Chaga mushroom or Inonotus obliquus is a potent fungus that grows on birch trees in cold climatic areas such as Northern Europe, Russia, Northern Canada, Alaska, Korea, and Siberia. Chaga mushrooms served as a traditional medicine to enhance overall health and immunity for centuries.

Our immune system is weak, our energy level is low, the skin is pale, we are stressed and so is our digestion. Especially in winter, we often have the feeling that our body is fighting against us rather than with us. Medicinal mushrooms have been on the advance for a long time and promise to strengthen us and provide us with important nutrients.

Chaga mushroom is hyped as a fountain of youth. The reason: The fungus that grows on birch trees in cold Russia contains a particularly high number of antioxidants. And by high we mean really high. The medicinal mushroom has an Orac value (the ability of a food to render oxygen radicals harmless) of over 36.5 million. For comparison: the Orac value of grape seed extract has a value of 100,000, goji berries have a value of 40,000. Chaga also contains B vitamins (B3, B5 and B2) and minerals such as potassium, manganese, sodium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and copper.

Fun facts about chaga:

Two chaga mushroom chunks were found in Ötzi's belt pouch. So the mushroom is actually an ancient remedy.

In Asian folk medicine, chaga has been used in medicinal medicine for more than five millennia.

In 1955, the Russian Ministry of Health officially recognized and approved the mushroom as a medicinal product.

A chaga mushroom usually needs about 15 years before it can be designated as ripe.

It needs minus 30 degrees and below to thrive.

As protection against the cold, the mushroom forms this unique composition.

The properties of chaga:Chaga is very similar to human DNA (30% closer to us than any other plant in the world).

The mushroom is an outstanding plant adaptogen - it regulates the stress level.

Due to the many antioxidants, Chaga has an extremely anti-inflammatory effect. Oxidative stress accelerates the aging process. This is also slowed down by the antioxidants.

Contains 50 times more superoxide dismutase (SOD) than any other medicinal mushroom. The antioxidant plays an important role in protecting our body from free radicals.

Chaga contains 215 health-promoting plant substances

Strengthens and stimulates our immune system.

Has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.

Maintains skin elasticity (can also help in the treatment of psoriasis, acne or neurodermatitis).

Can increase energy levels and performance.

The tea is also used as a coffee substitute.

Can regulate blood pressure and lower blood sugar levels in diabetes.

Regulates digestion, has a supportive effect on the intestinal flora, detoxifies and helps with gastritis.

Used in conjunction with cancer therapies.

I drank chaga tea for 4 weeks - this is what happened:

It is very simple: a glass of tea every day and you are prepared for the day. Basically I am quite skeptical about such promises. However, the chaga tea convinced me. And there are two really good reasons for this: My energy level has increased significantly, and the stress level has decreased at the same time. I can also confirm that my immune system was also happy about the nutrient supply. However, I get very rarely sick, so I can only wink at my colleague, who has been ailing the whole week but somehow doesn't get a real fever. I've been supplying her with chaga tea for the past few days and it's still there. "I'm feeling a little better," she is just letting me know. What I can say is that you may not notice the effect immediately, but after approximately a three-week period, I was able to notice how I suddenly got back to work. For me that means: I can still have my glass of chaga tea on an empty stomach.

My complexion has also improved - minimally though. However, my impurities are hormonal and worsen depending on how I eat. Of course, the mushroom cannot do magic either. However, it really gets your digestion going! By the way, the taste of the chaga is similar to black tea, rooibos tea or light filter coffee. It has a slightly bitter taste, even tastes a little like vanilla. If you don't like the taste, you can "stretch" the tea with hot water after it has been boiled.

Making chaga mushroom tea

Chaga can be taken as a tincture in the form of drops. Usually, however, it is drunk as a tea. The Chaga mushroom is available in the form of a water-based and alcohol-free dry or liquid extract or as granules. As WoodKPlus at the Vienna University of Technology found out, the chaga reaches the highest ORAC value if it is cooked for at least 15 minutes, in the best case 60 minutes or more (ORAC 36.5 - 80 million after 6 hours). That means: The chaga tea should be boiled for one hour (100 ° degrees). It was found that the antioxidants as well as the fiber beta-glucan are not sensitive to heat! After preparation, the tea can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Simply stir the dry extract into hot water.

Final thoughts

Chaga is a rich antioxidant, and this is a sufficient explanation for its numerous benefits. This potent fungus can balance blood sugar, promote healthy heart health, boost immune function, and more. There are many ways to ingest Chaga, including Chaga tincture, tea, supplements, and NuLeaf Naturals. Before incorporating Chaga mushroom tea into your diet, consult your doctor, especially if you are under a prescription medication plan.