POLKADOT CHOCOLATE BARS. Whoever mixed magic mushrooms with chocolate for the first time was a genius, but they’re long gone now.
The ancient Aztecs mixed psilocybin-containing mushrooms with cacao well over a thousand years ago.
Things are done slightly differently today, but the principles remain the same.
In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know about magic mushroom chocolates, from their history of use, effects, how to shop for them, and how to make your own magical truffles at home.
How Do Magic Mushrooms Work?
The active ingredient in magic mushrooms, psilocybin, is a psychedelic compound responsible for altering your state of consciousness.
When you consume psilocybin, it’s converted into psilocin in your body, which binds to serotonin receptors in your brain and causes acute changes in cognition, perception, emotion, and sense of self.
Psilocin increases the activity of the default mode network (DMN), which is the network of seven large-scale brain regions that work together to perform abstract thinking, rumination, projecting the future, and defining our sense of self (aka “the ego”).
Psilocin essentially disrupts this network, resulting in a loss of ego and a feeling of oneness with the universe.
If this all sounds pretty woo-woo, here’s some science to back it up.
Participants in a study were given a placebo or psilocybin and placed in an MRI to observe brain activity.
The participants who were given psilocybin described a sense of “ego-dissolution,” which correlated with a “disintegration” of the salience network, which is involved in detecting and filtering sensory stimuli in the environment [1].
These participants also reported feeling more “connected to nature” and less concerned about their egos.
While psilocybin is still considered an illegal compound in many parts of the world, there are clinical uses for the compound for treating depression, anxiety, and addiction.
In a therapy setting, psilocybin is usually taken in a capsule or as tea, and the effects last for around 6 hours. Patients typically experience profound changes in their thinking and perception during this time.
In some cases, these changes can be life-changing, leading to long-term improvements in mental health. While more research is needed, psilocybin therapy shows great promise as a treatment for mental illness.
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POLKADOT CHOCOLATE BARS. Dried mushrooms don’t have a pleasant flavor, so they’re often combined with herbs and brewed as a tea or, more popularly, mixed into a chocolate bar or truffles for a more palatable experience.
Chocolate and magic mushrooms have a long and intertwined history.
The cacao plant itself, Theobroma cacao, has long been considered a sacred food [2]. Its active ingredient, theobromine, enhances the production of ‘feel-good’ chemicals like serotonin and dopamine in the brain, which is why consuming chocolate is so uplifting and energizing.
The Aztecs believed that cacao was a gift from the gods. They would brew the cacao beans into a bitter drink known as ‘xocolatl’ for religious ceremonies and celebrating vicarious warriors.
Most chocolate bars on the shelves have very little cacao — most of it consists of highly processed sugar. Some mushroom chocolate bars on the market are only that — psilocybin mushrooms blended in with highly processed chocolate.
While these make for a tasty trip, you won’t be getting the most out of this combination.
If you’re looking to make the most of chocolate mushrooms, especially when it comes to a more spiritual experience, souring high-quality cacao is key.
In the United States, psilocybin mushrooms are still considered a Schedule I drug—so purchase and use them at your own risk.
Effects Of Magic Mushroom Chocolate
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Chocolate shrooms might sound like a fun and harmless way to try out magic mushrooms for the first time, but they can be incredibly potent and overwhelming for many users.
This delicious treat is made by infusing chocolate with dried magic mushrooms. The result is a potent psychedelic that can produce powerful visual hallucinations, deep introspection, and feelings of euphoria.
Magic mushroom chocolate is often consumed in small doses, so it’s perfect for first-time users or those who want to avoid an intense trip.
How To Make Magic Mushroom Chocolate
POLKADOT CHOCOLATE BARS. Making your own magic mushroom chocolate bars is easy—you only need a few ingredients, and you can customize the taste and dose to your liking.
This can be a great way to start if you’ve never tried magic mushrooms before. The chocolate helps to mask the earthy taste of dried mushrooms, and with the right ingredients, it can enhance your psychedelic trip.
