Mushrooms have long been praised for their medicinal benefits. With so many varieties of mushroom, it can be easy to overlook lesser-known varieties- but their health benefits should not be slept on.
One of these lesser-known mushroom varieties is that of the Wild Chaga Mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) is a mushroom that grows on birch trees in colder climates across the Northern Hemisphere. Despite its lackluster appearance, this mushroom has been nicknamed “the diamond of the forest” due to its mighty healing properties.
7 Reasons To Consider Adding Chaga Mushrooms To Your Diet:
•Hormonal Balance- Chaga Mushrooms fall into a special category of medicinal herbs called adaptogens. Just as the name implies, adaptogens help our bodies adapt to the many external factors that influence our internal environment. This class of herbs helps support our adrenals and balance hormones, so we can manage our stress responses in a healthy way that is conducive to healing.
They adapt to our bodies needs and have the ability to “read” hormones on a cellular level and regulate our systems up or down depending on the present need.
•To Improve Digestive Health: Chaga mushroom naturally contains high amounts of polysaccharides, anti-microbial triterpenes, and immune boosting compounds that help heal both inflammatory and infectious digestive disorders. They can also stimulate the liver to produce digestive bile, improving the assimilation of nutrients from other foods you are eating.
•High Antioxidant Levels- Chaga is the king of all antioxidants, fighting free radicals off even better than açaí, pomegranate, and blueberries. Antioxidants have long been held in high esteem in holistic medicine for being a powerful tool in combating modern disease. They help to neutralize the toxins which cause damage to our cells so that these toxins can then be safely expelled from our systems. Chaga has the highest ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) level of any natural food.
•Anti-bacterial, Anti-fungal, Anti-microbial, and Anti-candida Properties– Chaga is known for killing and inhibiting the growth of bacterial, viral, and inflammatory illnesses and infections.
•Immune-Modulating Properties: In addition to helping your body fight off existing illnesses and infections, chaga can also help prevent future imbalances by regulating and strengthening the immune system. It has also been used to help fight off allergies.
•Cancer-fighting Properties: One of the most remarkable things about chaga is its natural ability to help the body heal from cancer- without destroying healthy cells in the process. According To Russian research, the main cancer fighting component in chaga is thought to be the high levels of betulin, which is a naturally occurring triterpene. Chaga also has anti-mutagenic properties which help slow the growth of cancerous cells.
•Helps Relieve Stress and Anxiety- the adaptogenic properties in chaga that I discussed earlier can also be extremely beneficial in helping the body naturally manage anxiety and stress responses.
Who Should Not Use Chaga Mushrooms:
•Chaga contains a protein that can impede or prevent blood clotting. If you are on blood-thinning medications such as aspirin, have a bleeding disorder or are currently preparing for surgery, then you should avoid chaga mushrooms at this present time.
•Because chaga lowers blood sugar levels, it can potentially be dangerous for diabetics who are currently taking medication or insulin to lower blood sugar levels. The combination of those medications and this herb could cause blood sugar levels to drop dangerously low.
•Chaga grows on the birch tree, so those with birch allergies should not consume chaga.
How To Prepare and Eat Chaga:
Unlike some mushrooms, chaga can be safely eaten raw. You can go into the woods and locate some chaga mushroom and eat some as is, or let it dry in the sun. You could also dehydrate it, and then break off a piece, put it into a spice grinder and grind it into a powder, add it to hot water and make a tea. All you have to do from there is put a piece into boiling water to make tea. Chaga has naturally occurring vanillic acid in it, so it tastes a bit like vanilla on its own when prepared as part of a tea. You can also purchase pre-dehydrated or pre-powdered chaga or chaga that is ready to make into a tea- I personally like Four Sigmatic brand.
As with many other healing foods I enjoy, my favorite way to incorporate them into my diet is to make them the centerpiece of a healthy dessert. Here is a recipe for you to try:
Superfood Chaga Snack Bites:
Ingredients:
•1 cup coconut butter
•2 cups Medjool dates, pits removed
•1/4 cup raw cacao powder
•1/2 cup finely shredded coconut flakes
•4 tbsp melted coconut oil
•1/4 cup almond butter
•2 tbsp raw honey
•3 tbsp goji berries
•3 tbsp powdered Chaga mushroom
(You can buy pre-powdered Chaga online such as OM brand from thrive market, or buy dehydrated Chaga, often available at Asian supermarkets, and grind it into a powder with a spice grinder)
Instructions:
•Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
•Form the mixture into small balls and refrigerate on a parchment-paper lines tray until hardened- I left mine for two hours
•Enjoy!
