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Chaga is an adaptogenic fungus that can have excellent health benefits for the skin and body. It is not an actual mushroom. It is a parasite that grows on certain hardwood trees and it looks like a black, lumpy wood knot. What trees does chaga grow on? Read on below to learn more about this health-boosting fungus and where to find it!

A Quick Primer on Chaga

As a parasite, I. obliquus has a one-sided relationship with its host tree. Its enzymes cause the simultaneous decay of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin (the three main biological constituents that make up the wood of trees) from the heartwood of its living host. The breakdown of the heartwood weakens the tree’s infrastructure, allowing for the first traces of what we call “chaga” to protrude from within the tree.

Chaga can be considered a sterile conk or canker that forms on hardwood trees. This dark conk consists primarily of wood lignans and mycelium (the fibers that can be thought of as the fungal root structure).

Some call chaga a sclerotium but as it is not pure mycelium, like what is produced by Poria (Wolfiporia extensa), Polyporus (Polyporus umbellatus) or the Tiger Milk mushroom (Lignosus rhinocerus), this would be an incorrect characterization. In fact, one paper estimated chaga to be only around 10% mycelium (4).

Where Does Chaga Grow?

Chaga can be found in northern regions. Canada, Russia, Siberia, northeast China, and northern areas of Europe and the United States are areas where chaga grows.

Making tea from chaga is a traditional remedy and coffee substitute in these northern regions.

Finland is a country where chaga grows abundantly. It is one of the first countries to try and inoculate birch trees to encourage the growth of this fungus for chaga harvesting.

What Trees Does Chaga Grow On?

Geographically, I. obliquus grows on trunks of a variety of hardwood trees in cold habitats (45°N to 50°N) of North America, Eastern Europe, and Asia.

While chaga grows most commonly on birch trees, other species of trees commonly infected include (1):

What trees does chaga grow on
Where does chaga grow? It develops very slowly on hardwood trees, most commonly birch trees, in northern climates.

Stages of Chaga Growth

Chaga grows very slowly on its host, and it can exceed 50 cm in diameter on old trees after many years (2).

The decay of the heartwood can last for another 30 to 80 years, although chaga can be harvested after 3-5 years of growth. When the host tree or a part of it dies, the actual mushroom (fruiting body) of chaga can appear.

How chaga grows: stage 1

In the first stage of chaga growth, its spores have penetrated the birch tree, germinated, and have begun to consume the heartwood.

How chaga grows: stage 2

In the second stage of growth, the fungus will then push toward the exterior of the tree consuming the wood as it goes.

How chaga grows: stage 3

In its third stage of growth, the fungus will break through the bark and begin to form the canker of mycelium and wood lignins we call "chaga."

How chaga grows: stage 4

Over many years, the chaga grows much bigger and darker. It largely contains wood fiber & lignin which house many of the nutrients found in the host tree.

For example, chaga that grows on birch trees will contain betulinic acid and its precursor, betulin. These triterpenes (natural plant compounds) have potent antioxidant, anti-ulcer, anti-gastritis, and immunomodulatory effects (3).

Knowing what trees chaga grows on will help you locate and identify it. When you find this “black gold” fungus, you can then harvest part of it to make your own health-boosting chaga tea!

For more information on the health benefits of chaga, read our article, Chaga Mushroom Benefits: A Science, Health, & Supplement Guide.

Resources

  1. Szychowski, K.A., Skóra, B., Pomianek, T., Gmiński, J. 2020, ‘Inonotus obliquus - from folk medicine to clinical use’, Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, available online <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225411020309809#bib11>.
  2. Géry, A., Dubreule, C., André, V., Rioult, J., Bouchart, V., Heutte, N., Eldin de Pécoulas, P., Krivomaz, T., Garon, D. 2018, ‘Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), a Future Potential Medicinal Fungus in Oncology? A Chemical Study and a Comparison of the Cytotoxicity AGainst Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells (A549) and Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells (BEAS-2B)’, Integrative Cancer Therapies, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 832-43. <https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735418757912>
  3. Eiznhamer, D. A., & Xu, Z. Q. (2004). Betulinic acid: a promising anticancer candidate. IDrugs: the investigational drugs journal, 7(4), 359-373.

