(This article is intended for informational and educational purposes. Please consult with your doctor or physician if you have any concerns)
This Mushroom is truly magic!
There's been a bit of chatter lately about a little known fungus / mushroom called Chaga (Inonotus Obliquus) that grows exclusively on birch trees. They take 3 to 5 years to grow before they can be harvested for consumption. They can grow up to 30 lbs and up to a foot in diameter. The NIH (National Institute of Health) published an article in May, 2016 showing that Chaga extract suppresses cancer and maintains body temperature in mice. I placed a link to this article below. The mushroom is so powerful that it's been shown to even help its host birch trees remain healthy and to help sickly birch trees recover when re-introducing the mushroom to the damaged tree.
Chaga has been known for centuries and possibly thousands of years in parts of Asia, including China, Siberia, Korea and Russia. Birch trees can be found around the world in the northern hemisphere and is abundant in Northern and eastern Europe, Canada and northern USA and Alaska. The fungus looks like a black mass of charcoal as it grows directly on the trunk of its host, where it draws nutrients and life vitality for its own development. The interior is yellow-brownish in color. When properly removed, the mushroom is dried and broken into chunks where it can then be used for consumption or making extracts.
Chaga incorporates many chemical ingredients but one stands out: Ergosterol peroxide. The possible health benefits of this key ingredient along with other important chemicals including beta-glucans, botulin and betulinic acid:
Enhancing immune system
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-cancer
Anti-tumor
Balancing blood pressure
Anti-aging
Promoting good skin health - inhibiting eczema and psoriasis
Preventing ulcers
Anti-viral
Balancing cholesterol levels
Improving digestive health
Alleviating hunger / boosting energy
Disinfectant ability
Anti-oxidant
There are many ways to consumer Chaga. The most popular is in the form of tea. As it turns out, chaga has naturally occurring vanillin, same as the vanilla bean which therefore gives chaga tea a hint of vanilla and a pleasant taste. The tea can be mixed with your morning coffee if you wish. I myself ground a small chunk to powder and added to my ground coffee before turning on the coffee maker when I got up this morning.
Easily grind chaga down into a fine power and add to soups, stews and salads. You can also make your own extract by placing a few chunks of chaga into a bottle of gin or vodka and and let sit for 6 months to 2 years, same as making vanilla extract using the vanilla bean. Remember to give the bottle a shake every few weeks or so or on a monthly basis. This process helps to extract as much nutrients as possible from the mushroom and is incredibly easy to accomplish with little effort on your part.
If you're planning on harvesting chaga in your area, be sure to look up how to properly extract the fungus from the tree without causing any harm to the tree. If you do it wrong, you could actually cause serious damage to the tree as the fungus and host tree are symbiotic to each other, meaning they work together to survive and thrive. When properly removed, the fungus will regrow to maturity again in 3 to 5 years.
Chaga can also be found at your local health food store. I bought a 2 ounce bag of dried chaga a few days ago which cost $18 plus sales tax. I found it reasonable but prices will vary. You can also find this product online in dried or extract form and have shipped to your mailbox. Chaga consumption is relatively safe with little to no side effects but nevertheless, one should take precautions by reading up on possible side effects such as blood thinning which could be detrimental to those who are taking synthetic blood thinners (before surgery for example). A link has been placed below that will lead you to a site with helpful information regarding possible side effects.
At a time when good health and a strong, optimal immune system is crucial in the fight against colds and flus, having a steady supply of the chaga mushroom may help ward off infection as well as boost overall health and vitality. Adding chaga will supercharge any meal or drink with vital, beneficial nutrients our bodies need. Hint: Add some to a smoothie , yum yum!
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