People eat magic mushrooms for various reasons, and some enact the power of lemon tek. Psilocybin is a choice for those seeking spiritual awakening. Others aim to heal trauma or hope to enjoy exploring another realm with their friends. Interest in psilocybin has increased as more cities and states enact legalization amid federal Schedule 1 classification.
Though the experience can be fun, and euphoric even, uncomfortable side effects are common too. A method of ingestion called lemon tek might be able to solve that, and it could also enhance the psychedelic experience.
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Christopher Pauli, co-founder of molecular biology and genetics for Tryptomics, LLC. connected with GreenState via email to share more about how psychedelic mushrooms work.
“Normally, psilocybin mushrooms transform into psilocin in the stomach through a natural conversion process that takes time. However, certain mushroom species possess an enzymatic process that can perform this conversion in the living mushroom. This phenomenon is often harnessed through techniques like the ‘Lemon Tek,’ where soaking mushrooms in lemon juice facilitates rapid conversion, leading to a faster-acting experience compared to stomach digestion,” Pauli explained.
Psilocybin isn’t activated until digested by stomach acids and turned into psilocin. This process can be harsh on the digestive system, causing side effects and possibly even muddling the effect. Additionally, lemon tekking brings a faster onset and a shorter mushroom trip.
How does lemon tek work?
The lemon tek method is the process of using citrus juice to mimic stomach acid. Soaking mushrooms in lemon juice is said to convert psilocybin into psilocin. Lime juice works, too. It’s all about the citrus acid rather than the species of fruit.
Psychonauts believe the benefits of lemon tek amplifies psychedelic effects that both hit and leave faster than eating mushrooms raw. The practice may also reduce nausea often associated with “coming up” on mushrooms– ideal for people with sensitive stomachs.
The inability to digest uncooked fungi is all in the biology. Both psilocybin and psilocin are stored in the cell walls of a mushroom. In plants, these cell walls are made from edible cellulose. Fungi, however, are made of hard-to-digest chitin. Citrus acid is said to start breaking down the chitin in the stomach, which is believed to be why the psilocybin hack may reduce nausea.
Now that we’ve highlighted what makes lemon tekking work let’s discuss how to make a lemon tek mushrooms drink.
How to lemon tek:
- Start by calculating the dosage of mushroom. It’s recommended to eat half the usual dose when lemon tekking due to the way the method heightens the effects.
- Grind mushrooms to a powder. This process mimics chewing, another somewhat unenjoyable step to breaking psilocybin down to psilocin. (Hot tip: Keep a separate herb or coffee grinder for psilocybin to avoid accidentally dosing dinner guests.)
- Pour the juice of one to two lemons over the mushroom powder. Let it sit covered for at least 20 minutes, stirring it up every five.
- Add some water or tea into the juice to dilute the sour flavor, but that’s a personal choice and not required.
- Drink the mushroom tea responsibly!
Limes, lemons, and psilocybin mushrooms
Lemon tek can make a high more intense, which is sometimes too much for beginners. The intense experience may not be the best for those less adept in psychedelic journeying.
Additionally, it’s hard to know exactly how much lemon tek will enhance the experience. Before tripping with citrus, spend time with a specific mushroom strain to understand the onset time, high, and nuances of the teacher.
Psilocybin research continues to show the possible benefits of consuming the fruiting body. But not everyone can stomach eating them raw. Getting knocked out by nausea and spending hours in an altered state isn’t accessible for everyone.
Additionally, some psychonauts seek to amplify the power of their mushrooms and clarify the experience. This is another reason behind the popularity of lemon tek.
Lemon tek, like microdosing, provides a unique avenue of access to the power of magic mushrooms. It’s also a fun trick for experienced psychonauts looking to get the most out of their mushies.