100,000 euros for 1 kilo of zombie mushrooms from The Last of Us? This is what some people are willing to pay to eat in China!

We all know by now that The Last of Us zombies are based on mushrooms Cordyceps, a real fungus that feeds on the bodies of insects, picks them up like zombies in tree branches and grows there to spread its spores. You might not know that this mushroom is a delicacy in China, for which people pay 100,000 euros per kilo.

The Last of Us Mushroom as a Seasoning for Soup…

Although slightly different from the ants we associate with the ants in the game Naughty Dog and the subsequent HBO series, Cordyceps grows in areas such as Qinghai, where at an altitude of 5,000 meters, similar to Everest Base Camp, Farmers spend their days sifting through hay trying to find cordyceps-infected worms

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In this alternative to the ants above, the fungus grows underground, waiting to infect worms, which will then bury themselves in the winter before emerging to the surface in the spring. When it emerges slightly from the ground, the mushroom begins to transform into dry blades of grass, albeit slightly thicker, which collectors dig up and sell at cost. 5 euros each.

5 euros per twig!

It is a rare commodity, but is widely sought after by the upper classes in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai and, following the success of The Last of Us series and its use by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, it is also a delicacy that is beginning to attract attention in the West. did

It is precisely because it is sold as a natural treasure Cordyceps can fetch up to 40,000 euros per kilo, packaging and sales to collectors to luxury boutiques and stores. Depending on their size, color and shape, the price of cordyceps has reached 100,000 euros per kilo.

Although it has not yet been proven that it can do all that it claims to do, it is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Tonic And Dietary supplement It is also sold and used in soups and stews to treat asthma, fatigue, improve stamina and longevity, and, as is always the case with oddities like this, as a libido and fertility enhancer.