Janet Yellen Ate Magic Mushrooms During China Visit: "Delicious"

Janet Yellen, the United States Secretary of the Treasury, admitted to inadvertently eating magic mushrooms on her recent trip to China. The 77 year old "visited China last month to try and smooth over recent tensions between the U.S. and the Chinese government. Her trip was part of larger attempts by the U.S. to do so, as the two countries have increasingly turned their defense organizations' attentions towards each other," reports the Hill. But what many Americans want to know is: Did she get high? Yellen talked to CNN the other day about what happened, and how the mushrooms made her feel—and we report back on what the mushrooms could do to you.

"So I went with this large group of people and the person who had arranged our dinner did the ordering," Yellen told CNN. "There was this delicious mushroom dish. I was not aware that these mushrooms had hallucinogenic properties." She added: "I learned that later." She had, in fact, eaten Jian Shou Qing, also known as "Immortality Mushroom."

"I read that if the mushrooms are cooked properly, which I'm sure they were at this very good restaurant, that they have no impact," Yellen continued. "But all of us enjoyed the mushrooms, the restaurant, and none of us felt any ill effects from having eaten them."

"There's a difference in cultural attitude about the psychoactive effect — it's like the food itself is more important than this property," Colin Domnauer, a PhD candidate at the University of Utah, who has been studying them, told the Washington Post. The paper added: "That's the way locals in the Yunnan province, where they are wild-foraged, typically see these mushrooms. Domnauer notes that while Americans and other westerners might prize such a mushroom because of its psychedelic qualities, the locals value it for its taste — which he describes as umami-laden and porcini-like, albeit a bit less nutty."

Jian Shou Qing is a rare and revered species in traditional Chinese medicine and folklore. Renowned for its potential health benefits, this mushroom is believed to enhance vitality, boost the immune system, and promote longevity. Its distinct appearance, with a bell-shaped cap and a slender stalk, mirrors its significance as a symbol of resilience and immortality. While scientific research is ongoing, its historical prominence endures. The Jian Shou Qing mushroom remains a potent cultural and medicinal emblem, cherished for its supposed ability to bestow wellness and endurance upon those who seek its benefits.

"Yellen's July trip to the Yunnan restaurant chain, called Yi Zuo Yi Wang (In and Out), garnered attention for the highly sought-after mushroom prized for its unique properties. But contrary to the eatery's name in English, there are no burgers here. Rather, the chain specializes in Yunnan food, a popular regional cuisine from part of southwestern China that borders Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar," said CNN.