French Mush review: ingredients and dosages compared
By the Mush n Go editorial team - 08 October 2026
By the Mush n Go editorial teamPublished on 8 October 202610 min read
French Mush review
French Mush offers an organic mushroom drink, made in France, with 800 mg of extracts from five mushrooms and 49 mg of caffeine in its Café version. It is a serious and very transparent recipe. Brainstoorm makes a different choice: three mushrooms, two plants (maca and ashwagandha), only 20 mg of caffeine, and 60 days to get your money back if you do not like the taste. Here are the two labels, line by line.
Who is writing: Mush n Go makes Brainstoorm, a direct competitor of French Mush. This page compares what each brand states on its website and, for Brainstoorm, the technical data sheet from our contract manufacturer. Figures recorded on 6 October 2026. We have no connection with French Mush.
Brainstoorm coffee flavour
Lion's mane, cordyceps and chaga from the fruiting body, maca, ashwagandha and roasted chicory. The taste of coffee, without the jitters.
Try Brainstoorm →Brainstoorm choc-hazelnut
The same mushroom base, with cocoa and rhodiola. 60 days to change your mind, with a money-back guarantee.
See the choc version →Our verdict in brief
Two French recipes, two takes on the morning coffee.
French Mush and Brainstoorm have a lot in common: a powder to stir in, mushrooms, and both are made in France. What sets them apart comes down to three lines: the amount of caffeine, the presence of adaptogenic plants, and what happens if the product does not suit you.
- Brainstoorm is for you if you want to cut your caffeine right down (20 mg), if maca and ashwagandha interest you as much as the mushrooms, and if you like being able to try it risk-free for 60 days.
- French Mush is for you if organic is your first criterion, if you want five mushrooms rather than three, and if real Arabica coffee in your cup matters to you.
- On price, the two are close: €1.50 per dose in the small size at French Mush, €1.42 at Brainstoorm; €0.83 versus €0.78 at the best subscription rate.
What is French Mush
A range of organic drinks, in three flavours.
French Mush is a French brand based in Boulogne-Billancourt. Its “Boisson Boost Bio” range comes in three powders: coffee, chicory and cocoa. The last two contain no coffee; their caffeine comes from guarana. The chicory version is presented as the best seller; the coffee version (Café), launched in 2026, is the one we compare here with Brainstoorm coffee flavour.
The ingredients in detail
What is in one dose of French Mush Café.
French Mush is one of the clearest brands on the market: for each mushroom, the product page gives the weight of extract, its raw mushroom equivalent and its beta-glucan content. Here are the figures for a 5 g dose.
| Ingredient | Extract | Raw equivalent | Stated content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic lion's mane | 200 mg | 2,000 mg | 24% beta-glucans |
| Organic cordyceps | 200 mg | 2,000 mg | 15% beta-glucans |
| Organic chaga | 80 mg | 800 mg | 9% beta-glucans |
| Organic maitake | 100 or 160 mg | 1,000 mg | not stated |
| Organic oyster mushroom | 100 or 160 mg | 1,000 mg | not stated |
| Total mushrooms | 800 mg | ||
| Organic Arabica coffee | 2,450 mg | 49 mg of caffeine | |
| Organic chicory | 1,750 mg |
Source: “Boisson Boost Bio · Café” product page on frenchmush.com, recorded on 6 October 2026. For maitake and oyster mushroom, the page states 160 mg each in its per-dose summary and 100 mg each in the detailed list; the 800 mg total is the one the brand displays.
Extract or equivalent
Two numbers for the same mushroom: how to read them.
On a mushroom coffee label, the same ingredient can appear with two very different weights. Both are correct. French Mush gives both, and we do the same here for Brainstoorm.
The extract is what is in the cup
An extract is a concentrate. With a 10:1 ratio, it took 10 g of dried mushroom to obtain 1 g of powder.
The equivalent is the starting weight
“2,000 mg raw equivalent” with a 10:1 ratio means 200 mg of extract in the dose.
The part of the mushroom matters
The fruiting body is the mushroom itself; the mycelium is its network of filaments. Both are used, and a clear label says which.
The rule for comparing
Always the same column on both sides: extract against extract, equivalent against equivalent. That is what the following table does.
Dosages compared
Brainstoorm and French Mush, line by line.
