Parts Most Frequently Used: Sclerotium (the mushroom interior and its outer bark)

Flavors/Temps: Sweet, Slightly Bitter, Warm

Caution: Considered safe.

Key Constituents: Antioxidants, Polysaccharides, Melanin, Triterpenes, Oxalates, Gallic acid, Betulin, Betulinic acid, Inotodiol, Sterols, Ergosterols, Vitamin D, B-complex vitamins, Potassium, Rubidium, Cesium, Amino acids, Copper, Fiber, Selenium, Iron, Zinc, Manganese, Magnesium, Calcium

History/Folklore:

Chaga has long been used in Russia and China. In Russia and Siberia, the mushroom has been used as a medicine and in shamanic ceremonies. Russian and Scandinavian scientists have researched chaga the most. The herb has been used there for centuries. In China, chaga is a revered tonic herb for longevity and health. Chaga is also known for its adaptogenic properties and ability to help treat and prevent cancer. It also promotes heart and digestive health and treats red, itchy skin conditions. In one Russian study involving 50 people suffering from psoriasis, all were given chaga and were healed.

Chaga has been used in TCM(Traditional Chinese Medicine) for centuries and was first documented by the Chinese herbalist Shen Nong, in the first century B.C.E. In Asia, chaga is found to preserve youthfulness, promote health, and encourage longevity. It is known as an excellent kidney tonic herb. Chaga is also used to support Shen (spirit or consciousness). In Japan, the Ainu, brewed chaga for tea to treat stomach disorders. In powdered form, it was used in sacred ceremonies.

Siberian Shamans and the Chinese call chaga “the Mushroom of Immortality” and the Japanese call it the “Diamond of the Forest.” Chaga is believed to have the ability to connect a person with the spirit world and bring about visions and insights, though it is not a hallucinogenic mushroom. It is also known for purifying the body, mind, and spirit.

Chaga was used by Mesopotamians, Egyptians, and indigenous Native Americans where the mushroom is also native.

Chaga can be an appetite suppressant. It contains fibers that create a feeling of fullness, helping reduce snacking, and thus aiding weight loss.

Chaga is one of the most alkaline foods available, due to their high mineral content, especially the alkalizing minerals potassium, rubidium, and non-radioactive cesium. Chaga also contains calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, and a remarkably high amount of zinc. Various diseases are incapable of flourishing in an alkaline environment.

Studies confirm that chaga significantly improves brain function, including both memory and learning. It supports neural cell survival. Chaga contains the highest level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) of any plant in the world. SOD is an enzyme that promotes the breakdown of free radicals and is highly effective in the treatment of Alzheimer’s. It also pulls aluminum out of the body.

The high oxalate content found in chaga may help to prevent the absorption of some nutrients that can be toxic in high doses. Oxalate is also found in spinach and rhubarb.

The polysaccharides found in chaga have strong immune-balancing properties, helping the body produce natural killer (NK) cells.

Chaga is a rich and rare source of melanin, a compound that helps protect our DNA, feed our pineal gland, and promote healthy skin.

The bark of birch trees contains betulin, a compound used in cancer treatments. However, betulin extracted from birch trees cannot be safely used. Chaga absorbs and synthesizes the betulin from the bark and transforms it into a form safe for human consumption. Betulin is also being studied for its potential to help fight HIV.

Tests on cells obtained from 20 healthy volunteers and 20 people with inflammatory bowel diseases (such as Chron’s or IBS) showed that those cells treated with chaga extract reduced the impact of oxidative stress, thereby reducing the development of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Chaga’s name derives from the Russian name for the fungus, specifically from the indigenous peoples west of the Ural Mountains. It is sometimes commonly called clinker polypore because of its resemblance to slag left after a coal fire when coal fires were common that was called “clinker”. In Norway, the name for chaga translates as “cancer polypore,” referring to the fungus’ appearance and alleged medicinal properties.