What a wonderful medicinal mushroom: Chaga. Many people don’t know about this exceptional mushroom, even if it has been used for hundreds of years to support health. Chaga Mushroom (Inonotus Obliquus) is known to be the “King of Plants” in Chinese medicine.
Chaga usually grows on Birch trees in a cold climate like Canada, where I’m from. It grows with the tree for many years, goes through harsh winters, absorbing amazing nutrients from the birch tree. This mushroom looks like burnt charcoal in its wild form. And by the way, Chaga is always wild, never cultivated. Unlike other mushrooms, it is very hard, almost like wood. You can find it while walking in the forest. Just look carefully for this big plant that looks like some kind of cancer on the tree. To be respectful, you should only take half of the mushroom with you and leave the other half on the tree.
After harvesting the Chaga mushroom, you may dry it and use it in tea or other recipes. I make my own special tea with Chaga, Reishi, horsetail, passionflower and Goji berries. Grind it and add it to raw chocolate, raw chocolate cake, and chocolate smoothies.
Chaga Mushroom benefits:
- antioxidants and enzymes
- essential amino acids (protein)
- essential & trace minerals
- protection from free-radicals
- helps regenerate cells and damaged tissue
- boosts the immune system
- maintains pH levels
- oxygenates the blood
- resistance to diseases
- anti-inflammatory
- neurological function
- digestion
- stress and anxiety
- allergies
- memory and concentration
- vision
- blood pressure and cholesterol levels
- anti-cancer
- reduces the toxic effects of chemotherapy and radiation
- detoxification
You can buy dried Chaga in the health food store or order it on the Internet.
