RDAUTBMag2026

1 when you think of mushrooms, the white button, crem- ini and portobello probably come to mind first—they account for about 90% of mush- rooms eaten in the U.S. But there are more than 10,000 known types, and many mycologists (mushroom experts) say this is only a frac- tion of what’s out there. Fascinating Fungi BY Courtney Shea 13 THINGS 2 But not everyone is an enthusiast. In 2019, mush- rooms made a list of America’s least favorite vegetables, with 18% of the respondents saying they didn’t like them. Many haters cite tex- ture as the turnoff, but mushrooms may also trigger disgust for their association with mold. A 2015 Washington Post exploration on the sci- ence of disgust listed mushrooms among those foods that can trigger a not entirely rational response. 3 you don’ t have to eat mushrooms to reap their benefits. Reishi and tremella varieties are found in everything from adaptogen supplements reader ’ s digest illustration by Serge Bloch 42 may 2026 (which are supposed to help your body adjust to stress) to skin care products. For centuries, lion’s mane, Cordyceps and reishi have been in anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting remedies. 4 Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is known as the mushroom capital of the world. The small town near Philadelphia produces around 65% of this country’s crop. Today’s mush- room industry contrib- utes about $1.2 billion and 9,300 jobs to the state economy. 5 Underground, mushrooms branch into networks of rootlike mycelium, which help break down waste, adding vital nutrients back into the soil. This network also shares information (such as warning trees about insect infesta- tion), communicating via electrical pulses in intricate patterns. Some mycologists refer to this as the natural internet or the “wood wide web.” 6 Does “ mycelium ” sound familiar? If so, you may be among the millions who tuned in to watch The Last of Us , HBO’ s hit series about an infectious species of Cordyceps that causes mycelium to take over human brains and turn people into zombie-like mushroom monsters. The premise was based on the real-life parasitic zombie-ant fungus, which affects mostly ants and spiders. Our higher body tempera- ture means we are not susceptible. Phew! 7 The largest mushroom on earth is a single Armillaria ostoyae (commonly called shoestring fungus) that occupies more than 2,300 acres of Oregon’s Malheur National Forest. This “humongous fungus” is estimated to be up to 8,650 years old. 8 Among the most expensive mush- rooms is the Tibetan yartsa gunbu , or caterpillar fungus, selling for up to $50,000 a pound. Its purported aphrodisiac properties have earned it the nick- name the Viagra of the Himalayas. Truffles, too, as gastronomes know, are quite pricey: A sin- gle truffle can cost up to $3,800. The New York– based company Urbani Truffle USA hires more than 18,000 truffle hunt- ers worldwide to keep up with demand. 9 Foraging for your own might not be the way to go: Many poisonous mushrooms—some- times called toad- stools—can look like familiar varieties, and some wild mushrooms are dangerous to eat raw. Mushroom-related deaths are rare (only around three per year in the U.S.), but you could easily end up with an upset stomach. The best way to forage is to go with a pro. 13 Things readersdigest.com.au 43