Where does the best chaga come from?

The chaga is sourced from the Northern United States and Canada, and it is wild-harvested with the black crust intact in the extract.

Where does the best chaga grow?

Where can you find Chaga Mushrooms? These Mushrooms grow best on the outside of yellow and white birch trees in cold climates (e.g., Canada, Russia, northeast China, and northern areas of Europe and the United States). The average size of a full-grown mushroom is 15 to 20 inches, but they can definitely grow larger.

Which chaga mushroom is best?

How can you tell good chaga?

Distinguishing Features

Chaga sclerotium (outer black surface) is what is most noticeable sticking out from the trunk of a birch tree. It is somewhat gnarly in appearance and has a very tough texture. The interior colour is a pleasing amber or a rusty yellow-brown.

Are there different types of chaga?

Types of Chaga

There is only one species of chaga, Inonotus obliquus. However we can break each mushroom down into roughly three parts. First you've got the outer black layer. This part of the mushroom is very hard and dense.

This is why we have the best Chaga

Is the black part of chaga good?

The black outer layer of the Chaga “sclerotium” contains a massively high concentration of melanin. Because of this, extracts which include this part of the mushroom are powerful antioxidants, helping to protect the cells of the body from harmful free-radicals.

How much is a pound of chaga worth?

While European chaga sells for $70 per pound, Icecube Enterprises' chaga retails for $25 per pound. While the chaga harvest is possible year around, it is much easier during the winter months due to the lack of foliage and bugs.

Does heat destroy chaga?

The problem with boiling is that, according to Cass Ingram, the medicinal components of chaga include not only polysaccharides but proteins, sterols, SOD, and enzymes including catalase, peroxidase, RNAase, and DNAase, all of which are damaged or destroyed by temperatures above 180ºF.

Does chaga only grow on birch?

On which tree is it growing? Chaga grows almost exclusively on birch, though as stated previously, it has been found rarely on elm, beech, and hornbeam.

Where does chaga grow in us?

Chaga can be found on birch trees in forests across central and northern Minnesota. It can also be found on aspen, alder and elm trees. Chaga can be found year round, but it is most noticeable in the winter when there are few leaves. The black, charcoal-like mass sticks out on birch trees in forests in the winter.

How fast does chaga work?

How long will it take to see results? ANSWER: If you are new to using chaga, it could take about three weeks of daily use to establish its benefits. You may wish to double up initially on the recommended dose of 2000mg for the first few weeks before settling into a single daily maintenance dose.

How long can you keep chaga?

Once they are dry, they can be stored in a paper bag in a dark place under constant temperatures. Processed properly, and your chaga will last up to five years, Guay said.

What color should chaga tea be?

The best chaga tea is made with chunks in a crockpot. Use 1-3 chunks or about 15-20 g per litre of water. Steep on low for at least 4-6 hours, but overnight is best. The color of fully brewed chaga tea should be darker than a cup of strong, black coffee.

What time of year do you harvest chaga?

When To Harvest Chaga. Chaga mushroom should only be harvested in the middle of winter, when temperatures have been well below 40 degrees for several weeks. This when the nutrient density of the chaga is at its highest and its benefits are most potent.

Where is chaga native to?

The first historically use of chaga has been reported to be by The Khanty people of Western Siberia around the 12th century.

Is black knot the same as chaga?

Black knot (Dibotryon morbosum or Apiosporina morbosa) is a fungus that affects cherry, apricot, plum and chokecherry trees in North America. Do not confuse this with the very edible chaga, a mushroom which grows on the trunks of birch trees and looks similar.

How rare is Chaga?

You know, it tastes good. You could commercialize this.” But chaga is rare—by conservative estimates, it can be found on one out of every 4,000 birch trees—and impossible to cultivate domestically.

Can you use Chaga from a dead tree?

Never harvest chaga from a dead or fallen tree, as the canker is only sterile and live while the tree lives. Once the host birch dies, the chaga mushroom will die along with it and develop fruiting bodies to spread to another host.

How do you prepare Chaga for consumption?

Did Native Americans use chaga?

Humans have used chaga for centuries. Native people from Russia and Siberia were possibly the first to use chaga as a natural medicine. In the 12th Century, Tsar Valdimir Monomakh purportedly used it to cure his lip cancer.

Who should not drink chaga tea?

Don't use chaga if you have a bleeding disorder. Surgery: Chaga might affect blood sugar control or increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using chaga at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Does chaga help with arthritis?

Chaga is believed to have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a potential alternative remedy for things like arthritis and high blood pressure. It may also help lower blood sugar and even slow the progression of cancer cells. Chaga may also help: Ease inflammation.

How much is Canadian chaga worth?

Shops in urban centres across Canada sell blended chaga tea called “elixirs.” Dried up chaga that has been ground into powder sells for around $19 for 100 grams, and store owners say research supports that chaga can bring the pigment back to hair.

How much chaga tea should you drink per day?

It's also important to consider your long-term dosage. Above, we recommended that it is generally considered safe to consume up to three cups of chaga tea per day: morning, midday and night. This dosage is a good recommendation for long-term consumption as well.

Is it legal to sell chaga in Canada?

Products made with chaga powder, such as chaga teas or chaga kombucha may not be sold until an application is made to Health Canada. The product would require a pre-market safety assessment by the Food Directorate.