Asian Fungus – Natural Viagra Sells For $50,000 Per Pound
The caterpillar fungus, or the yartsa gunbu in Tibetan, which means "summer grass, winter worm." sells for a whopping 50 thousand dollars per pound. Why? Because it is the natural Viagra of Asia This fungus makes a living by introducing a host of insects that it kills and eats. The insect that the fungus eats is called the ghost moth caterpillar. The caterpillar buries itself the ground a few inches and somehow this fungus is able to digest it, says Britt Bunyard, a professor at the University of Wisconsin It may sound gross, but Mr. Bunyard says that a mummified finger sized caterpillar is the world's most expensive mushroom. The price does not even compare to other fungi and is more comparable to things such as diamonds. It is so pricey because it is known as the Viagra of the Himalayas. This fungi is also an aphrodisiac and a status symbol.
Yartsa gunbu was mentioned as far back as the 15th century and is highly revered by the locals. Daniel Winkler, who has written many articles on the matter said that prices in China increased by a factor of 10 over the last ten years. He also said a businessman looking to impress and show off his wealth in China uses such a fungi to express the fact. The big money and big business of yartsa gunbu has even led to violence. Last August in Nepal, seven men went missing after a dispute and two of them were later found dead on the bottom of a cliff. There have been other suspected deaths related to this "Viagra" that went unreported.
Will the yartsa gunbu ever come to North America? Likely not, says Daniel Winkler. In the U.S. yartsa gunba did not really take off. It could be because of the high price, or it could be the lack of scientific studies to prove its effectiveness. Besides that big pharmaceutical companies have their grasp on the market when it comes to treating erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction drugs are a multi billion dollar a year industry and is unlikely that a fungus of this nature would have the marketing abilities even remotely close to that of Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra does. Not only that, but North Americans do not think of fungi as a status symbol. Physical objects that can be shown off such as cars and jewelry are considered impressive, not a mushroom that digests a caterpillar.