There are many ways to make mushroom chocolate bars or truffles. This is one simple, foolproof recipe that considers cacao’s health benefits.
Here’s a list of ingredients and tools you’ll need:
- Dried magic mushrooms
- High cocoa (70%+) chocolate
- Silicone chocolate bar mold
- Coffee grinder
- Scale
- Double boiler
1. Weigh Out & Powder Your Dried Magic Mushrooms
One of the benefits of consuming shroom chocolates is that you can get pre-measured doses of psilocybin.
Depending on the dimensions of your mold, you’ll want to weigh out how many dried mushrooms you want to add to your recipe.
If your mold can hold 100 g of chocolate with 24 squares, you can measure 6 g of mushrooms for approximately 0.25 g per square — ideal for microdosing — or 12 g for 0.5 g per square for a more substantial dose.
Once you’ve figured out the strength you’d like your shroom chocolate to be, use your coffee grinder to grind the dried mushrooms.
2. Melt Your Chocolate In A Double Boiler
The type of chocolate is essential for the success of your shroom chocolate recipe.
Adding certain ingredients to already processed chocolate can ruin the crystallization of your shroom chocolates and make it difficult to set.
That’s why we recommend using high-quality cacao for your recipe.
Not only does it have a rich flavor, but it’s packed with health benefits. Cacao is an excellent source of antioxidants and has been linked to improved heart health and cognitive function.
If you’re not keen on the naturally bitter taste of pure cacao nibs, then opt for chocolate with at least 70% cacao. It’ll have a slightly sweeter flavor profile while still delivering many benefits of cacao.
Measure the amount of chocolate you’ll need — The finely ground mushrooms won’t add too much volume to your mixture, so don’t worry too much about subtracting a lot to accommodate the dried ingredients.
Slowly melt your chocolate in a double boiler and stir frequently.
Before adding your dried shrooms to the hot chocolate, allow it to cool slightly—but not too much that it becomes difficult to pour.
High heat can kill the psilocybin, making your chocolates less potent.
3. Combine Your Shrooms & Melted Chocolate
Incorporate the shroom powder into your chocolate mixture. You want to mix this well to ensure you get as close to even the distribution of the active ingredients in your chocolate before pouring them into your molds.
Stick your chocolate in the fridge or freezer to set it for four hours.
And that’s it!
How To Dose Mushroom Chocolate
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Mushroom chocolate is a delicious and convenient way to enjoy the benefits of mushrooms. However, proper dosing is crucial to getting the desired experience.
A good rule of thumb is to start with the equivalent of one gram of psilocybin mushrooms. For a more intense experience, you can take up to 3 grams.
If you’re new to magic mushrooms, it’s always best to err on caution.
Not sure where to start?
Our magic mushroom dosage calculator will give you an idea of a starting point.
You can do a few things to ensure you get the most out of your experience.
First, it’s essential to be aware of your setting. Make sure you’re somewhere comfortable and familiar, as this will help reduce any anxiety or paranoia. Second, relax and let the experience unfold naturally, as there’s no use fighting the effects of psychedelics.
Finally, remember that the effects of mushroom chocolate can vary from person to person. So you can expect to experiment until you find the dose that works best for you.
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Microdosing Mushroom Chocolate: What Is Microdosing & Its Benefits
Microdosing is the act of taking a small dose of psychedelics, typically LSD or psilocybin mushrooms, in an attempt to enhance cognitive function and creativity.
The benefits of microdosing are said to include improved mood, increased focus, concentration, and decreased anxiety. Some users also report experiencing enhanced spiritual insights and revelation while under the influence of psychedelics.
Microdosing tends to be most popular among professionals who want to improve their performance without the risk of compromising their careers by taking larger doses that could produce more intense psychedelic effects.
The microdose for mushrooms is about 0.2-0.5 grams. These doses shouldn’t get you high — That’s not the point of microdosing.
POLKADOT CHOCOLATE BARS. The concept of microdosing is to consume the psychoactive substance below the sub-psychoactive threshold to support a sense of increased focus, elevated mood and increased creativity over time to establish better lifestyle habits.