Chaga (Inonotus Obliquus) – Mushroom Powder

Brew & Taste

The vibrant, brown powder tastes bitter and sweet at the same time. Because it is a ground mushroom, it does not dissolve in water. You can add it to dishes and drinks, or brew it into a tea-like drink.

Origins

First, a bit of taxonomy. Chaga sibirica is the vernacular name for Inonotus obliquus. In the mushroom kingdom, it is classified as Bysidiomycota, meaning that the sporocaps contain a spore-like capsule, as opposed to the Asomycota, which reproduce by means of club-shaped formations called phyla. In addition, chaga is one of the Agaricomycetidae fungi, which makes it related to chanterelles, boletes, oyster and polyporus mushrooms. That shouls cover all the basics. In short, it is a fungus that attacks deciduous trees, most commonly birch, beech, poplar, oak and alder. And let's say that if you come across it in the wild, you probably won't notice it for its beauty. But aesthetics is not the point.

The dark to black colored mushrooms create not-so-beautiful formations on the trunks of trees. You can come across perfect, hemispherical, year-old mycelium mass that covers over half of the trunks diameter. On the other hand, imperfect growths are irregular 10-35cm long and grey, which later turns a rusty brown. They can live up to 20 years. Once the Siberian chaga invades a tree, it causes its slow destruction.

The Siberian Chaga is native to the forests of Russia, northern Europe, as well as North America and Asia. So, wherever the temperatures are low year round. There, it's used to combat a number of health problems. It's use dates back to Mesopotamia and Egypt, and is also popular in China and Japan. In Russia, it was used in shamanic ceremonies. It is said that the Siberian healer and mystic Rasputin used it on himself, and it appeared in the work Cancer Ward by the Russian writer and Nobel Prize winner Solzhenitsyn.

To use it, the mushroom must be chopped into small pieces and dried very slowly. Why so much care? Because it is full of beneficial nutrients! Let's name betulin and betulinic acid with the ability to combat various infections and some disorders. Also worth mentioning are the β-glucans as powerful immunostimulants. Melanin acts as an antioxidant, and terpenes and steroids are beneficial for people with cancer diagnoses. In a small amount, chaga also contains vitamins D & B, calcium, zinc, magnesium, iron and other minerals.

The mushrooms grown for this powder were harvested in the forests of Finland, in purely natural conditions not affected by human activity. Therefore, there are no harmful substances or their residues present.

Now you just need to know how to prepare this precious mushroom. If you prefer teas, boil a teaspoon of powder in water and sip for up to 8 weeks twice a day. You can also use the powder directly and wash it down with water. Or add it to smoothies, yogurt, hot cocoa, tea... In short, make your breakfast or snack ultra healthy.

Herb packaging preview

We pack our herbs in a strong, zip-lock aluminum packet which allows you to easily re-seal its contents. Thanks to the hermetic seal, the herbs are protected against humidity, light and foreign odors, all of which could noticeably affect the quality of the brew and the herb itself.