The shroom boom is coming to the candy aisle

If someone offers you mushrooms at a party, you might assume the night is about to take a weird turn.

But shrooms are multifaceted, and brands have been tapping them for more PG purposes. Namely, they’re taking over a sweet new sector: chocolate.

Functional mushrooms are thought to offer an array of health benefits — from boosting your immune system to helping you focus — sans magic.

And they’re being mixed and melted into confections by a crop of tasty businesses:

• Fungirl’s chocolate bar is spiked with lion’s mane mushrooms, promising mental clarity and decreased anxiety.
• Wellness brand Alice sells tinned mushroom chocolates for specific needs, from deep sleep to better focus.
• Vehicle Mushrooms makes coffee and chocolate bars from red reishi, chaga, cordyceps, and lion’s mane mushrooms.

And it’s not only fungus-focused companies: Traditional chocolate brands are introducing mushroom options to their product lineups as well, per The New York Times.

This idea isn’t new…

… In fact, it’s ancient. Mushrooms have been used for centuries in Chinese medicine to treat ailments, and the practice of mixing cacao and mushrooms can be traced back to Mesoamerican cultures.

While the science is out on exactly how much mushrooms can benefit our bodies (researchers are looking into it), their growing popularity is undeniable.

Wellness brands are slinging supplements in the form of powders and pills, promising a slew of physical and mental improvements.

The silver, fungus-covered lining? Mushrooms might offer us much more than a good night’s sleep: They could also be an answer to our food sustainability woes.