A New Trend Could Land Minnesotans In The Hospital

I grew up in the country. We had modern amenities like electricity and running water, and a furnace that usually worked. When my parents kicked us out of the house told us to go and play outside, my brother and I spent a lot of time wandering around the forest nearby.

One thing that was drilled into our heads: do NOT just pick something and eat it. This didn't apply to the vegetables growing in our garden; but since we were kids, we applied the same logic, just to avoid eating veggies. In time, I actually started to like carrots fresh out of the ground with a little dirt still on them.

Uneducated Foraging Can Make You Sick...or Worse

Many folks have been foraging for wild produce for years. The pandemic may have inspired more folks to try foraging. The problem: the wrong wild mushroom can kill you.

Last year, poison control centers across the country saw a decent uptick in reports of mushroom poisonings, with nearly half of those calls resulting in trips to the emergency room.

Eating mushrooms not meant for human consumption can cause symptoms ranging from an upset stomach, to liver failure, to death.

What Experts Say About Foraging For Mushrooms

Yes, "experts" aren't popular with the "I do my own research" crowd; but an expert will guide you to foraging mushrooms that won't kill you. Technology aimed at amateur foragers is not foolproof, either.

The mushroom most-frequently linked to poisonings are aptly-called, "Death Cap mushrooms".

There is a difference between toxic mushrooms and psychedelic mushrooms, and you should thoroughly educate yourself about them, even if you don't forage.

Mistakes happen, and these mistakes can lead to death.

H/T: Daily Mail

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