Superfood powders: mushroom, maca & cacao

Choosing superfood powders

Superfood powders are dried, ground foods that you stir into drinks and meals. They add flavour and variety, so choose ones you will enjoy using every day. Check the ingredients list for a single ingredient, or a short list of named ones, and look at the serving size. Vivo Life makes the mushroom powders here, and Creative Nature makes the maca and cacao powders. We checked each brand for clear ingredient lists and sourcing.

Mushroom powder

Mushroom powder is made from dried mushrooms or mushroom extracts. Vivo Life makes lion's mane mushroom powder, a reishi 15:1 extract and a cordyceps 10:1 extract, plus Mindgrnd, a mushroom and adaptogen chocolate blend. Mushroom powders taste earthy, so they work best in coffee, hot chocolate and smoothies. Stir them into a warm drink rather than boiling water, and whisk well so the powder dissolves without lumps. Vivo Life also makes a supergreens powder.

Maca powder and cacao powder

Maca powder comes from a root grown in the Andes, with a malty, caramel taste that suits porridge, smoothies and baking. Creative Nature makes organic maca powder. Cacao powder is ground from cacao beans, and Creative Nature makes a low cadmium cacao powder from criollo beans. Use it in place of cocoa in hot drinks, baking and energy balls. For a winter hot chocolate, whisk a spoonful into warm oat milk with a little maple syrup. A spoonful of cacao powder in a banana smoothie is an easy start.

Using and storing superfood powders

Keep powders sealed in a cool, dry cupboard and use a dry spoon, as moisture makes them clump. A small jar on the worktop reminds you to use them. Check the date and the serving size on each pack, and finish an opened bag within a few months for the freshest flavour. Reseal the bag after each use, as damp air makes powders clump. Soft & Functional Drinks has ginger shots, Supplements has vegan vitamins, Nuts & Seeds has chia seeds and cacao nibs, and A practical guide to plant-based eating: How to do it well has ideas for meals.