When it comes to psychedelic mushrooms, there are various methods for ingestion. You could eat them as food, take pills with them or create tea out of them – mushroom tea is one such popular method which may bring life-changing experiences but if not handled carefully may also result in unwanted and dangerous side effects.

Mushroom tea is a beverage prepared by steeping dried and/or fresh mushrooms in hot water to extract their psychoactive compounds and consume it as medicine or to expand one’s mind. Mushrooms have long been utilized by indigenous tribes as part of spiritual and healing rituals; today people use them for shamanic ceremonies, treating mental and physical illnesses, aiding meditation practices, or in prayer services.

Tradition dictated that small doses of mushrooms were eaten to produce an expanding mental effect, such as Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms producing psychoactive compounds like Psilocybin and its derivative Psilocin – often known by their popular names of magic mushrooms or shrooms – were eaten to achieve such an effect. When taken at higher dosages, such as magic mushrooms or shrooms can produce profound psychological and spiritual experiences – including feelings of connectedness to humanity and nature alike.

Fungi are extremely easy to cultivate indoors using a grain spawn substrate, made up of rye grains and vermiculite, inoculated with the necessary conditions of temperature, humidity, and light. Once they begin producing fruiting bodies they are harvested for drying in airtight containers for later consumption.

Scientists recently solved an age-old mystery regarding mushrooms: when cut or bruised they turn blue due to release of oxidised psilocybin from its storage space into solution. They did this using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, Maldi mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, and time-resolved nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy technologies to observe the process unfold.

These studies reveal that enzymes break down psilocybin into its component parts and its oxidation produces a dark blue pigment similar to indigo dye used on blue jeans, which then gets absorbed by mushroom cell membranes where it reacts with proteins to cause its psychotropic effects.

Psilocybin can have different results depending on dosage, individual body composition and brain chemistry. Recreational users generally consume at least 0.5 grams of dried psilocybin for mild effects; 2.5 grams is usually sufficient to produce moderate effects and higher dosages may lead to intense psychological or spiritual experiences. Certain methods of ingestion, like lemon tek (soaking the mushroom in lemon juice before ingestion) or grinding into powder can potentially increase potency by providing more surface area for absorption.

Researchers continue to conduct extensive studies on the therapeutic potential of mushrooms; however, they remain Schedule I drugs in the US, meaning they offer no medicinal benefit and have a high potential risk for addiction and abuse. Misusing mushrooms can result in psychological and neurological issues; for this reason it is vital that anyone interested in personal investigation use this substance under guidance from knowledgeable individuals.