Meet Wales’ only home-grown ‘brain boosting’ cuppa

Brain fog affects millions of us – from menopausal women to long COVID sufferers. But a Carmarthenshire social enterprise believes the answer might be growing in their west Wales mushroom units.

Online searches for ‘brain fog’ have skyrocketed 300% since 2020, with women going through menopause particularly affected.

Now Tetrim Teas, operating through its Tŷ Cynan community growing initiative, is producing what may be Wales’s only truly home-grown ‘brain-boosting’ cuppa – made from Lion’s Mane mushrooms proven to support cognitive function.

Through the Tŷ Cynan community growing venture, Tetrim Teas runs three mushroom-growing units across west Wales in partnership with established Welsh mushroom business Madarch Cymru.

They’re producing Lion’s Mane, Shiitake, and Oyster varieties – then turning them into various powders and food products, including teas that customers say actually work.

Lion’s Mane mushrooms contain natural compounds that can cross the blood-brain barrier and stimulate nerve growth factor production – supporting memory, learning, and brain function.

A 2020 study found that people aged 50 and above who consumed just one gram of Lion’s Mane daily for a year showed significant cognitive improvements.

But founder Mari Arthur says there’s a problem with most Lion’s Mane products on the market: “When you buy a Lion’s Mane supplement online, it’s almost certainly from overseas, quite often China, and there’s a good chance it’s heavily diluted with grain filler”.

Many commercial products are made from mycelium grown on grain substrate – a faster, cheaper process. During the process, the mycelium becomes inseparable from the grain, meaning products can contain 30-70% grain starch rather than pure mushroom.

This dramatically reduces the concentration of beneficial compounds.

Tetrim Teas grow whole fruiting bodies – actual mushrooms – in Wales. “We can tell you exactly which unit in west Wales grew your mushrooms, who looked after them, and how they were processed” Arthur says.

The teas have been developed in partnership with Aberystwyth University, and the science is backed up by customer feedback.

Sue, who’s going through the menopause, reports the Lion’s Mane tea “helps with brain fog”, which is a common complaint during hormonal changes. Another customer, Tom, finds it “relaxes me, so helps with my current high blood pressure”.

Online searches for Lion’s Mane Mushrooms are up 450%, demonstrating growing interest among people seeking natural support for cognitive clarity and stress management, particularly menopausal women who are turning to mushrooms as alternatives to traditional treatments.

Tetrim offers two Lion’s Mane tea blends: one with apple and cinnamon (combining cognitive support with blood sugar regulation), another with chilli, ginger and cardamom (adding warming, digestive benefits). Every ingredient is chosen for specific health benefits.

The three mushroom-growing units, housed in specially adapted shipping containers, give 10% of any profit back to their communities, and provide real living wage jobs across west Wales in areas where employment opportunities can be limited.

“We’re not interested in just creating jobs – we’re building community wealth,” Mari says. “That means living wages, local supply chains wherever possible, and keeping value circulating in Welsh communities.”

The model aligns with Wales’s Well-being of Future Generations Act, showing how food production can enhance community wellbeing while building economic resilience.

By growing food locally, Tetrim reduces dependence on imported goods – particularly relevant given recent supply chain disruptions – and contributes to genuine food sovereignty and security.

The company is also involved in research partnerships with Bangor and Aberystwyth Universities, exploring how to extract natural pigments from mushroom substrate and close the loop on waste.

Mari shared: “I have a cup of our Lion’s Mane tea with chilli, cardamom and ginger after lunch every day.

“It genuinely cuts through that afternoon fog and sharpens my focus for the rest of the day – it’s become my afternoon reset ritual.

Tetrim’s products are being showcased at winter fairs this year, with the company also producing rhubarb root teas currently in clinical trials examining effects on cholesterol and digestive health.

Tetrim Teas are available to buy at www.tetrimteas.cymru and Madarch Cymru’s mushroom powders at www.madarch.cymru