THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FRESH AND DRIED MUSHROOMS

If you are thinking about trying magic mushrooms, you might be wondering what the differences are between fresh and dried mushrooms. If you ask experienced cosmonauts about it, you will probably hear different opinions. Some say they prefer fresh, while others will never take anything but dried. In this blog, we explain how these mushrooms differ from each other, so you can make a better choice.

The difference between fresh and dried mushrooms

Once you have decided to dive into the world of magic mushrooms, one of the most important choices to make is whether to go for fresh or dried mushrooms. Whichever form you choose, they all contain the psychoactive compound psilocybin, so they will give you a trip either way. But your choice of fresh or dried mushrooms does affect, for instance, dosage, taste and how to store them. You can read more about these differences below.

The strength of mushrooms

One of the factors in which fresh and dried magic mushrooms differ is their strength. Many users report that fresh magic mushrooms are stronger than their dried counterparts. Not everyone shares this opinion, but the majority of users do. Fresh magic mushrooms produce a more intense trip, which could be a reason you prefer to go for fresh ones.

What may also be interested in your choice is the fact that psilocybin in magic mushrooms is not actually a psychoactive substance. It is only when you ingest a magic mushroom that the substance is converted in your body into psilocin, which is psychoactive. In fresh mushrooms, psilocybin is much more stable than in dried mushrooms. This is because the substance is broken down under the influence of light and oxygen.

The longer you store a mushroom (and also if you dry it), the less psilocybin it will contain. This is why fresh mushrooms can have more powerful effects and why some users prefer to pick and use their mushrooms straight from the grow kit.

How best to store mushrooms

While fresh mushrooms may have stronger effects, one drawback is that they are more difficult to store. If you want to start using fresh mushrooms, it is useful to know that you can keep them (in the fridge) for 5-10 days at most. In addition, there is a greater risk, compared to dried mushrooms, of them spoiling. You can get a large harvest of shrooms from a grow kit. Therefore, it is a good idea to dry them, so they don't go to waste. Dried mushrooms keep much longer. If you dry and store them properly, they will keep for several months or even a year without any noticeable loss of potency.

Difference in taste

Wondering what mushrooms taste like? In any case, they do not taste like the mushrooms you can buy in the supermarket. A magic mushroom has a rather strong earthy flavour and the texture is also different. If you have never used mushrooms before, this is something to consider. Many users find fresh mushrooms more tolerable than dried ones. Especially, the texture of dried shrooms is not very pleasant.

In general, you can say that the taste of shrooms is not really anything to write home about, whether they are dried or fresh. But did you know that there are always around this? You can do this by cooking with mushrooms and incorporating them into tasty meals, sauces or by making tea from them. However, be careful with heating, this can cause psilocybin to break down, and it will therefore have a negative effect on your trip.

Dosage

When you go for dried mushrooms, they have lost a lot of moisture, about 90% compared to fresh ones. They weigh much less, and the concentration of the psychoactive compound psilocybin is much higher in dried mushrooms. You therefore need less to achieve the same effect as with fresh ones. So you will have to adjust the dose accordingly. If you need 10 to 20 grams of fresh mushrooms for a mild dose, you should take 1 or 2 grams of dried mushrooms at the most. That may seem very little, but as said: the concentration of psilocybin in 1 gram of mushrooms is just as much as in 10 grams of fresh ones.

So which is better: fresh or dried mushrooms?

As you can see, there are quite a few differences between fresh and dried mushrooms. So which is best to choose? Of course, that depends on your own preferences and what you are willing to do. Fresh mushrooms are more potent and taste a bit better, but you can't store them for long. If you want to enjoy your mushroom harvest for a long time, you should take the time to dry them.

Whatever you are going to do, in any case, we advise you to always be careful with trip drugs. Get a good friend to be the trip sitter. This is someone who does not use substances and watches over you while you are in higher realms. Go tripping alone in a safe, comfortable environment. That way, you are most likely to have an enjoyable trip. Surrender to the experience and enjoy what magic mushrooms can bring you!