In This Article
In This Article
Coffee is one of the most widely-consumed beverages on the planet — and for good reason. It keeps us alert, focused, and productive.
Personally, I love to start with a cup of coffee because it brightens my day.
However, a cup or two of joe daily can cause anxiety, jitters, and insomnia for some. Caffeine-sensitive folks and those who don’t like the taste of coffee but need the boost can try MUD WTR instead.
MUD WTR is a popular coffee substitute that promises to provide all the health benefits of coffee without the drawbacks.
MUD WTR is 100% vegan and has no dairy-based sweeteners and creamers, unlike other coffee substitutes.
Let’s take an in-depth look at it — including its benefits, ingredients, and cost.
MUD WTR is a coffee alternative that gives you energy and helps you focus without anxiety and jitters.
The founder, Shane Heath, was a former silicon valley designer. He created MUD WTR after tiring of the negative effects of coffee. Like many, Shane enjoyed his daily cup or two of coffee.
But eventually, he noticed he became anxious and restless from his caffeine habit. He felt his coffee addiction was controlling him.
During an extended trip to India, Shane discovered Masala chai tea, a popular beverage that combines black tea with milk and spices.
When he returned home, he ditched the coffee and started drinking Masala chai instead. Shane began experimenting by adding different ingredients like turmeric, cacao, and medicinal mushrooms to his chai.
In May 2018, he finally found the formula he liked and began selling MUD WTR online.
MUD WTR :rise is a powdered drink that can change up your morning routine. It’s intended to replace your morning cup of coffee.
MUD WTR Morning Ritual contains:
They designed the blend to improve focus and attention, boost immunity, and increase your energy levels.
MUD WTR :rest (also known as Evening Ritual) is a caffeine-free blend of herbs, adaptogens, and mushrooms.
The company designed it to support relaxation, calmness, and better sleep.
The ingredients include:
Ashwagandha helps lower cortisol and stress and improves sleep quality1. Valerian root and passionflower also reduce anxiety and promote good quality sleep2, 3.
MUD WTR contains a variety of herbs, spices, mushrooms, and superfoods combined with Masala chai. The result is a fine golden brown powder.
All MUD WTR ingredients are U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) certified organic. This ensures quality and purity.
Cacao seeds are used to make cocoa products and chocolate. Cacao has many unique health benefits, such as:
What it tastes like: Cacao gives MUD WTR a slight chocolatey flavor. It helps offset the earthy bitterness of the turmeric and mushrooms.
Chaga is a medicinal mushroom with amazing benefits. It can treat different ailments including:
It also has the following benefits:
Cinnamon is a popular spice used in cuisines around the world. Some of its benefits include:
What it tastes like: The cinnamon in MUD WTR has a noticeable sweetness that balances the bitter notes.
Traditional Chinese medicine uses the cordyceps mushroom or the caterpillar fungus to improve stamina and increase libido. It also claims to:
Salt is incredibly important for nerve communication, muscle function, and brain function.17
Himalayan salt contains higher levels of important minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium compared to regular table salt.18
Himalayan salt also enhances the flavor profile of MUD WTR.
Lion’s mane is a mushroom and is used throughout traditional medicine systems throughout Asia for its benefits, such as:
Masala chai is a popular drink in India created in the early 19th century. It’s made by boiling black tea with a variety of herbs and spices.
The masala chai in MUD WTR is made with organic ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper. Here is what each ingredient contributes:
What it tastes like: It gives MUD WTR a spicy sweetness that pairs well with the other flavors.
Reishi mushrooms are another staple of traditional Chinese medicine. They:
Turmeric is an incredible spice with numerous health benefits. It:
MUD WTR contains a small amount of caffeine. The label doesn’t state the exact amount. It just says that it contains 1/7th the amount found in a regular cup of coffee.
According to the U.S.D.A. FoodCentral, the average cup of coffee has 93.5 mg of caffeine. So MUD WTR possibly contains 13.3 mg per 8-oz serving.
However, caffeine levels in coffee can vary depending on the type of bean, the roast, and the way it's brewed.35,36 So there’s no telling for sure.
