Deepdive on the benefits of Chaga mushrooms
Getting the right Chaga
The quick scan
When Chaga is properly sourced and extracted, it has some of?most antioxidant properties out of all food on the planet. Combined with its immunomodulating polysaccharides (more on this later), this makes it a powerhouse for the immune system. An adaptogen, it also supports longevity, balance, and whole body wellness. Looking for a year round natural ally to defend and protect your body? Chaga may be just what you are looking for.?
The quick and dirty
Chaga is a conk that should always be sustainably wild-harvested from Birch trees and then properly extracted. Avoid Chaga mycelium, Chaga grown on cereals like oat or rice, or Chaga that is not followed by the word “extract.” If it doesn’t check these 3 boxes (real Chaga, grown on Birch in the wild, and extracted), don’t bother taking it. If it does check the boxes, prepare for top notch immune support. P.S. I made a short video on Chaga 101 in the?Mushroom Academy which you can watch below if you’re more of a visual learner.
Clearing up the fog on Chaga
A little more juicy?
Ready for more? In this section, we’ll go over:
Chaga is actually not a “mushroom” in the typical sense of the word. It is a functional fungi, but the word mushroom implies it is a fruiting body. Unlike all other common functional mushroom species, Chaga is actually a conk (see image below of what this looks like IRL). This is essentially a mass of mycelium that grows on the outer bark of primarily Birch trees. Chaga does produce a fruiting body but it is extremely rare and never found in products in the marketplace. When it comes to Chaga, it’s crucial to understand how to sustainably use the highest quality Chaga to reap the benefits it's touted for.
Chaga is known as “the King of Mushrooms.” It’s long history of use lives up to that name. It may be the most versatile of all functional ingredients. It’s been used as a fire starter, as moxibustion (a practice of burning herbs over acupressure points to stimulate Qi), it’s been soaked in a bath as a ritual for menstruating women, as a coffee alternative in Finland during rations in WWII, and medicinally for digestive issues and immune support.?
While it is an adaptogen, which makes it a sort of jack-of-all-traits, the main benefits of chaga is immune support and longevity. Yet it’s critical to remember that these benefits, both backed by ancient traditions and modern research, are all on wild Chaga conk, grown on Birch trees, and properly extracted. Chaga literally is what it eats. Many of the beneficial compounds in Chaga (we will get to that later) are conversions of compounds found in the bark of the Birch tree. Thus, in order to reap the benefits of Chaga, it has to be growing on Birch trees.?
At Four Sigmatic we wild-harvest our Chaga from the largest Birch forest in the world. This forest is literally larger than the entire continental United States! It’s called the Taiga and it's located in Siberia. Choosing a location where both Birch trees and Chaga is imperative to sustainable harvesting. What does this mean? Well, there is a lot of misinformation out there about Chaga harvesting. Let’s dispel some myths:
With all of this said, it is still important to vet your sources. Chaga harvested from areas where Chaga is rare is never recommended. My herbalist rule of thumb is to never take more than 10% of a given yield. This allows for regeneration to occur. This is why sourcing Chaga from places around the world where it is most abundant is key to sustainability.
Photo Credit:?@ChelseaKauai
Now, it is still critically important?to use extracted Chaga and never raw or fermented mycelium.?If using a mycelium product, it means you’re purchasing the growing medium (A.K.A. substrate)—a cereal grain like oat or rice—with a bit of mushroom “roots.” The first problem with this is that the Chaga is now missing many of the compounds from the Birch trees (betulin acid). The second problem is, companies do not separate the mycelium from the grain, so you may be getting up to 90% rice or oats with a bit of Chaga roots.?
And even worse,?if it hasn’t been extracted, your body can’t access all the beneficial compounds in Chaga that contribute to its immune and longevity benefits.?Before looking at dosage, make sure you know what you are getting! Look for wild-harvested Chaga that is organic and has been extracted, to ensure highest potency and bioavailability for your body.?
An?effective dose of Chaga extract is between 250 mg - 1500 mg. Always start small and slowly build up after a few days as your body allows. Benefits start plateauing around 3,000 mg/day, but you can combine Chaga with vitamin C rich foods or adaptogens like Eleuthero or rhodiola to increase benefits. Chaga is a great caffeine-free coffee alternative since it brews into a jet black bitter and earthy decoction. It gives much of the visual appearance of coffee plus some of the bitter taste, without having any coffee in it at all.
Our best selling product with?Chaga is our Mushroom Elixir Mix with Chaga . This is a formula that combines 1500 mg Chaga extract with rose hips (for all the vitamin C), Eleuthero, and mint. You can use the elixir on its own, or add it into coffee, tea, or smoothies. We also add Chaga in all of our coffees. Yep, that's right, every single Four Sigmatic coffee has Chaga! This means it’s in all?ground coffees ,?instant coffees , and even our?Mushroom Coffee Latte Mix with Lion’s Mane . You can also find Chaga in our?Mushroom Blend Mix ,?Adaptogen Blend Mix ,?Adaptogen Immune Support , and?Plant-based Proteins .?
For an extended "super nerd alert" section, see our full magazine article here .