The product from London Nootropics, backed on ‘Dragons’ Den’ , boosts concentration, work, and energy using only natural ingredients…
IN THIS AGE of bombardment with endless supplements, many with dubious providence, “adaptogenic” coffees and “nootropics” might sound like the latest hype. What are they? Is it some sort of trendy thing you see Instagram models drinking?
Well, no… actually. These proven products from London Nootropics, which are receiving rave reviews, combine a barista-style coffee with special plant extracts and mushrooms – called adaptogens. These are made to help the body adapt to stress and promote overall wellbeing. And they are aimed at anyone who wants their day to flow, be productive, remain focused, or boost their aerobic energy.
What on earth is London Nootropics?
London Nootropics exists to produce high-end nootropic supplements. Founded in 2020, it gained a huge boost when, in February 2022, founders Shez and Zain appeared on BBC One’s ‘Dragons’ Den’. After some to-ing-and-froing with the Dragons, they achieved offers from two investors – Deborah Meaden and Sara Davies, after charming them (literally) with their adaptogenic knowledge, wit, business acumen, and repartee.
“We designed each blend based on what we ourselves needed in our day to find our balance and our flow,” explained Shez and Zain. As such, their products do what it says on the tin (or, in this case, the packet). The mushrooms used in the products are medicinal while, of course, being non-psychoactive. Shroomy in the healthy way.
So, what is in the packets?
London Nootropics’ products are a blend of coffee, medicinal mushroom extracts – including lion’s mane and cordyceps – and some other ingredients that help people find their flow.
Medicinal mushroom extracts are adaptogens. This means they help your body and mind adapt to physical, mental, and emotional stressors. Blending them together with a fine, micro-ground coffee creates an earthy, delicious cuppa with additional health benefits. The micro-ground coffee in the London Nootropics blends contains 6% freshly ground coffee and the rest is spray-dried instant coffee powder. It is tested for heavy metals, toxins, and mould.
The production of these products isn’t an entirely simple process. To achieve the most from the medicinal mushrooms, the beneficial compounds must be extracted before adding them to the mix. A task to which Shez and Zain apply themselves fully.
The resulting adaptogenic coffees are designed to improve cognitive function, memory, creativity, and motivation. They come in three varieties – Flow, Mojo and Zen. They can be incorporated into a health and fitness routine and the working day.
While Flow is aimed towards concentration and productivity (i.e. the daily grind), Mojo can improve aerobic energy, and Zen is ideal for chilling out and combating stress.
The exact ingredients giving benefits
As we all know, just plain caffeine gives us a kick but too much can leave us jittery and is followed by a crash. Not so with the adaptogenic coffees, which contain the following ingredients:
Ashwagandha: Known for its ability to reduce stress and anxiety and improve mood.
Rhodiola: Claimed to enhance mental and physical performance, reduce fatigue, and improve mood.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom: Thought to support cognitive function and promote nerve growth. It has appeared in Chinese medicine for centuries and has some application in combating dementia.
Cordyceps: Frequently used to boost energy levels and endurance.
Siberian Ginseng: Believed to boost energy, lower blood sugar, reduce cholesterol levels and promote relaxation.
The Zen variety has been upgraded recently to combine Ashwagandha & L-theanine. This blend is designed to promote a sense of peace, reducing the effects of stress, tension, and irritability. L-theanine has some application in helping with insomnia.
People’s very positive reactions to the blends
South of Granada researched people’s reactions to the products, and handed out some samples around Órgiva, Granada.
First of all, the manufacturers, Shez and Zain, tell us about their favourite products: “Flow for mental clarity and focus, Mojo for a natural boost, and Zen for calming energy. Flow is my favourite in the morning, to help clear brain fog and have a productive start to the day. I then love a Mojo, usually in the afternoon for a natural boost… or sometimes a Zen depending on how my day is going and how I feel.”
Marketing professional, Andy Ward, based near Órgiva, said of the Zen blend: “I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I am not really a coffee drinker. I gave it a go in the afternoon and was pleasantly surprised the effect of well-being and relaxation that I felt for several hours after the coffee. It helped me to get some work done that I had been putting off for some time. It seems like a much better choice than normal coffee, most of which make me feel edgy. This did not.”
Ras, who helps to run the Camac health food shop in Órgiva with his partner, Leona, said: “I tried the Flow coffee. I must admit, it did make me come into the shop and get on with arranging the stock!”
Laura, who runs the high-end Syck DJ agency in London, said: “I alternate between Mojo and Flow. Flow definitely improves my ability to work. I’m very easily distracted usually. I use a giant mug and put quite a bit of coconut milk. I really like the flavour as it’s a bit chocolatey and coffeeish.”
Claire, a visitor to La Alpujarra from Surrey, UK, liked the Flow blend and said: “I’ll have this before I go for a walk. This actually tastes good.”
The writer had the same experience saying: “I feel, at times, that I might have a slight touch of adult ADHD. This means I can’t decide what to start on first, and am prone to faffing around. After drinking the Flow blend, I wrote something that I had been putting off for weeks. The Zen blend is great in the evening, especially if you feel stressed.”
Where can I buy this great product?
During our research, we only received positive feedback about the coffees, which is unusual when doing journalistic reviews! So, where can you treat yourself to this prime brew?
The London Nootropics coffees are available in the Camac health food store on Calle Correos, Órgiva, and will be in other Granada region outlets soon.
They can also be ordered online and shipped to Spain (and other countries, including the UK) at a very low cost, and no customs problems. Various options are available, including packs of each blend and mixed packs. To obtain a 15% discount, use the code CHIPPER.
As with any supplement, consult with a healthcare professional before incorporating it into your routine. This is important if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking medications.