Truffle like Cannabis, contains the "pleasure molecule". Hoax or truth?

Does the article title make you think it's a hoax?

A study from the University of L'Aquila, Teramo, and the Biomedical Campus of Rome, dating back some time (2014), revealed that the hypogeal fungus Tuber Melanosporum, commonly known as Black Truffle, contains a molecule similar to that of Cannabis.

The molecule we are talking about is Anandamide. It releases chemicals that create well-being and modulate mood. In short, it is a pleasure molecule with the same characteristics as the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) molecule contained in Cannabis. It is no coincidence that the molecule's name comes from "ananda," a Sanskrit word meaning extreme joy and bliss.

Where did the intuition come from?

Animals such as dogs or pigs used to find truffles exhibit very lively, not to say frantic, behavior. It was precisely this type of behavior that sparked the question: what is in these subterranean treasures that drives these animals to such vigorous searching? The idea behind the researchers, Mauro Maccarrone and his colleagues, is that "truffles use anandamide to attract animals and encourage them to eat it, so that the spores can be disseminated in the environment, which promotes the spread of the truffles themselves." They believe it is a system that promotes the truffle's biological cycle.

Mauro Maccarrone also explained how the intuition came about:

"Years ago, we showed that melanin formation in our skin was regulated precisely by endocannabinoids. Since black truffles contain melanin, we wondered if anandamide, the lipid that stimulates the production of this pigment to protect the skin from rays, was also in the tuber."

Now, perhaps the question naturally arises in your mind: what impact could the spread of such a discovery have? Personally, since 2014, when anandamide was discovered in the Black Truffle, we have never heard of anyone using truffles to get high.

Perhaps it's a matter of cost, or perhaps a matter of quantity. But we can firmly say that it is still used exclusively to prepare a beautiful dinner dish and impress guests.

Scientists point out that by acting on the same THC receptors, the pleasure molecule contained in truffles can trigger mood changes but not an alteration comparable to that of cannabis, because the body quickly metabolizes it.

At this point, all that's left is to invite you to visit our Recipe Blog to discover various ways to prepare it!