Incorporating psilocybin in edibles offers consumers a convenient and palatable way to consume psychedelic mushrooms, and chocolate bars are among the more common edible forms. That works for weed edibles, like shatter bars, as well. An increasing number of companies within the edibles sphere are developing psychedelic chocolate bars, though some may wonder whether the type of chocolate used may impact the potency of the psilocybin of the mushrooms.
Questions swirl around the sugar content of chocolate and its potential interactions with psilocybin. Some believe that sugar can weaken the effects of psilocybin and therefore end the “trip” of psychedelic chocolate bars. Online forums are filled with commenters wondering if there is any truth to this, and some companies that produce, as well as some stores that sell magic mushroom chocolate bars in Toronto, use dark chocolate for this reason.
Generally speaking, milk chocolate tends to have a higher sugar content compared to its dark counterpart. As such, milk chocolate bars tend to have a sweeter taste and are better able to mask the relatively unpalatable flavor of psychedelic mushrooms. Dark chocolate, on the other hand, is not as sweet and may not be as effective in offsetting the mushroom’s distinct taste.
If there is any truth to the rumor that sugar may reduce the effects of psilocybin, manufacturers may want to consider whether to use milk versus dark chocolate in their psychedelic chocolate bar products. If true, this conundrum in the psychedelic chocolate bars industry may prompt manufacturers to choose between a less potent yet more delectable treat versus a more potent yet less flavorful chocolate snack.
Sugar or Heat: Possible Culprits Behind the Reduced Efficacy of Psilocybin
While some may believe that sugar may break down psilocybin and therefore reduce its potency, there’s little data to confirm this theory. In contrast, others believe it is not the sugar content of the chocolate that reduces the effects of magic mushrooms, but the heat it is exposed to.
Chocolate is typically melted as part of the process to create chocolate bars. It is this exposure to heat to melt the chocolate that may lower the psilocybin effects, according to some.
Again, there is little evidence available to fully support the claim that heat breaks down the psychoactive ingredients in psychedelic chocolate bars. That said, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest there may be something to this hypothesis.
‘Trip Stoppers’ May Support Sugar’s Psychoactive Suppression
It’s not uncommon for some people to experience an unpleasant “trip” after consuming magic mushrooms. To target this occurrence, there are products known as “trip stoppers” that are designed to lessen the high.
These products contain dextrose, which supposedly counteracts the mind-altering effects of psilocybin. Since “trip stoppers” contain a type of sugar, some may hypothesize that a chocolate bar higher in sugar content may result in a product that’s less potent.
While some may believe that supplements like these may work to neutralize the high, there’s little science to back these claims up. Perhaps these products are effective in weakening a high, but it’s also possible that a placebo effect might be behind the reason why consumers strongly believe that they work, as discussed next.
Could There Be a Potential Placebo Effect?
Perhaps it may be true that sugar can interact with the effects of psilocybin, though studies are required to either confirm or refute this claim. In the meantime, there may be another possible explanation: a potential placebo effect.
There is ample anecdotal evidence to suggest that psilocybin mushrooms may help to improve overall mental wellness. However, studies also suggest that these supposed effects may be largely due to consumers’ presumptions of the product. These “expectancy effects” may have just as much to do with a person’s experience with mushrooms as the content of the product itself.
Like the potential placebo effect of how microdosing with psychedelics may impact a person’s experience, there may also be a similar phenomenon when it comes to how sugar affects the potency of psilocybin. Whether or not it does will need to be sorted out by in-depth study.
Perhaps the rise in consumption of psychedelic chocolate bars in both milk and dark chocolate varieties may eventually sort this out.
References:
- Samanta, S., et al, “Dark chocolate: An overview of its biological activity, processing, and fortification approaches“, Curr Res Food Sci., October 2022; 5: 1916–1943. Times Cited: 5; Journal Impact Factor: 0.254.
- Cavanna, F., et al, “Microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms: a double-blind placebo-controlled study“, Transl Psychiatry, August 2022, 12;307 (2022). Times Cited: 7; Journal Impact Factor: 7.989.
