An edible mushroom is a safe to eat fruit and fleshy body of numerous macrofungal species. These macro fungi grow above or below the soil. The edibility of macro fungi is determined by many criteria, including the desired smell and taste and the absence of poison. Edible mushrooms are known for their medicinal and nutritional value. Folk health practitioners consume medicinal mushrooms. Although thousands of different mushrooms exist, only 250 are poisonous.

Therefore, when looking for mushrooms in the wild, one should know which species one wants, as most edible mushrooms have poisonous look-alikes. In addition, eating a poisonous mushroom can result in a liver transplant or even death.