For each ingredient, the table gives the actual weight of extract and then, in brackets, the dried-plant equivalent. Brainstoorm coffee flavour: 6 g serving. French Mush Café: 5 g dose.
| Per cup | Brainstoorm coffee | French Mush Café |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine | 20 mg, microencapsulated | 49 mg, from Arabica coffee |
| Lion's mane | 100 mg (1,000 mg), fruiting body | 200 mg (2,000 mg), fruiting body |
| Cordyceps | 250 mg (1,000 mg), fruiting body | 200 mg (2,000 mg), mycelium |
| Chaga | 20 mg (1,000 mg) | 80 mg (800 mg) |
| Maitake and oyster mushroom | none | 100 or 160 mg each (1,000 mg) |
| Maca | 375 mg (3,000 mg) | absent |
| Ashwagandha | 40 mg of extract | absent |
| Vitamin B5 | 6 mg, 100% of the reference intake | absent |
| Base | roasted chicory 3,500 mg, acacia 889 mg | Arabica coffee 2,450 mg, chicory 1,750 mg |
| Sweetener | xylitol | none |
| Organic | no | yes, according to the brand |
| Vegan | yes | yes |
Sources: Brainstoorm technical data sheets from Laboratoire FGnutra (editions of 28 January 2026 and 8 July 2025); “Boisson Boost Bio · Café” product page on frenchmush.com, recorded on 6 October 2026.
Each recipe has its own logic. French Mush goes all in on mushrooms: five species, 800 mg of extracts, the organic label, and real coffee. Brainstoorm pairs mushrooms with plants: cordyceps from the fruiting body, a good dose of maca, ashwagandha, and caffeine cut down to 20 mg. Its vitamin B5, at 100% of the reference intake, contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal mental performance.
Caffeine
49 mg on one side, 20 mg on the other.
French Mush Café contains 49 mg of caffeine per dose, supplied by its Arabica coffee. That is already clearly less than an espresso, which has around 80 mg according to the European Food Safety Authority. The chicory and cocoa versions come down to around 32 to 35 mg, thanks to guarana.
Brainstoorm goes further: 20 mg per cup, two and a half times less than French Mush Café. This caffeine is microencapsulated (NewCaff®), meaning it is coated so that it is released gradually. The coffee taste, for its part, comes from roasted chicory, which contains none.
One cup a day
French Mush Café: 49 mg. Brainstoorm: 20 mg. The EFSA benchmark for an adult is 400 mg a day, from all sources combined.
With your usual coffees
Two espressos plus one French Mush Café: around 209 mg. The same two espressos plus one Brainstoorm: around 180 mg.
In the afternoon
At 20 mg, a cup of Brainstoorm after lunch weighs four times less on your evening than an espresso.
If caffeine is what matters to you, our article how many cups of coffee a day does the maths cup by cup, and coffee and anxiety sets out the signs of having too much.
Is French Mush dangerous?
The precautions are those of a caffeinated supplement.
It is a question many people type into Google, and it applies to every mushroom coffee, ours included. Nothing in what French Mush publishes points to any particular risk: the recipe is short, organic and free from sweeteners, and the brand advises against it during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as is standard practice.
The points to watch are the same from one brand to the next: caffeine, which adds to that of your other coffees, and the mushrooms themselves, about which it is best to ask your doctor if you are currently on any treatment.
Before starting either one
- Both products contain caffeine and are not recommended for children or for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
- Brainstoorm is not recommended if you have a thyroid, liver or heart condition: ask your doctor for advice.
- A food supplement is not a substitute for a varied diet. Do not exceed the stated daily dose.
To go further on the subject: the precautions to know before taking functional mushrooms.
Price, shipping, guarantee
The price per cup, and what happens if you do not like it.
French Mush sells tubs of 20, 60 or 120 doses; Brainstoorm sells pouches of 30 servings. Worked out per cup, the gap is small. The real difference lies elsewhere: the guarantee.
| In France | Brainstoorm | French Mush Café |
|---|---|---|
| Small size, no commitment | €42.71 for 30 servings, i.e. €1.42 per cup | €29.90 for 20 doses, i.e. €1.50 per cup |
| Monthly subscription | €29.90 for 30 servings, i.e. €1.00 per cup | €23.90 for 20 doses, i.e. €1.20 per cup |
| Best listed price | €69.90 for 90 servings on subscription, i.e. €0.78 per cup | €99.90 for 120 doses on subscription, i.e. €0.83 per cup |
| Free shipping | from €59 | from €68 |
| Money-back guarantee | 60 days | not offered: statutory 14-day right of withdrawal, unopened product |
Prices recorded on 6 October 2026 on mushngo.com and frenchmush.com, excluding temporary promotions. French Mush includes a free frother and free shipping with its subscriptions.
