mud Water is good for you and whether you can drink it every day. We are going to be looking at some of the most common questions asked about this product which will hopefully give you some clarity.
1. How is Mud Water made?
Mud Water is made using a blend of spices and mushrooms. Combined with black tea and cacao, this beverage is a tasty coffee alternative and can help boost your energy more healthily. These ingredients are organically grown and harvested, ensuring there are no unwanted minerals in your beverage.
The various ingredients used to make Mud Water originate from across the world. Mushrooms are grown and harvested in America while the remaining ingredients are sourced worldwide and shipped to the Mud Water factory in Venice, California.
Using Mushrooms as an Ingredient
Mushrooms are organically grown and harvested to use in producing Mud Water. There are many benefits to using mushrooms that alleviate the common symptoms of high caffeine intake. The mushrooms used by Mud Water are grown in California and Nevada, keeping the main ingredient locally sourced.
Too much caffeine can cause high blood pressure and coffee can contain up to 2 mg of sodium per 100 grams. However, mushrooms have a lower sodium content which can reduce high blood pressure. Using mushrooms in a coffee alternative will lead to you taking in less sodium and should decrease your blood pressure.
Benefits of Cacao
Cacao originates from equatorial regions and has a host of benefits that can help improve your health. There is a high fiber content in cacao that promotes healthy digestion and can improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and digestive problems.
Similarly, cacao has been reported to lower blood pressure and can improve the flow of blood to your heart and brain. This is due to the flavonoids in cacao, with the nutrients being the cause of these improved symptoms.
There is a high level of potassium in cacao which has been shown to decrease one’s risk of heart disease. This is achieved by reducing the stress on your body cells and decreasing inflammation across the body.
Benefits of Black Tea
The final ingredient in Mud Water is black tea which has been proven to contain high levels of antioxidants.
These antioxidants can decrease cell damage in one’s body and helps to remove free radicals. Free radicals can cause illness and aging and have been shown to damage the cells in your body.
Another group of antioxidants found in black tea is flavonoids which benefit one’s heart health. Consuming flavonoids more often can decrease high cholesterol and high blood pressure, improving your overall health.
2. What does Mud Water taste like?
According to Jamie Steidle of Vice, Mud Water has a distinctive flavor to it. There are tasting notes of cinnamon and mocha as well as hints of ginger and an earth aftertaste. This is combined with the main flavors of chai and cocoa. Overall, this is a natural-flavored beverage that can be enjoyable for the right person.
It is an acquired taste as there is little to add that can improve the sweetness of the beverage. Steidle added honey to it to try and found it did not have a great effect on the overall taste so you would need to be confident that the flavor is right for you. You would need to give it a bit of time to get used to as it does not taste like coffee.
For someone who prefers to add sugar to their coffee, this may not be the best coffee alternative as there is little natural sweetness to it. Mushrooms have an earthy flavor while cacao has some bitter notes. This is not expected to create a sweet, flavored beverage so you should consider that before purchasing this product.
3. Is Mud Water good for you?
Mud Water is a good option for someone looking to decrease their caffeine intake. According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), the amount of caffeine suggested is 400 mg per day. This is equivalent to between 4 and 5 cups of coffee. Any more than this may have negative effects on a healthy adult.
The amount of caffeine in Mud Water is a better option for you if you are wanting to decrease your caffeine intake as it contains approximately 35 mg per serving. So, for the equivalent of 4 cups of coffee (which contains roughly 100 mg of caffeine), you could drink more than 11 servings of Mud Water to meet that amount.
Effects of Consuming too Much Caffeine
Caffeine raises your blood pressure and can cause upset stomachs or anxiety in some people. If you were to drink a coffee alternative that has less caffeine per serving, you may find that these common symptoms decrease over time. Less caffeine means less risk of causing stomach aches or causing anxiety in someone.
Another symptom of a high caffeine intake is caffeine crashes which are when the amount of caffeine in your system is fully broken down and the energy-boosting effects diminish.
With a lower caffeine option, these caffeine crashes will reduce, and the effects will not be felt as greatly.
Benefits of Mushrooms
A study conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles, looked at the benefits of consuming mushrooms, which would also be present in Mud Water.
Mushrooms have a low amount of sodium which is a contributing factor to high blood pressure. By using mushrooms in Mud Water, your sodium intake would decrease by up to 25%.
Mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D which helps the body absorb calcium, leading to strong bones. aside from consuming mushrooms, vitamin D can be absorbed by the sun.
Aside from vitamin D, mushrooms contain vitamin B6 which helps your body form red blood cells and protein.
4. Can you drink Mud Water every day?
Given the advised daily intake of caffeine is 400 mg, you could technically drink Mud Water every day as you would be consuming much less caffeine than if you were to drink a few cups of coffee.
The additional benefits of mushrooms discussed previously, will benefit your body, and help your health overall.
Can you drink Mud Water while pregnant?
Mud Water does not have any proof of what benefits or risks their product would cause to pregnant women. You should therefore consult a physician about the product before incorporating it into your diet.
Consuming too many mushrooms
Mushrooms are a good source of protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Overall, they are a good ingredient to incorporate into your diet as they can improve your intake of minerals and proteins. Your overall health will improve and your risk of heart-related diseases will decrease.
It is possible to take in too much of these nutrients although it would require you to consume a lot of mushrooms, more than those included in Mud Water.
To consume more than the daily recommendation of vitamin B, vitamin D, and fiber, you would need to eat 10 cups of mushrooms within a single day.
Other risk factors
As previously discussed, Mud Water contains approximately 35 mg of caffeine per serving. If you were to consume more than 11 servings of Mud Water, you would have exceeded the daily suggested amount of caffeine.
You should therefore ensure you do not consume that many much, although it is unlikely you will.
5. More Information on Mud Water
Mud Water (MUD\WTR) has its own YouTube channel where they take you through the process of mud water, including unboxing a new packaging and explaining what mud water is.
If you would like to learn more about this product from the creators, check out this YouTube video for an explanation.
Conclusion
Mud Water is a good coffee alternative made using mushrooms, black tea, spices, and cacao.
These ingredients have all been shown to improve one’s overall health, including reducing high blood pressure, and inflammation in the body, and preventing other health-related illnesses. It is therefore a healthier alternative than drinking coffee.
It is a good option that can be consumed more often than one should drink coffee, with a lower overall caffeine content than a cup of coffee. The taste of the Mud Water is earthy and cacao-like, meaning it is somewhat of an acquired taste.
If this is something you would like to try, you should taste-test Mud Water to see if it is suitable for you.
