First, the wart thing: touching a toad or frog will not give you warts. That’s folklore. Move on.
Now the part that actually matters: wild mushrooms are genuinely dangerous in a way most people don’t respect. According to medical research, mushroom poisoning can range from a rough stomach ache all the way to liver failure, kidney failure, and death. The scary part isn’t just that some mushrooms are poisonous — it’s that poisonous ones can look almost identical to edible ones. Even trained mycologists (scientists who study fungi) find it hard to tell them apart.
Here’s what makes certain wild mushrooms especially deadly: some contain toxins called amanitins, which quietly destroy your liver. One of the worst parts? You might feel sick, then feel better for a little while — but that does not mean you’re out of danger. Research shows that liver damage can be happening inside your body even when you have zero symptoms, particularly in the first 24–48 hours after eating. By the time serious symptoms return, the damage can already be severe.
Cooking doesn’t save you either. Research confirms that amanitin toxins stay dangerous whether the mushroom is eaten raw or fully cooked. And the amount needed to cause serious harm can be very small.
The single most important thing to walk away with: if you didn’t buy it from a store or get it from someone who genuinely knows what they’re doing — don’t eat it. Wild mushrooms of any uncertain identity are not worth the risk.