MUD WTR does not contain any sugar or artificial sweeteners. However, you can add MUD WTR Creamer or MUD WTR Sweetener to sweeten your drink.
MUD WTR Creamer contains:
MUD WTR Sweetener contains just coconut sugar and lucuma. Lucuma is a fruit found in South America. You can replace sugar with this natural sweetener.
Lucuma is a low-glycemic food, meaning it won’t spike your blood sugar levels. Eating low-glycemic foods is one of many ways you can get an energy boost without coffee.
Here’s a MUD WTR recipe you can try: Create a “mud latte” by blending MUD WTR powder with the Creamer and your choice of milk.
MUD WTR Rise and Rest cost the same. Although prices may vary depending on serving size and how you wish to purchase your products.
Here are the prices if you buy MUD WTR on-demand:
You can get an additional 20% discount if you subscribe to MUD WTR. This lowers the price to $40 for 30 grams, $100 for 90 grams, and $24 for a box of 15 mud sachets.
A MUD WTR subscription includes free U.S. shipping and hassle-free delivery. You can have orders delivered every 30, 60, and 90 days.
The company also offers two starter kits — one each for Rise and Rest. They cost $60 on-demand or $40 on a monthly subscription.
The starter kit includes:
MUD WTR creamer and sweeteners are priced at:
For years, I was a daily coffee drinker. I loved everything about it — the taste, the smell, the ritual. I would spend hours researching the best brewing methods, roasts, and beans.
But eventually, my relationship with coffee turned sour. I became constantly wired. My sleep began to suffer. I found myself anxious for no reason.
I tried decaf but it just wasn’t the same. Eventually, I quit cold turkey. I then began looking for coffee alternatives.
So when MUD WTR appeared on my radar, I was eager to try it.
While it’s certainly not as strong as coffee, it does give you a nice, smooth buzz. I experienced better focus and concentration than I would drinking a regular cup of black or green tea. I also noticed more energy during my workouts.
Most importantly, I didn’t experience anxiety or afternoon crashes. MUD WTR also didn’t impact my sleep negatively.
Making a mug of MUD WTR is simple. All you need to do is heat up some water, add the hot water to a mug with a tablespoon of MUD WTR, and mix it all together. That’s it.
You don’t have to worry about cleanup like you would when brewing coffee at home.
MUD WTR uses only high-quality organic ingredients.
For example, MUD WTR uses Ceylon cinnamon instead of the cheaper and sweeter alternative, Cassia. Cassia has high levels of coumarin, which may potentially damage the liver., making Ceylon the safer choice.
While this adds to the cost of the product, it’s healthier in the long run.
I actually enjoyed the bitter, earthy taste, which others sometimes complain about. I looked forward to drinking it every morning.
The cacao really stood out among all the flavors and reminded me of hot chocolate. The subtle spiciness of the ginger and cardamom balanced the sweetness of the cinnamon perfectly. However, if earthy, natural, or bitter flavors aren’t your thing, you may not enjoy the taste of MUD WTR as much as I did.
While some of the ingredients mix well with water, the cacao, cinnamon, and mushrooms don’t mix very well. Instead, they settle at the bottom of your mug or glass and form a sludge.
This is where the word “mud” in MUD WTR comes from. Because of this, you need to repeatedly stir or mix the settled components using a handheld frother.
With a subscription, the daily cost per serving for MUD WTR comes out to $1.33 ($1.50 if you purchase it without a subscription). Making your coffee or tea at home would generally be much cheaper.
However, you get all of the additional benefits of the mushroom blend, cacao, and turmeric when you use MUD WTR, which may just outweigh the financial aspect of it.
Coffee is well-known for its health and energy-boosting benefits. Sadly, not everyone enjoys drinking coffee or is able to tolerate its side effects.
In high concentrations, caffeine can make you feel jittery and restless. It also causes
Thankfully, you can substitute coffee with healthier options like MUD WTR and Neuro Gum. These products contain very little caffeine — enough to give you a productive jolt.MUD WTR is an excellent choice if you don’t want to give up your coffee-drinking experience. But if you want your ‘coffee fix’ in pill form, we suggest trying Neuro Gum instead.
