Chaga Mushroom Tea

Maine is blessed to host one of the most esteemed medicinal mushrooms in the world: Inonotus obliquus, known commonly as Chaga. Considered one of the three 'mushrooms of immortality' (alongside Reishi and Shiitake), Chaga has been used for hundreds of years by people living in the Siberian mountain region of northern Russia.

Chaga is known for its ability to concentrate health-boosting compounds found in living birch trees (like betulinic acid). Within the mushroom, there are also several bioactive molecules, including beta-glucans, triterpenoids, and phenolic compounds that are believed to provide a range of health effects.‡ When turned into a tea, it makes a delicious and warming beverage known for its use as a preventative medicine.

Recent research:

• Immunomodulatory activity ^[1]
• Immunity enhancement ^[2]
• Anti-fatigue activity ^[3]

Sourcing and production:

North Spore starts by seeking out native Chaga conks in the Maine woods. We carefully breakdown the Chaga into smaller chunks that we air-dry. When the Chaga has hardened and lost its moisture content we grind it using a turn-of-the-century food mill that allows for easy preparation of our tea.

How to prepare:

Simmer 1 tbsp in 4-6 cups of water for at least 20 minutes, or until the water is opaque and resembles back coffee. Strain the grounds out of the water and set aside. Grounds may be reused 2 or 3 times (make sure to simmer for extra time or follow the 'looks like black coffee' rule). Add cream and maple syrup to taste. 

References:

[1] Wold, C. W., Gerwick, W. H., et al. (2020). Bioactive triterpenoids and water-soluble melanin from Inonotus obliquus (Chaga) with immunomodulatory activity. Journal of Functional Foods, 71, 104025.

[2] Peng, H., & Shahidi, F. (2020b). Bioactive Compounds and Bioactive Properties of Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) Mushroom: A Review. Journal of Food Bioactives, 12.

[3] Zhang, C. J., Guo, J. Y., Cheng, H., Li, L., Liu, Y., Shi, Y., Xu, J., & Yu, H. T.
(2020). Spatial structure and anti-fatigue of polysaccharide from Inonotus obliquus. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 151, 855–860. 

^‡These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.