I was a mess by 3:00 PM every day. My morning coffee, which felt so essential at 8:00 AM, always betrayed me. I’d be riding a wave of productive energy, and then, like clockwork, I’d hit a wall.
My focus would shatter, my patience would thin, and I’d feel that familiar, anxious buzz under my skin. I was tired of the jitters, the crash, and the bad sleep.
That’s what sent me searching for an alternative, and how I ended up with two of the biggest names in the mushroom coffee game on my kitchen counter: Ryze and Everyday Dose. My goal was simple: find a replacement that gave me clean energy and sharp focus, not a frantic spike followed by a nosedive.
The Two Contenders At A Glance
| Feature | Ryze Mushroom Coffee | Everyday Dose |
| Caffeine Content | ~48 mg | ~45 mg |
| Caffeine Source | Organic Arabica Coffee | Low-Acidity Coffee Extract |
| Mushroom Blend | 6-Mushroom Blend (2,000 mg total) | 2-Mushroom Blend |
| Specific Mushrooms | Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Shiitake, Turkey Tail, King Trumpet | Lion’s Mane, Chaga |
| Key Nootropics | The mushroom blend itself | L-Theanine (150 mg) |
| Bonus Ingredients | MCT Oil, Prebiotic Fiber | Collagen Peptides (Bovine) |
| Taste Profile | Earthy, mushroom-forward, slightly creamy | Smooth, nutty, much closer to coffee |
| Mixability | Can settle or clump if not mixed well | Dissolves very smoothly |
| Vegan-Friendly? | Yes | No (contains bovine collagen) |
| Price Point | More affordable | More premium |
The Problem: My Toxic Relationship With Coffee

Before I get into the specifics, let me paint a clearer picture of my “coffee problem.” It wasn’t just the crash. It was the anxiety.
I’d have my second cup around 11:00 AM, and by noon, I’d find myself tapping my foot, clenching my jaw, and feeling a low-grade sense of panic about my to-do list.
My focus wasn’t better; it was just faster and more scattered.
My digestion was also a wreck.
The high acidity of regular coffee was not doing my gut any favors. I felt bloated and uncomfortable. And sleeping? Forget it. Even that 11:00 AM cup felt like it was lingering in my system at 11:00 PM, making it hard to fall asleep and even harder to stay asleep.
I wasn’t looking to give up the ritual. I love the warmth of a morning cup. I love the signal it sends to my brain that it’s time to start the day. I was just desperate to break up with the side effects.
The mushroom coffee trend promised exactly that: all the focus and ritual, with none of the jitters or crash. I was skeptical, but I was also sold. I ordered Ryze first.
My Two-Week Trial with Ryze
Ryze arrived in its signature purple packaging. The powder itself is very fine and has a distinctly “earthy” smell. It doesn’t smell like coffee. It smells… healthy. Like dried mushrooms and a hint of cocoa, even though there’s none in it.
- The Taste and Ritual

I boiled the water and mixed my first scoop. The instructions say to mix with 8-10 oz of hot water.
I watched it dissolve, and I’ll be honest, it needed a good, solid stir.
It wasn’t lumpy, but I could see some sediment wanted to form at the bottom.
My first sip was… interesting. If you are expecting coffee, you will be disappointed.
It’s not coffee. It has a deep, earthy, slightly savory flavor. It’s not bad at all, just different.
The included MCT oil and coconut milk give it a very subtle creaminess, which is nice, but I found I definitely preferred it with a splash of my own oat milk and a tiny bit of stevia. Once I “doctored” it like that, it became a really comforting and pleasant morning drink.
- The Ryze Effect: How I Felt
I didn’t feel a “jolt” like I do with coffee. There was no “kick.” Instead, about 20 minutes after finishing my cup, I just… felt awake. My brain felt clearer. The fog I usually have to fight through was just… gone.
I sat down to work, and the best way I can describe the feeling is “smooth.” I was focused, but I was also calm. There was no anxiety, no racing thoughts. I just moved from one task to the next.
And then 3:00 PM rolled around. I was still working. I wasn’t buzzing, but I wasn’t a zombie. I was just… normal. There was no crash. No sudden dip. That, for me, was the real magic.
Over the two weeks, I also noticed my digestion felt much better. The prebiotic fiber and the lack of high-acidity coffee were clearly agreeing with me.
Also Read: Comparison of Rasa And Ryze Mushroom Coffees.
Ryze: The Good Stuff (Pros)
After 14 days, here’s what I truly loved about Ryze.
- The 6-Mushroom “Everything” Blend
This is Ryze’s biggest selling point. You get 2,000 mg of a six-mushroom blend, and it’s like a Swiss Army knife for your health. I did my homework on these, and here’s my layman’s breakdown:

