2010s: Functional Mushrooms in the Wellness Mainstream

By the 2010s, functional mushrooms had firmly entered the wellness mainstream. The rise of wellness influencers, health food bloggers, and social media platforms created fertile ground for fungi like Lion’s Mane, Reishi, and Cordyceps to become staples in the diets of health enthusiasts. Consumers sought natural, plant-based alternatives for energy, focus, sleep, and stress relief, and mushrooms fit seamlessly into this narrative. This decade also saw a surge in mushroom coffees, powders, and tinctures, catering to an increasingly eco-conscious and health-savvy global audience. With emerging studies linking mushrooms to neuroprotection and immune enhancement, they became a go-to remedy for biohackers and wellness gurus alike.