There has been some rumoring around the internet in the last couple of months that somewhere in the land of far far away there exists this magical mushroom that makes a woman “spontaneously orgasm” just by smelling it. Naturally, I had to investigate further! A possibility of never needing a man in your life was just too exiting not to!

The results that I found were all pointing in the direction of Phallus Indusiatus, a fungus belonging to the family of Phallaceae. It is a mushroom that looks as if it is wearing a crocheted skirt over its stem. It is considered to be edible and is widely used in Chinese cuisine as an ingredient in stir-fries and chicken soups. It is also known for its medicinal properties due to its richness in bioactive compounds, dietary fiber, carbohydrates, and protein which give it antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

All medicinal purposes aside, is it really as magical as the internet might have suggested? There definitely has been enough coverage on this on sites like Daily Mail, Reddit, Slant, and Maxim, just to name a few..

Turns out, this claim came as a result from a study that is not very well backed with data from a scientific perspective, making an orgasm inducing mushroom more of a folk tale than reality, according to Bec Crew from Science Alert. Looking deeper into the study itself, it was discovered that it was not well put together, with sample size being too small to realistically represent any scientific finding and not very well recorded findings. For example, out of the 16 women that were studied, 6 reported experiencing an orgasm, but nothing was done to actually verify the said orgasms other than simply relying on women’s accounts. The remaining 10 reported increased heart rate.. But to call it orgasmic, hmmm, I don’t think so. A woman needs waaaaay more than just an fast beating heart to experience an orgasm, if you know what I mean.

So, ladies, no miracles as of yet, but science is definitely trying ☺️.