What is Chaga?
Chaga has been used for centuries in Siberia and Northern Europe as a remedy for all sorts of ailments. Chaga is a type of mushroom, also known as Inonotus obliquus, and it grows particularly well on the bark of birch trees in colder climates like Siberia.
Unlike the mushrooms you might find at the grocery store, chaga is harder and more “woody” in its texture. The outside is a dark shade of black, resembling a lump of burnt charcoal. If you crack it open, you will reveal an orange inner core that is packed with nutrients! Among these nutrients is an enzyme called SOD, which is rarely found in edible substances.
What is SOD?
SOD or Superoxidase dismustase is a powerful enzyme that works as an antioxidant, swallowing up free radicals and preventing them from damaging the body. In fact, it is 3,500 times more potent than Vitamin C when it comes to reducing superoxide radical.
As we mentioned before, it is rare to find Superoxidase dismustase in edible foods, which makes Chaga a valuable commodity in the fight against aging. Scientists have studied the SOD levels in various species of animals and found that there is a correlation between SOD levels and average lifespan. For example, the SOD levels in Chimpanzees are about half that of humans, and their lifespan is approximately half as long.
The main decline in SOD levels occurs after the age of 30. That’s when people start to look different, that is they begin losing their vital force. People should take advantage of this fact and increase the consumption of SOD-rich foods, especially after 30. Chaga contains 25 to 50 times more SOD than other medicinal mushrooms, which means it’s the perfect candidate for this task.
5 Benefits of Chaga
There are so many different benefits of chaga, we found a hard time covering them in one article! In this article, we’re going to briefly explain what chaga is, why it’s so good for you and where you can get it. Let’s get started!
1) Protects Against Aging
As we mentioned before, Chaga is a potent anti-aging superfood. Overtime, the body begins to show signs of years worth of free radical damage, and the SOD contained in Chaga may help to reduce that damage.
2) Boosts Immune System
Cytokines are specialized proteins in the body that help to regulate the immune system, and the production of these can be boosted through the consumption of Chaga mushroom. For this reason, chaga acts as an immunomodulator.
If the immune system is too weak you can get sick easily but if it is too active, you can get inflammation. Chaga also stimulates white blood cells, which are essential for fighting off harmful bacteria or viruses.
3) May Help Fight Cancer
Chaga contains an antioxidant called triterpene. When studied in a test tube, it was found that triterpene was able to help kill cancer cells.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chaga-mushroom#benefits
In addition to this, chaga extract was shown to shrink tumor size in mice by 60%. While a human study would be needed to support both of these conclusions, the results look promising!
4) Lowers Blood Sugar
In a recent study, chaga extract was given to obese mice and found that it reduced blood sugar levels and insulin resistance compared to diabetic mice who were not given the extract. This would suggest that chaga could have beneficial impacts on human blood sugar and insulin resistance.
5) Lowers Cholesterol
Chaga has been found to not only lower LDL, often called “bad” cholesterol, but also raise the so called good cholesterol (HDL). This study would suggest that chaga can have the potential to reduce the risk of heart disease.
6) Helps Detoxify the Body
Chaga mushroom has become popular for its detoxifying properties, helping to remove toxins from the body, more specifically the liver, gallbladder and urogenital. It can also be used to help alleviate the onset of stomach and digestive disorders.
What does Chaga Taste Like?
Because the texture of Chaga mushroom is much tougher you can’t eat it like you would a typical shiitake or portobello. To take advantage of all the health benefits chaga has to offer, it’s recommended you brew it in hot water, almost like a type of tea.
When you brew chaga tea for the recommended 8+ minutes, you’ll notice a dark, coffee colored liquor, but you may be surprised when you take a sip and see just how delicate the taste is! The flavor can be described as woody, earthy but altogether tasty.
Why Siberian Chaga is Superior
Just like plants and animals have an optimal growing environment, so too does Chaga mushroom. Chaga prefers the colder temperatures, which allow it to become more potent in terms of antioxidant strength. It also should be grown away from areas of industrial activity, with clean air and water. This is why Siberia is the perfect growing region for Chaga, and that’s exactly where we get ours from!
Where Can you Get Chaga?
If you’d like to pick up some authentic Siberian chaga and take advantage of the many health benefits this mushroom has to offer, you can get some from us!
Our Chaga is wild foraged around Lake Baikal, considered to be among the cleanest lakes in the world. This Siberian lake creates the perfect environment for growing potent Chaga tea.
What are People Saying About Our Chaga?
"My husband had high cholesterol and high triglycerides after 2 months of drinking this tea he is back to normal levels no prescription! Thank you so much for your quality product we are now lifers!"
"I struggle to find noncaffeinated teas that have that earthy robust flavor I crave. This hits the spot!"
"Great for diabetics, insomnia, and high stressed people!!!!
Got this for my mother after she could not rest due stress. Day 1, she was very alert the next day after sleeping through the night for a full 8 hours. Two weeks later she is in a better mood, less stressed and more active in the day. She sleeps through the night without any groggy side effects!!!!! Great product!!!"
"After one week my arthritic hands and knee are not as painful and I have better dexterity!"
"Love my Chaga Tea with Bergenia. I typically drink the Chaga - Reishi blend, but tried something new. The immune properties have kept me healthy since I started drinking the teas!"
"I like the taste, and It definitely is helping me keep tighter control of my blood sugar. I now have it on subscription for monthly delivery from Amazon."
"Thank you!! It is very good. I order another bag today. I feel better wile drinking . Thank you."
"This tea really helps us sleep well. I do not know if that is intended, but it does have anti-inflammatory benefits, so maybe this is related. We love it!"
"Helped my stomach issues.
My brother in law’s girlfriend told me about this tea because I have stomach issues and it has helped so much. I don’t like mushrooms so I was worried about the flavor but it’s delicious. I add honey to it now and use it as a sweet treat twice a day. The honey brings out so many flavors. Not only has it helped my stomach but I think it’s helped me lose weight."
Chaga's active ingredients offer tremendous health benefits including immune and stress support (thanks to its anti-inflamamtory and adaptogenic properties) as well as gut and brain health (being a pre-biotic and nootropic). Steep a bag in your cup and tap into the power of Chaga today!