- Lion’s Mane: This is the “smart mushroom” for focus and brain health (Nerve Growth Factor).1
- Cordyceps: This is the “energy” mushroom, often used by athletes for oxygen utilization and stamina.2
- Reishi: This is the “zen” mushroom, famous for helping with stress, mood, and sleep.3
- Shiitake: The “immune” mushroom, packed with compounds to support your immune system.
- Turkey Tail: The “gut” mushroom, a powerful prebiotic that supports healthy digestion.4
- King Trumpet: An antioxidant powerhouse that helps fight inflammation.5
I loved that I was getting this huge spectrum of benefits in one scoop. It felt like I was covering all my bases—focus, energy, stress, immunity, and gut health.
- Zero Jitters, Zero Crash
This is not an exaggeration. The 48 mg of caffeine is just enough to wake up your brain, but not enough to hijack your nervous system. The energy is gentle and sustained. I even tried a cup at 2:00 PM one day and had no trouble falling asleep that night. This was a total game-changer.
- It’s Vegan and All-Organic
I appreciate the clean ingredient list. It’s all organic, vegan-friendly, and has no weird fillers or sugars. The creaminess comes from MCT oil and coconut milk, not from dairy.6
- The Price
When you compare it to other brands, Ryze is generally on the more affordable side, especially with a subscription. For a daily drink that’s replacing my coffee and a handful of supplements, the value is definitely there.
Ryze: The Not-So-Good Stuff (Cons)
It wasn’t a perfect relationship. Here’s where I struggled.
- The Taste is an Acquired… Taste
I’ll say it again: this is not coffee. I got used to the earthy flavor and even began to enjoy my little ritual, but my wife tried it and hated it. She said it tasted “like healthy dirt.” If you are a coffee purist who loves the taste of a dark roast, you will have a very hard time with Ryze.
- The Sediment Situation
No matter how fast I stirred or frothed, there was always a tiny bit of “sludge” at the bottom of my cup. It’s the mushroom and fiber, and it’s not a huge deal, but it meant I couldn’t just sip my cup mindlessly to the end. I always had to give it a final swirl.
- Proprietary Blend
While I love that it has 2,000 mg of six mushrooms, it’s a “proprietary blend.” This means I don’t know the exact amount of each mushroom I’m getting. Am I getting a ton of Lion’s Mane for focus, or is it mostly the other, less expensive mushrooms? There’s no way to know.
Also Read: Is Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee Worth It?
My Two-Week Trial With Everyday Dose
After my Ryze trial, I was feeling great, but the “coffee-lover” in me was still curious. I’d seen the ads for Everyday Dose, with its sleek branding, and promises of a “flow state.”
The big hook for me was that it bragged about tasting like coffee and had two ingredients I was extremely interested in: L-Theanine and Collagen.
- The Taste and Ritual

Everyday Dose arrived in a starter kit with a cool glass jar, a tiny scoop, and a rechargeable frother.
Right off the bat, the experience felt more “premium.”
The powder itself is lighter in color than Ryze and smells… a lot like coffee. Like a nice, nutty instant latte.
I mixed my first scoop (it’s a tiny scoop) with hot water.
The difference in mixability was night and day.
It dissolved almost instantly, creating a smooth, creamy-looking drink with no sediment. None.
My first sip… I was floored. This tasted good. It tasted like a light, nutty, smooth cup of coffee. The “mushroom” flavor was practically undetectable. It was 90% coffee, 10% “something else” that was just pleasant.
I drank it black, and it was delicious. I added my oat milk, and it was a full-on, high-end latte experience. The flavor was a massive win.
- The Everyday Dose Effect: How I Felt
This is where things got really interesting. The feeling was different from Ryze. Ryze was “calm and clear.” Everyday Dose was “calm and dialed-in.”
This is, without a doubt, the L-Theanine at work. L-Theanine is an amino acid found in green tea that’s famous for promoting a feeling of “alert relaxation.”7 When you combine it with caffeine (even a low dose of 45 mg), you get this incredible synergy.
I felt all the focus I got from Ryze, but it was sharper. My creative ideas were flowing faster. My writing was more fluid. It truly did feel like a “flow state.” I was locked in, but I wasn’t tense. My body was relaxed, but my brain was on fire (in a good way). And just like Ryze, there was absolutely no crash. No jitters. No anxiety.
Everyday Dose: The Good Stuff (Pros)
I was seriously impressed. This blend felt less like a general wellness drink and more like a precision tool for productivity.
- The Caffeine + L-Theanine Combo is Unbeatable