Mushrooms seem to be everywhere these days. You may have noticed that more and more foods, dietary supplements, drinks, and even skincare products now have varieties that were once considered exotic, like cordyceps, lion’s mane, and reishi. The chaga mushroom benefits for health have been touted for centuries, and scientific methods can now confirm the varied positive impacts this adaptogenic fungus can have on the body.

Among the most highly revered medicinal mushrooms is chaga (Inonotus obliquus (Fr.) Pilát), and we will explore all the reasons why in this article.

In This Article:

  1. What Are Chaga Mushrooms?
  2. Why Chaga Mushroom Health Benefits are So Diverse
  3. The Top 9 Chaga Mushroom Benefits
  4. Chaga Dosage, Safety, and Side Effects
  5. Not All Chaga Mushroom Supplements Are Created Equal
  6. How to Take Chaga Mushroom for Health Support
  7. Buying a Chaga Supplement: 5 Considerations

What Is the Chaga Mushroom?

Although people will generally refer to it as “chaga mushroom,” chaga is NOT actually a mushroom.

What we call chaga is the common name for a sterile conk or canker that forms after a hardwood tree (usually birch) has been infected by the parasitic fungus Inonotus obliquus (or I. obliquus).

As a parasite, I. obliquus has a one-sided relationship with its host tree. Its enzymes cause the simultaneous decay of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin (the three main biological constituents that make up the wood of trees) from the heartwood of the living host. The breakdown of the heartwood weakens the tree’s infrastructure, allowing for the first traces of what we call “chaga” to protrude from within the tree.

This dark conk consists primarily of wood lignans and fungal mycelium (the fungal root structure).

chaga growing on tree
Chaga is a parasitic fungus. It feeds off its host tree and develops into a scab-like protruding formation with remarkable medicinal properties.

Learn more about how chaga grows and where it can be found by reading our article, What Trees Does Chaga Grow On?

Why Chaga Mushroom Health Benefits are So Diverse

The chemical composition of chaga was first studied by German-born chemist and pharmacist Johann Georg Noel Dragendorff in 1864. Since then, scientific analyses have revealed a diverse array of over 200 different bioactive metabolites. Many of these can support human health, including:

Of these, the polysaccharides are the most active compounds in chaga.

Polysaccharides (Including Beta-Glucans)

Polysaccharides are large molecules made up of many simple sugars (monosaccharides). The most important polysaccharides found in chaga are the (1>3)(1>6)beta-D-glucans. Beta-glucans from functional mushrooms like chaga provide unique opportunities for the discovery and development of new therapeutic agents. In recent years, beta-glucans have received much attention due to their many health benefits, such as immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, and antioxidative activities (2).

Melanin

Melanin is a skin pigment in mammalian skin, hair, eyes, ears, and the nervous system. It possesses a broad spectrum of activities, including protection against UV radiation and oxidants.

In particular, fungal melanin has powerful antioxidant and DNA-protective properties studied in vitro and in vivo animal studies. Melanin in wood ear, a black-colored mushroom, protected 80% of mice from a lethal dose of radiation in one study (3). Chaga contains high levels of melanin, giving it potential for the impacts of radiation-induced damages in these demographics.

chaga melanin
Chaga is loaded with Melanin—what gives the fungal conk its dark hue. It is also responsible for Chaga’s uniquely powerful antioxidant properties, which provide beneficial cellular protection.

Triterpenes

Chaga contains several types of triterpenes, the most important being inotodiol, a triterpenoid found only in chaga. Inotodiol has also shown immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects (5,6).

Chaga and its unique triterpenes like inotodiol have anti-viral properties shown in animal and cell studies (48,49).

Two other notable triterpenes—betulinic acid and its precursor, betulin—are found in birch bark, which is where chaga gets these compounds. Betulin and betulinic acid have demonstrated antioxidant, anti-ulcer, anti-gastritis, and immunomodulatory effects.

Betulinic acid may help decrease atypical cell growth and is theorized to work by supporting the mitochondria (the parts in each of our cells that help with energy production)(46).

The Top 9 Chaga Mushroom Benefits

When studying the history and traditional uses of chaga, it seems as if the fungus was used for just about every type of ailment.

Can this so-called “king of mushrooms” live up to its name? Let’s find out!

