Cordyceps is a treasure, but do you know which type of cordyceps is most valuable?

Most people have no idea how to distinguish genuine Cordyceps sinensis from fakes, especially newcomers who urgently need it and have very limited knowledge about it. Tourists traveling to Qinghai-Tibet and Yunnan also frequently encounter people selling Cordyceps sinensis and are often scammed.

Cordyceps sinensis contains a variety of trace elements due to its unique combination of plant and animal characteristics. The four most scientifically recognized trace elements are cordycepin, cordycepic acid, cordyceps polysaccharide, and superoxide dismutase.

Not all cordyceps are called Cordyceps sinensis.
Currently, approximately 570 species of cordyceps have been discovered, but only one can be called Cordyceps sinensis. Unscrupulous individuals use other species of cordyceps to impersonate Cordyceps sinensis. Among them, Cordyceps militaris is the most difficult to identify, and consuming it can be toxic. Therefore, learning how to distinguish between Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris will largely prevent you from being deceived!

Cordyceps ≠ Cordyceps sinensis

Cordyceps sinensis belongs to the Cordyceps family, but when we mention Cordyceps, we may not be referring to Cordyceps sinensis, as the two are quite different. Cordyceps are fungi that parasitize insects; the "List of Fungi" lists over 15,000 species in this category. However, there is only one type of Cordyceps sinensis! Although modern pharmacological research has shown that many Cordyceps fungi have certain medicinal value, the specific trace substances they contain vary considerably and cannot be substituted for one another.

Steps to distinguish genuine from fake cordyceps

Step 1: Look at the zodiac sign

The stroma, or fruiting body, is the "grass" that grows on the insect's body. The top of the stroma of a genuine cordyceps looks like a small spoon, while the top of a fake cordyceps looks like a mushroom. It is made by mixing flour and other ingredients into a paste, processing it through a mold shaped like cordyceps, adding fake stroma such as fern roots, and then dyeing it.


Cordyceps sinensis

Cordyceps sinensis

Step 2: Observe the insect body

True cordyceps has eight pairs of legs, with the middle four pairs being particularly prominent. The number of legs in false cordyceps varies depending on the species of its larvae.

Genuine cordyceps has ring patterns on its body, arranged in groups of three. The ring patterns near the head are finer. Fake cordyceps, on the other hand, have symmetrical raised dots on one side and parallel stripes with equal gaps on the other side. They are usually made by molding.

Step 3: Examine the cross-section

When genuine cordyceps is broken open, it has obvious patterns, and the cross-section is yellowish-white or white, with a dark brown gland that resembles a "V" or "W" shape.

Step 4: Check the color and reject cordyceps containing alum.

The surface of Cordyceps sinensis is brownish-yellow or brownish-red, with a relatively uniform color. Cordyceps militaris, on the other hand, is generally grayish-white with scattered dark brown spots on its back, a feature particularly noticeable after dehydration and air drying. However, if Cordyceps militaris has been dyed, its color may be very similar to that of Cordyceps sinensis.

Some unscrupulous vendors will coat the surface of cordyceps with alum water, increasing its weight after drying. Long-term consumption of this kind of cordyceps can affect the body's absorption of calcium, iron, and other nutrients, easily leading to anemia, osteoporosis, and in severe cases, it may affect the development of nerve cells.

Cordyceps soaked in alum will have a layer of milky white powder on the surface, and you can also lick it with your tongue because alum tastes sour and astringent; while real cordyceps has a faint grassy smell.

Step 5: Smell the cordyceps to avoid sulfur fumigation.

When Cordyceps sinensis is opened, it has a strong, fishy smell similar to that of straw mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms. If Cordyceps militaris has been dyed, its color may be very similar to that of Cordyceps sinensis, but its smell will be different, and may be fishy, ​​smell of cheap perfume, or smell of chemical raw materials.

If there is moldy cordyceps, fumigating it with sulfur can turn it back into bright, good cordyceps. The method to identify sulfur-fumigated cordyceps is simple: just smell it. Sulfur has a pungent, foul odor, not the characteristic grassy smell of cordyceps. When buying cordyceps, don't just focus on its appearance.

Step Six: Test the texture and reject artificially cultivated cordyceps.

Gently pick up a handful of cordyceps and feel its weight. Genuine cordyceps, once dried, has a crisp, dry texture. Artificially pressed cordyceps and other deceptive practices are generally easy to identify. As long as you understand the normal characteristics of cordyceps, you can easily distinguish them. You can also soak them in water to test their authenticity.

Xinjiang Cordyceps

Cordyceps sinensis

In addition, if you rub the insect body and stroma of a genuine cordyceps in your hands, your hands will not be stained with color or have any powdery substances other than mud and sawdust sticking to them. If your hands are stained with color or have any unusual powdery substances, then it is a fake cordyceps.

Cultivated Cordyceps: Cultivated Cordyceps have curved heads that taper and become pointed near the eyes, while wild Cordyceps do not have this curvature. Their bodies are also smooth and uniform in color. For the same size, cultivated Cordyceps are significantly lighter than wild Cordyceps.

Step 7: Taste the flavor

Genuine cordyceps, when chewed, is like chewing green soybeans; it's soft and crumbly, and the more you chew, the more fragrant it becomes. Fake cordyceps, when chewed, are hard and crumbly, pushing against your teeth. After your mouth is soaked with saliva, it leaves a muddy, powdery residue; it doesn't hold up well to chewing and has no meaty flavor, only a strong earthy taste.

Step 8: Reject bamboo skewer grass and wire grass

Although inferior Cordyceps sinensis is still Cordyceps sinensis, it is cultivated under poor conditions and is of lower quality. Furthermore, adulterated Cordyceps sinensis with thin metal wires inserted into the insect body to increase its weight has also been discovered. This adulterated Cordyceps sinensis feels heavier in the hand, and the metal wires can be found when the insect body is broken.

When harvesting cordyceps, the cordyceps may break. The harvester will then skewer the cordyceps with toothpicks. These toothpick cordyceps are then sold as cheap broken cordyceps. However, some unscrupulous vendors, in order to sell broken cordyceps, will skewer them with toothpicks or wire. This not only makes them look better but also increases their weight, thus increasing their profit. Furthermore, this could potentially cause cuts to the mouth when eaten.

Cordyceps ≠ Cordyceps sinensis

Cordyceps sinensis belongs to the Cordyceps family, but when we mention Cordyceps, we may not be referring to Cordyceps sinensis, as the two are quite different. Cordyceps are fungi that parasitize insects; the "List of Fungi" lists over 15,000 species in this category. However, there is only one type of Cordyceps sinensis! Although modern pharmacological research has shown that many Cordyceps fungi have certain medicinal value, the specific trace substances they contain differ and they cannot be substituted for one another.

If you own cordyceps, whether used or brand new, we can provide you with a professional assessment and a fair buyback price. Our team consists of experienced experts who can accurately evaluate the quality, origin, and storage condition of the cordyceps to ensure you get the most reasonable buyback price.

Simply contact us and inform us of the type and quantity of cordyceps you possess, and we will promptly reply with detailed recycling information. You can contact us by phone, email, or the contact form on our website; we will provide you with professional and efficient assistance.

If you owncordyceps , whether used or brand new, we can provide you with a professional assessment and a fair buyback price. Our team consists of experienced experts who can accurately evaluate the quality, origin, and storage condition of the cordyceps to ensure you get the most reasonable buyback price.

Simply contact us and inform us of the type and quantity of cordyceps you possess, and we will promptly reply with detailed recycling information. You can contact us by phone, email, or the contact form on our website; we will provide you with professional and efficient assistance.