When you think of delicious and nutritious ingredients, fungus likely doesn’t come to mind. And yes, that’s exactly what chaga mushrooms are – an appetizing fungus that grows on trees. Chaga mushrooms have an abundance of powerful medicinal properties, many of which have been used for thousands of years. So, if you’ve been on the search for chaga mushrooms and everything these medicinal mushrooms have to offer, you’ve come to the right place.
History of Chaga Mushrooms
Chaga mushrooms may be a new addition to your health supplement regime, but they certainly aren’t new by any means. People have used chaga mushrooms for their healing properties for thousands of years.
Do you remember the Otzi Iceman who was found preserved in a sheet of ice? Well, it’s believed that he lived around 3400 BC and has chaga in his pouch that was used for fire purposes. However, Otzi has not been identified as a specific group of indigenous people. Therefore, the first historically known uses of chaga mushrooms has been reported to be by indigenous Siberians, the Kanty people, around the 12th century. And did they ever make great use out of this medicinal mushroom.
Fast forward to the 26th century and chaga mushrooms were being widely used throughout Asia. In 1950, the first clinical trial was conducted on these medicinal mushrooms, where researchers confirmed chaga to help improve immune function. In 1955, chaga mushrooms were officially recognized as a medical treatment in Russia and in 1968, a Russian novelist wrote about the benefits of chaga mushrooms, which introduced the Western world to these medicinal mushrooms.
Traditional Use of Medicinal Mushrooms
When it comes to this medicinal mushroom, there certainly isn’t a shortage of ways to use chaga. The Kanty people used the medicinal properties of chaga mushrooms many years before it became a modern day health trend. They took chaga mushrooms and turned them into a drink to help with digestion, to feel fuller and to detox their bodies as needed. The Kanty people also smoked chaga in an effort to improve their lung health (it is not recommended that you try this) and even combined chaga with lard and ash to create a natural, anti-inflammatory soap to soothe skin sores. The Grand Prince of Kievan Rus, Tzar Vladmir Monamakh, even used chaga mushrooms to heal his lip tumors.
The uses of chaga don’t end their either. As word spread across the land, hunters and foragers began using chaga to increase their endurance and efficiency.
Today, chaga is commonly used in teas and skincare products for their powerful healing properties.
Benefits of Chaga Mushrooms
But why should you use chaga mushrooms for your own health and healing, you ask? Put simply, we would be here all day if we went over all of the benefits of chaga, so here’s a quick breakdown of the most important ones:
- Anticancer properties with effects comparable to chemotherapy and radiation (Study)
- Potential to prevent cancer and slow its growth (Study)
- Strong anti-inflammatory and immune balancing properties
- Rich in antioxidants that may lower cholesterol and fight against heart disease
- Production of cells that naturally fight infections and tumor growth
- Helps breast, liver, uterine and gastric cancers
- Aids hypertension and diabetes
- Fights inflammation Study
- Nutrient-dense superfood
- Fights oxidative stress, with the potential of also fighting signs of aging
How to Use Chaga for its Medicinal Properties
The uses of chaga are just as vast as the benefits of chaga mushrooms. However, not all are created equal. We suggest trying a Chaga tincture; a couple drops a day under your tongue or into a beverage and you’ll be enjoying the medicinal properties of chaga.
Another way to use chaga is in a tea, but you have to be careful with this one because not all chaga teas are premium quality. We suggest making chaga tea with chaga mushroom chunks to ensure a pure, contaminate and preservative-free tea. Annanda offers pure chaga that is certified organic by Ecocert Canada and Health Canada approved. Annanda also tests their chaga to ensure its free from heavy metals and pesticides. You can even view the original certificate of analysis so you know you are getting some of the finest chaga on the planet!
Chaga mushrooms have the potential to transform your life and health, proven by studies. Take a sip of these medicinal properties or discover other ways to use chaga at Annanda Chaga. We have the premium chaga medicinal mushrooms you’re looking for.
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