French Mush has the edge on the entry price: €29.90 to try it. Brainstoorm has the edge on peace of mind: you open the pouch, you drink it for weeks, and if the taste or the effect does not win you over, you can get your money back for 60 days.
Which one to choose
Organic and five mushrooms, or less caffeine plus plants?
If the organic label comes before everything else, French Mush is a very good choice, transparent about its dosages, and you will not go wrong. If what you are after is the ritual of a morning coffee without the racing heart at 10 am or the slump at 3 pm, you are the person we created Brainstoorm for.
- 20 mg of caffeine per cup, released gradually: two and a half times less than French Mush Café.
- Three mushrooms from the fruiting body, 1,000 mg of equivalent each, including 250 mg of cordyceps extract.
- Two extra plants: 3,000 mg of maca equivalent, plus ashwagandha, neither of which is in the French Mush recipe.
- 6 mg of vitamin B5, which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
- No mushroom taste: roasted chicory brings the roundness and bitterness of a coffee.
- 60-day money-back guarantee: you taste, you decide.
More than 50,000 people have already replaced one of their cups with Brainstoorm, and rate it 4.8 out of 5.
Your questions
All about French Mush.
What is in French Mush?
Boisson Boost Bio Café contains five organic mushrooms (lion's mane, cordyceps, chaga, maitake, oyster mushroom) for 800 mg of extracts per 5 g dose, organic Arabica coffee and organic chicory. The chicory and cocoa versions replace the coffee with guarana.
How much caffeine is in French Mush?
49 mg per dose for the Café version, and around 32 to 35 mg for the chicory and cocoa versions, according to the brand. An espresso contains around 80 mg, a cup of Brainstoorm 20 mg.
Is French Mush dangerous?
Nothing in the information published by the brand points to any particular risk. Like any supplement containing caffeine, it is not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you are on medical treatment, ask your doctor for advice before taking mushrooms.
Is French Mush organic?
Yes, the brand states that its range is certified organic and made in France. Brainstoorm is also made in France, but is not certified organic.
How much does French Mush cost?
€29.90 for 20 doses, €68.00 for 60 doses and €124.90 for 120 doses as a one-off purchase, prices recorded on 6 October 2026. On subscription, the 120-dose tub comes down to €99.90, i.e. €0.83 per dose.
Can you get a refund on French Mush?
The brand applies the statutory 14-day right of withdrawal, for an unopened product. It does not advertise a money-back guarantee. Mush n Go refunds Brainstoorm for 60 days.
What is the difference between French Mush and Brainstoorm?
French Mush contains five organic mushrooms and 49 mg of caffeine in its Café version. Brainstoorm contains three mushrooms, maca and ashwagandha, 20 mg of caffeine, and can be tried for 60 days with a money-back guarantee.
What does French Mush taste like?
Here we compare labels, not tastes: each has its own. The brand offers three flavours: coffee, chicory and cocoa. Brainstoorm comes in coffee flavour and in choc-hazelnut.
Sources
- French Mush. Product pages “Boisson Boost Bio · Café”, “Chicorée” and “Cacao”, shipping policy and refund policy, frenchmush.com. Accessed on 6 October 2026.
- Trustpilot. “Frenchmush” profile, 4.7 out of 5 from 2,945 reviews. Accessed on 6 October 2026.
- Laboratoire FGnutra. Product technical data sheet “Brainstoorm Café 180 g”, edition of 28 January 2026.
- Laboratoire FGnutra. Product technical data sheet “Café Brainstoorm V5” (chocolate hazelnut flavour), edition of 8 July 2025.
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (2015). Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine. EFSA Journal, 13(5):4102.
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods (vitamin B5).
French Mush is a trademark of its owner. The information about this product is what the brand publishes; it may have changed since it was recorded. Spotted a mistake? Write to us and we will correct it.
Further reading
Before you choose, see how to read a label and what caffeine changes in your day.
Discover our mushroom and adaptogenic plant supplements
Our vegan formulas, made in Toulouse by a French manufacturer.