1. Chaga Provides an Antioxidant Boost

Humans, like many other organisms, need oxygen to live. Without it, mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells, would be unable to produce chemical energy (adenosine triphosphate or ATP) needed to fuel the biological processes in your body. A process called oxidative phosphorylation produces ATP.

While oxidative phosphorylation is an essential process, it also produces cell-damaging free radicals. Various factors like stress, diet and environmental exposure can result in a surplus of free radicals compared to the anti-oxidants that would combat them. This imbalance is referred to as “oxidative stress.”

Severe oxidative stress can lead to damage to components of the cell (including DNA), cell death (also known as inappropriate apoptosis), and disruptions in cellular signaling. Oxidative stress can lead to premature aging and the development of many age-related ailments and conditions.

Chaga produces an impressive array of metabolites capable of acting as potent free radical scavengers. The metabolites in chaga mushroom benefits DNA health by protecting it from oxidative stress damage. One study demonstrated that human blood cells pretreated with chaga mushroom extracts before being treated with the free radical H2O2 showed 40% less DNA damage than those that weren’t pretreated (7).

Chaga antioxidants
Oxidative Stress can damage healthy cells and is a process involved in aging and in the development of many age-related ailments and conditions. Antioxidants, such as the powerful metabolites found in Chaga, can disable the free radicals that produce oxidative stress, which protects cells from DNA damage.

Chaga ORAC Value

Chaga is very high on the ORAC scale, which is a measurement of antioxidant power. In fact, some websites claim that Chaga is the highest of any food. However, ORAC values came under scrutiny in 2012, when the USDA removed their ORAC Food Database citing that the test did not directly correlate to health benefits (ie. higher is not necessarily better) and that the ORAC values were being misused by food and supplement ingredient suppliers to promote their products.

Another abbreviation you may have seen while searching for antioxidants is SOD, which stands for superoxide dismutase. SODs are enzymes that form the first line of antioxidant defense against damage caused by free radicals. There is some concern that oral administration of SODs is not effective because they are degraded before they can get absorbed into the bloodstream. Still, there have been studies demonstrating the efficacy of oral SOD supplementation (8-10).

Chaga is a source of trace minerals like zinc, copper, iron, and manganese, which can stimulate the production of SODs.

2. Chaga Aids in Digestion

Chaga has been revered in folk medicine for centuries to encourage gastrointestinal health and digestive comfort. Modern research confirms that chaga mushroom benefits include gastroprotective properties. It demonstrated the capacity to help regulate the gut microbiota in certain studies.

Alcohol extracts of chaga helped protect the integrity of the stomach wall when given to rats at 200 mg/kg (11). In another study, mice were fed alcohol chaga extracts at 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight. The results showed that by regulating the release of cytokines, chaga supported the health of the colonic mucosa” (12).

The antioxidant activity of polysaccharides in chaga supported pancreatic health and regulated gut microbiota composition and diversity in mice studies (13,14).

Chaga supplementation in patients with Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) showed decreased damage to human lymphocytes (47).

Chaga mushroom benefits for gut health
Chaga has been used for centuries as folk medicine to alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort, and modern science is confirming the potential of Chaga to promote gut health.

3. Chaga and Inflammation

Inflammation is the immune system’s primary response to a variety of triggers, such as toxic agents and foreign invaders. It is also part of the body’s natural healing process. Your body releases inflammatory chemicals to help mitigate cell damage and to restore tissue homeostasis.

In short, healthy inflammation response is your friend. Interrupted or prolonged inflammation cascades can create body damage and disease.

The antioxidant range in the chaga mushroom benefits the body by supporting a healthy inflammation response. Chaga appears to modulate the release of certain cytokines involved in inflammation (15). It also appears to be an inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) and COX-2 in rats, which may explain its ability to alleviate temporary discomfort (15,16).

4. Chaga is an Adaptogen

You may have read or heard the term adaptogen” or biological response modifier (BRM) in reference to certain herbs and functional mushrooms. As the name implies, BRMs are substances that can modulate the immune system’s response, by either turning it up or down.

An adaptogen is a type of BRM that must meet three criteria (17):

Essentially, adaptogens help your body adapt to stress and restore balance. Chaga is considered a highly popular adaptogen.

