CHAGA Mushroom from northeastern Ontario

Chaga Mushroom is known as the “King of Medicinal Mushrooms”, second only to chocolate as the world’s most anti-oxidant-rich food.  The wood-like mushroom is a curious type of fungus found growing on yellow and white birch trees in cold regions like Siberia, Alaska and northern Canada and is known to have been used in Native and traditional Chinese medicine for centuries.

Chaga is known by other names such as black mass, clinker polypore, birch canker polypore, cinder conk and the sterile conk trunk rot (of birch).  This mushroom produces a woody growth or conk, which looks similar to a clump of burnt charcoal approximately 10-15 inches in size with a softer orange colour core.  Chaga must be collected only from living or freshly cut old birch trees because on dry standing or fallen trees, chaga is destroyed and the content of useful substances drops sharply.  Chaga is best harvested when the sap is not running in the birch trees which is late fall, early spring and during the winter months.  If the sap is running, it is going to fill up the chaga with mostly water as opposed to most of its nutritional benefits.  To properly harvest chaga in a sustainable way, it is vital that one leaves 10-20% on the tree where it connects, and this is very important as it will allow it to regrow and re-harvested in the future

PREPARATION

Chaga is traditionally grated into a fine powder and used to brew a beverage resembling coffee or tea.  Most commonly there are three ways to extract the goodness out of chaga for consumption:

• Hot water extraction is the most common and easiest and cheapest method
• Alcohol extraction is usually a second step after hot water extraction, since ethanol alone will not break down chitin effectively so that heat from hot water is necessary
• Fermentation is the most lengthy and expensive process

BENEFITS

The curative properties of Chaga have been known from ancient times.  Despite this long legacy of use in folk medicine and the broad spectrum of use for many ailments, it has only found limited use in modern medicine.

• Boosts Your Immune System and Fights Inflammation
• Prevents and Fights Cancer
• Lowers Blood Sugar
• Lowers Cholesterol
• Lowers Blood Pressure
• Preventing Drug Side Effects

Detoxification

Chaga contains high levels of a very powerful antioxidant called Superoxidase Dismutase which is important for liver cleansing.  It stimulates bile flow which is important for digestion of fat and it reduces inflammation in the digestive tract.  It also contains melanin, which is helpful in fighting radiation and tumours.

Nutrient-Dense Superfood

Chaga mushrooms are rich in a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients including B-complex vitamins, vitamin D, potassium, rubidium, cesium, amino acids, fiber, copper, selenium, zinc, iron, manganese, magnesium, calcium.

SAFETY and SIDE EFFECTS

Chaga may interact with some common medications:  people on insulin or those with diabetes need to closely monitor their blood glucose since chaga lowers blood sugar.  It also contains a protein that can prevent blood clotting; therefore, if you are taking medications to thin your blood or have a bleeding disorder or preparing for surgery, consult with your doctor before taking chaga.  There is no data on the safety of chaga for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, so it is best to avoid use during that time.

SOLD AS GRINDS, POWDER OR TEA BAGS

Resealable Pouches of either 60 g grinds, 50 g powder, or 15 x 2 g tea bags.

MADE IN CANADA

Sourced from a family-operated business in northeastern Ontario.

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