KYI | Chaga

By Organic Fusion Kitchen

Chaga, the holy shaman mushroom from source

Chaga is a deciduous tree rotting fungus. It generally grows on birch trees and has traditionally been used for medicinal purposes and tea. Chaga is widely considered one of the oldest antioxidants found in nature. There is a lot of folklore about the health benefits of Chaga. In Siberia, Chaga is called "God's gift to man", which indicates how important it was to ancient cultures.

"Chaga is one of the weirdest mushrooms you may ever see. A fungal parasite found on birch trees, Chaga is a hardened, blackened, crusty formation that looks like a bursting tumor."

Paul Stamets

OFK Chefs Corner Tip

As said, Chaga mushroom is superb for making tea or broth, but these days it is a popular ingredient or spice as well, used in powder form. Some years ago French chefs found Chaga to be excellent in desserts. Chaga has a mild and mixed taste of mushroom and birch bark.

Did you know this about chaga mushroom?

Chaga contains vitamin B, flavonoids, phenols, various minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc, iron, as well as enzymes and pantothenic acid.

Long brew is essential to get the most out of chaga and release its health benefits. Due to its versatile antioxidant structure you can easily brew chaga for 48 hours

Another word for Chaga is Sclerotium. The word "Chaga" comes from the Russian word for mushroom (czaga). Chaga is not really a mushroom, but rather a hardened mass of mycelium.

Chaga has been long known for its potent healing properties and was cited in medicinal texts as early as the 16th Century as a treatment for cancer, ulcers and tuberculosis.

Active Ingredients & Health Benefits

Chaga is known to strengthen the immune system, as well as resilience naturally, as it fights harmful cells found in the body. Chaga is also one of the ultimate anti-cancer agents and obvious choice against long-term low-grade inflammation, which is the direct result of the countless lifestyle related diseases modern humans encounter (type 2 diabetes, arteriosclerosis, dementia etc.).

Folklore & Legend

Chaga has played an important role in traditional medicine, especially in Russia, China, Japan and Central Europe. People looked for cures in Chaga against cancer, common flu, skin diseases, joint pain, heart and blood sugar problems, as well as stomach, liver and intestinal ailments. It was also seen as an anti-stress and alertness agent, which associated it further with spiritual growth.

Things To Be Mindful Of

Although mild in taste Chaga is extremely potent and should be used accordingly. If you are not familiar with Chaga or have not used it before, start slowly, as it can drain the body when removing toxins. Best quality Chaga can be harvested deep in the forest away from any settlement. Chaga that grows near cities and highways can collect heavy metals, so it is worth knowing the place of origin.