This is the star of the show.
That 45 mg of caffeine opens your eyes, and the 150 mg of L-Theanine immediately smooths out all the edges.
It’s the definition of “calm focus.” For anyone who gets anxious from coffee, this combination is a revelation. Y
ou feel productive and “on,” but also completely at ease.
- The Taste is Phenomenal
For anyone who genuinely misses the taste of coffee, Everyday Dose is the clear winner. It’s smooth, nutty, and satisfying. It doesn’t taste like a compromise. It tastes like an upgrade. The fact that it mixes perfectly with zero sediment makes the whole ritual that much more enjoyable.
- The Added Collagen
This was a huge bonus. As someone who is starting to think about joint health and skin, getting a solid dose of grass-fed collagen in my morning cup was a major perk. It’s one less supplement I have to think about. My wife, who tried this one with me, was sold on this point alone.
- 100% Fruiting Body Extracts
Everyday Dose makes a big deal about using 100% fruiting body extracts of their mushrooms, which is the part of the mushroom that contains the most beneficial compounds.8 They target just two: Lion’s Mane (for focus) and Chaga (for immunity and antioxidants).
Their philosophy is “depth over breadth”—fewer ingredients, but at higher-quality, more effective doses.
Also Read: Comparison of Emergen-C And Liquid IV.
Everyday Dose: The Not-So-Good Stuff (Cons)
Despite my gushing, there are some clear drawbacks to consider.
- It’s Not Vegan
The biggest one. The inclusion of bovine collagen means this is a non-starter for anyone who is vegan or vegetarian.9 This is a huge part of the formula, so there’s no way around it.
- It’s a Premium Price
All those premium ingredients (collagen, L-Theanine, fruiting body extracts) and the fancy starter kit come at a cost. Everyday Dose is noticeably more expensive than Ryze.10 You have to decide if the superior taste and the targeted nootropic/collagen formula are worth the extra money.
- Only Two Mushrooms
If you were drawn to Ryze for that 6-mushroom, “full-body” support, you’ll be compromising here. You get the stars (Lion’s Mane and Chaga), but you miss out on the stress support from Reishi, the energy from Cordyceps, and the gut benefits from Turkey Tail.
How Ryze And Everyday Dose Stack Up?
So, after a month of testing, how do they really compare?

- For Taste: Everyday Dose wins. It’s not even a competition. It’s delicious, smooth, and tastes like coffee. Ryze is an earthy, acquired taste.
- For Focus: Everyday Dose has a slight edge. The L-Theanine + caffeine combo is a precision-engineered “flow state” trigger. Ryze provides excellent, calm focus, but ED feels more “dialed-in” for creative or intense work.
- For Holistic Health: Ryze wins. The 6-mushroom blend plus prebiotic fiber offers a much wider range of benefits, especially for immunity, gut health, and stress.
- For Ritual: Everyday Dose. The perfect mixability and premium starter kit just make the morning experience feel more special.
- For Vegans: Ryze. This is the only option of the two.
- For Value: Ryze. It’s more affordable and gives you a broader spectrum of ingredients.
- For “Extras”: This is a tie, depending on what you want. Is the collagen in Everyday Dose more valuable to you, or is the prebiotic fiber in Ryze?
Also Read: Comparison of Emergen-C And Zicam.
Who I’d Recommend Each For
After my month-long experiment, I had a clear winner for me.
I chose to stick with Everyday Dose.
Here’s why: my primary goal was to replace my coffee with something that helped me be incredibly focused and productive without the anxiety. The L-Theanine and caffeine combination in Everyday Dose was the magic bullet I was looking for.
The superior taste and the bonus of collagen sealed the deal. It solved my 3:00 PM crash, but it also actively improved my workflow.
But that absolutely does not mean it’s the right choice for you.
Here is my honest recommendation.
You should choose Ryze if:
- You are looking for a “whole-body” wellness drink, not just a coffee replacement.
- Your main goals include supporting your immune system, improving digestion, and reducing overall stress.11
- You are vegan or want to avoid animal products.
- You are on a tighter budget.
- You don’t mind (or even enjoy) an earthy, non-coffee flavor.
You should choose Everyday Dose if:
- Your number one goal is “calm, locked-in focus” and a productive “flow state.”
- You genuinely love the taste of coffee and want a replacement that’s a treat, not a chore.
- You are not vegan and are excited by the added benefits of collagen for your skin, hair, and joints.
- You hate any kind of sediment or “sludge” at the bottom of your cup.
- You are willing to pay a premium price for a premium, targeted experience.
Both of these products successfully cured me of my 3:00 PM crash and my coffee-induced anxiety. My quest is over, and I’m never going back. The real question for you isn’t “which one is better,” but “which one is better for you?”
Wrapping Up
Personalize: Ryze with milks, Dose with flavors. My fave? Ryze iced with vanilla, Dose hot with cinnamon. These tweaks make the habit stick.
In wrapping this up, I’ve shared my real experiences because I know how tricky choosing can be. You might find Ryze suits your all-day vibe, or Everyday Dose clicks for that sharp edge. Whichever you pick, give it a shot—you could transform your mornings like I did.
