We’ve known for a while that Gen Z’s relationship with alcohol and other traditional stimulants is different from previous generations.
Beer? No thanks. And it looks like they’re saying no to caffeine, too. With one in four members of Gen Z tee-total, two fifths of them are also swapping their morning coffees for more natural, holistic alternatives.
Such as? Well, as it turns out, mostly matcha and mushrooms. And they might be onto something. Matcha is rich in protective polyphenols and antioxidants, and may help boost brain and heart health, as well as boosting the all-important gut health.
Clinical trials, meanwhile, have shown that mushroom varieties such as shiitake and reishi may help strengthen the immune system against cancer. Chaga mushrooms, meanwhile, can be made into extracts that enhance learning and memory, reduce inflammation and lower blood sugar - while lion’s mane helped speed wound healing in injured rats.
Apparently, we all want some of that goodness, too. The online supermarket Ocado has seen a 54 per cent year on year rise in health drink sales, and M&S is even launching its own mushroom shot to meet demand.
For those wanting to dive into the world of wellness (and mushrooms) head first, there are a few options. Supermarkets offer a bounty of mushroom-related products: wellness brand Dirtea has a lion’s mane mushroom mix that can be stirred into hot water while Holland & Barrett offers a mushroom tea blend that improves mood and relaxation.
And of course, there’s always that M&S mushroom shot, which launched recently and can be bought as packs of two: one for the morning and one for the afternoon.
There’s also the option of going all-in on a holiday. Many hotels are starting to incorporate wellness into their offerings, and ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea in Spain - which opened in January this year - is no exception.
The hotel, which provides tailored health programmes that combine cutting-edge tech with ancient therapies, offers wellness-focussed holidays that heavily draw on the healing powers of mushrooms. That involves offering guests mushroom coffee – and even mushroom tiramisu, which supports gut health and immunity while also being sugar free.
Basically, however you want to do it, there’s no excuse for not jumping in on the trend: after all, it’s good for you.
