Chaga Mushroom Tea Review, Uses and Preparation

Drinking chaga mushroom tea may have health benefits for humans. The medicinal mushroom is commonly ingested in tea form, but is also available as a tincture or powder.

The chaga mushroom, Inonotus obliquus, is a hard, woody, dark-black parasitic fungus that primarily grows on birch trees, but can also be found on aspens and other hardwood species.

It grows in cool climates and has been used in folk medicine traditions throughout Asia for centuries to treat conditions ranging from gastritis to cancer. The fungus is purported to stimulate the immune system, treat and prevent cancer, reduce inflammation and protect the liver. [5]

Although the mushroom has great pharmaceutical value in Eastern medicine, its function remains largely unknown in within the Western medical community, but research is currently underway and has yielded some positive results for the potential role of chaga and its constituents in the treatment of a variety of ailments.

Thus, chaga tea has become a popular method of supplementation in the hopes of accessing some of the mushroom’s medicinal properties.

Chaga Mushroom

Mushroom Supplement

Immunity

Anti- Oxidant

Anti- Aging

How It Works:

• Supports the immune system
• Anti-inflammatory with highest ORAC score
• Natural source of superoxide dismutases (SOD)

Dosage:

Between 200 - 800 mg per day

Safety:

Generally Well Tolerated

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Why Drink Chaga Tea?

In addition to its purported therapeutic properties, the chaga mushroom is also packed with nutrients and antioxidants.

It has high levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) – an antioxidant common in the human body and a neutralizer of superoxide.

Superoxide is one of the most common free radicals in the human body and can cause a great deal of cellular damage.

Free radical damage is believed to be one of the primary causes of the general aging process, as well as many diseases. Chaga mushroom tea supplementation is believed to act as an effective anti-aging, anti-cancer agent, but there is no clinical evidence available to support this claim.

Description of the Chaga Mushroom

On its hard, wood-like exterior, chaga is dark black. This is because it contains very high amounts of melanin, a substance that accommodates brown-to-black pigmentation.

On the interior, the chaga mushroom is textured like cork, and is burnt orange in color. The conk (sclerota) of the mushroom acts as an energy storage center, building up energy, sometimes for years, until it has a sufficient supply to accommodate its fruiting process.

A chaga mushroom can take as long as seven years to reach harvestable maturity. A uniquely medicinal combination of phytonutrients is developed as the fungus matures and grows.

Inotodiol is one active compound that is under current research for its action against cancer cells. As it develops, chaga takes in and stores inotodiol, as well as betulinic acid and more than 200 other possibly beneficial phytonutrients (plant chemicals).

Benefits of Chaga Mushroom Tea

Chaga mushrooms are known for their antioxidant properties. The ORAC rating – based on the oxygen radical absorbance capacity test – for chaga is high compared to other foods. The FDA used the ORAC assay as one of many tests to determine the antioxidant capacities of foods, herbs and supplements.

The FDA removed its ORAC listings in 2012 due to concern that the lab-based ratings did not reflect the food’s antioxidant abilities in vivo (in the living organism).

Proponents of the chaga mushroom still point to the ORAC rating as evidence of the mushroom’s antioxidant properties. Additional laboratory tests have also indicated that this mushroom exhibits strong antioxidant effects. [3]

The potential health benefits of drinking chaga mushroom tea have not been clinically tested. With more than 200 potentially beneficial plant compounds, chaga may hold the keys to numerous human health advances; however, further research needs to be done to discern the therapeutic capacity of this medicinal mushroom.

Chaga Tea Preparation

There are various ways to prepare this tea. In general, the objective is to derive the beneficial nutrients from the chaga mushroom with as little diminishment of their natural, nutritional constituents as possible.

While extended boiling is never recommended, most believe that it is necessary to heat the chaga to stimulate the release of its enzymes.

The following is one method to prepare a tea recipe:

• In a medium sauce pan, bring one quart of purified water just to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.
• Place a handful of chaga chunks in the water and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid.
• Keep the burner on its lowest setting. Do not allow the water to boil.
• Continue simmering gently for up to four hours. The longer you simmer, the stronger the taste.
• When finished, remove from the heat and pour through an appropriate strainer to remove all plant material.
• Allow to cool completely and then refrigerate.
• It’s also fine to enjoy a cup of hot chaga tea.
• Consider flavoring with raw sugar, organic cream, cinnamon, ginger or other herbs as desired.
• Experiment with different tastes and recipes, or just drink the chaga tea with no additives.

Safety and Side Effects

Chaga tea is not commonly associated with significant side effects, but it is still best to consult with your doctor before starting chaga mushroom tea supplementation, especially if you are taking other medications.

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