We’ve all seen it in one way or another. Whether it’s a cartoon drawing or a picture of the real thing, Amanita Muscaria is arguably the most iconic mushroom in history. Otherwise known as fly agaric, Amanita is a bright red-topped mushroom with cute white spots all over the cap. Like chicken pox, but in reverse.
Aside from the iconic design, what makes Amanita special? Well. First the name - fly agaric. This natural insecticide was used to attract and kill flies when broken into tiny pieces and placed in a saucer of milk. What did the milk have to do with anything? We have no idea!
Amanita is actually a whole group of mushrooms - about 600 species of them. This group also contains some of the most toxic as well as some of the most popular species. These babies grow in forests in the Northern Hemisphere, primarily in Europe. They can also be found around the world in faraway lands such as Brazil, South Africa, and Central Asia. And yes, there are even some species growing right here in North America.
So what does Amanita do?
To better explain this, let’s compare Amanita Muscaria to traditional magic mushrooms. Magic mushrooms have a psychoactive ingredient called psilocybin. This magical ingredient is responsible for the epic and sometimes scary hallucinations that are associated with psychoactive mushrooms.
Amanita Muscaria mushrooms contain muscimol, ibotenic acid, and muscarine as their main active compounds. Though they do not contain psilocybin, don’t be fooled! These little cuties still pack a powerful psychoactive punch.
Amanita Muscarias fall under the category of “delirium” and not “psychedelic.” You won’t likely hallucinate, but you’ll most likely enjoy an awesome combo of euphoria + chilllll. The main difference between the two is that delirium mushrooms act on brain receptors that cause dreamlike states and sedation, while magic mushrooms act on serotonin receptors that greatly alter your perception and experience of reality.
Some Muscaria lovers say it puts them into a deep sleep in which they experience vivid dreams and visions. Amanita has also been known to cause blurred vision, lack of motor skills, and other less desirable side effects. In the mushroom world, ratios of ingredients are super important. A properly balanced blend with quality control standards shouldn’t make you hate the experience. That’s why at Muffin we’re like, totally, like, obsessed with giving you the most pleasurable experience we can.