(HEMPEARTH) Cacao is a key ingredient in the production of chocolate. In its raw form, it’s prized for its medicinal properties and potential health benefits.
Combining cacao with magic mushrooms may accentuate the psychoactive effects of psilocybin and make the consumption process and psychedelic experience more pleasurable.
What Is Cacao?
Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is an evergreen tree native to the tropical regions of Central and South America. The fruit is harvested from this tree, and the seeds inside (often called beans) are used to produce cocoa and chocolate products.
Cacao has been cultivated for thousands of years for its seeds used for culinary, ceremonial, religious, cosmetic, and medicinal purposes. The beans contain antioxidants, flavonoids, and other compounds that may positively affect heart health, cognitive function, and mood.
In some Mesoamerican cultures, cacao beans were used as a currency. They were valuable commodities used for trading and as a means of exchange in the marketplace.
The ancient Mayans and Aztecs knew about the medicinal powers of cacao and would ferment and roast the beans before turning them into a bitter drink. It was drunk to improve mood, treat digestive ailments, heal infections, and even communicate with the gods .
What Are Magic Mushrooms?
Magic mushrooms are a group of fungi that produce the psychedelic compound psilocybin. There are over 180 known mushroom species that produce psilocybin.
Psychedelic mushrooms have been used medicinally and spiritually for thousands of years and can be traced back as far as 2000 BC by the Mayans and later by the Aztecs. The Aztecs called the psilocybin mushroom “teonanàcatl,” which translates to “flesh of the gods.” They used the mushrooms in religious ceremonies and ritualistic sacrifices to contact their gods.
Although people not to use magic mushrooms for ritualistic sacrifice today, their spiritual, medicinal, and recreational use is widespread. Magic mushrooms are becoming more and more popular, and gradually, the laws surrounding psilocybin are easing.
Psilocybe cubensis is the most prevalent species across the globe and is a favorite among magic mushroom cultivators because of its resistance to contamination and ease of growth. This species has over 100 different strains, all with varying quantities of psilocybin.
The Interaction Between Cacao & Psilocybin
Cacao is not a psychedelic, but it is mildly psychoactive when consumed at large doses in its raw form. It also contains theobromine, which is a mild stimulant . Theobromine may complement the energizing effects of psychedelic mushrooms, leading to a more euphoric and stimulating experience.
Cacao is also an MAO inhibitor that modulates neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine . This is one of the reasons cacao is believed to be effective in managing depression, anxiety, and other neurological and psychiatric illnesses .
MAO inhibitors help modulate the same neurotransmitters psilocybin activates (primarily serotonin) and are likely the main reason cacao elevates and prolongs the psychedelic effects of magic mushrooms when combined.
Why Consume Magic Mushrooms With Cacao?
The main reason cacao and magic mushrooms are combined is to accentuate the psychedelic effects of psilocybin.
- Flavor Masking: Magic mushrooms’ strong and taste can be challenging for some people to stomach. Combining them with cacao can help mask the taste and make consumption more enjoyable.
- Experience Enhancement: As mentioned, mixing magic mushrooms with cacao appears to enhance the overall psychedelic experience. i
- Ritual & Tradition: For some, incorporating cacao into their magic mushroom consumption may be part of a personal ritual or tradition. Rituals and ceremonial practices can enhance the meaning and intention behind a psychedelic experience.
- Opening the Heart & Mind: Cacao is sometimes called a “heart-opening” plant medicine, believed to facilitate emotional and spiritual connection. Psilocybin is often referred to as a “mind-opening” plant medicine, believed to expand consciousness and dissolve ego. Some believe combining cacao with magic mushrooms can lead to a more emotionally intense and heart-centered experience.
How To Use Cacao and Mushrooms Together
The most common way to take cacao and magic mushrooms is to combine them in a warm drink. You can create a psilocybin and cacao-infused tea by grinding a dose of magic mushrooms, combining it with raw cacao, and brewing in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes before straining.
Cacao shroom tea is easy on the stomach, fast-acting, and produces intense psychedelic effects. Mixing the two substances can also help cover the flavor of the shrooms.
What are Mushroom Chocolate Bars?
Mushroom chocolate bars mix the rich taste of chocolate with the powers of mushrooms. Magic mushroom chocolates often include psilocybin mushrooms, which are known for their mind-manifesting effects.
People blend these with different types of chocolates to create a unique and psychedelic experience.
These treats are more than just tasty; they come packed with potential health benefits from both cacao and mushrooms.
Chocolate production starts by turning cacao beans into velvety dark or milk chocolate, then skilled makers add finely ground dried mushrooms to craft these special bars.
Microdosing With Chocolate Shrooms
Microdosing psilocybin with chocolate is incredibly effective. While chocolate isn’t psychedelic, it does have psychoactive effects as a mood enhancer. Combined with shrooms, this makes for a delicious and effective microdosing vehicle.
Another benefit of microdosing with chocolate is that it helps your body to uptake the active components. The natural fat in cacao helps you absorb psilocybin.
Overall, microdosing with chocolate is an incredibly effective (and delicious) way to take psilocybin.
What Are The Benefits Of Shroom Chocolate?
Psilocybin Chocolate Is More Digestible
Anecdotal evidence suggests that consuming shroom chocolate rather than raw shrooms does help with associated nausea. This is because chocolate is easier on the stomach than raw shrooms.
Granted, if something contains psilocybin, there is typically some type of physical response, from minor and temporary nausea to the infamous ‘mushroom yawn.’ This is typical when a person ingests shrooms and almost completely fades after the first hour. From then on, you get to enjoy magic mushrooms in all their beauty.
It Can Be Faster-Acting
The onset time for most psilocybin edibles tends to be within 30-45 minutes but there are ways to shave further minutes off that time.
Simply leave the edible in your mouth and don’t swallow it for a few minutes. This allows the psilocybin to enter your body through your tongue and mouth – one of the most absorbent spots in the body.
The Onset Is Smoother
Because the absorption of the psilocybin is more uniform, the onset of feelings plus the comedown after your peak is smoother ride. The edible chocolates helps smooth out these transitory edges of a trip.
They’re Easier To Microdose
Psychedelic microdosing has seen a rise in popularity in the last few years. It’s the practice of using sub-threshold doses of psychedelic drugs to improve a range of issues including treating depression or anxiety.
Psilocybin edibles are much easier to microdose than their raw counterparts. This is because you can measure exactly what’s going into each bar of chocolate.