Chaga as an Immune System Adaptogen

While the immune system is designed to protect the body against foreign invaders, it can create discharge symptoms. Such a response can affect the eyes, sinuses, and lungs, usually showing up as mucus, pain, or inflammation.

Allergies aren’t always harmless though. Some individuals may experience anaphylactic shock, a severe, and sometimes a life-threatening allergic reaction.

As an adaptogen, chaga mushroom benefits overactive immune systems in certain demographics by helping to balance it. Inotodiol, a triterpenoid unique to chaga mentioned above, acts as a mast cell stabilizer and can support eye and nasal comfort in mouse models (18). Chaga can promote the secretion of certain cytokines to modulate immune responses in mice (19). A new animal study also showed that chaga mushroom extracts prevented chemically-induced immune system overreactions, demonstrating its potential as a useful functional food (20).

Studies have shown that the active compounds in chaga may have selective activity against many types of malignant cells, specifically in relation to inhibition of p38 kinase and ERK1/2 pathways (21-22,62). ​

5. Chaga Balances Blood Sugar

Insulin is the hormone responsible for moving glucose in the bloodstream into your muscle and fat cells to be stored for energy production.

Healthy blood sugar levels are linked to heart, blood vessel, nerve, kidney, skin, and brain health (23).

Chaga and Blood Glucose Levels

Multiple animal studies suggest that chaga may be able to support balanced blood sugar levels (24-26). In one study, investigators found that mice fed dry matter chaga extract for 3 weeks were better able to maintain healthy blood glucose levels as well as total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, “bad cholesterol”) levels.

Triglyceride and cholesterol imbalances are almost always tied to metabolic health in relation to insulin sensitivity and glucose management. Most notably, the research team found that feeding chaga supported healthy pancreatic tissue in the mice (the pancreas is the organ that secretes insulin) (26).

A follow-up study confirmed these effects on blood sugar and cholesterol. Mice treated with either 30 or 60 mg/kg body weight of chaga ethanol extract for 21 days had similar results as in the first study (27).

In another animal study, rats were administered either polysaccharides extracted from chaga (at doses of 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg) or saline (which acted as a placebo) for 6 weeks. At the end of the study, the rats given chaga were better able to maintain blood glucose levels within healthy limits than the rats given saline, and their pancreatic beta-cells were also healthier (24).

The chaga mushroom benefits for balancing blood sugar may be attributed to the inhibition of an enzyme (alpha-glucosidase) that breaks down starch by its polysaccharides. Blocking this enzyme helps slow down glucose absorption in the digestive organs (28).

Research performed in vitro showed the polysaccharides in chaga inhibit this enzyme, demonstrating chaga warrants more research into its effects on blood glucose modulation (25). More clinical data from human studies is needed to advance our understanding of chaga’s relationship with blood sugar.

6. Chaga Helps with Muscle Fatigue

The polysaccharides in chaga mushroom continue to surprise scientists with their benefits. Chaga is an adaptogen: it has the capacity to support allostasis in the entire body, potentially including your energy levels and muscle endurance, as shown in animal studies.

An animal study showed that chaga may help increase exercise endurance. Mice that were given chaga extracts for 14 days (at 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg) were able to swim for a longer period of time than those given distilled water. Scientists noted that the mice given chaga also had significantly more glycogen — the predominant storage form of glucose for energy production — in their liver and muscles. Glycogen storage directly affects exercise endurance, and the results of this study suggest that chaga might help increase the time before glycogen is depleted (29).

Chaga polysaccharides also greatly reduced blood lactate levels in the mice. Muscles produce high levels of lactate during high-intensity exercise, which contributes to fatigue. Therefore, removing lactate quickly is beneficial to prevent or delay fatigue (29).

Chaga mushroom benefits for exercise
Chaga is showing great potential as a supplement for athletic endurance: recent animal studies demonstrate its capacity to increase the storage of glycogen in muscles and to decrease blood lactate levels, leading to less muscle fatigue.

For more information on how chaga and other healthy mushrooms can help support exercise endurance, read our article, Stimulant-Free Pre-Workout & Post-Workout Mushroom Supplements.

7. Chaga Mushroom Benefits the Immune System

As a folk remedy, chaga extracts are one of the fungi that can be used to enhance immune system function

The immune-supporting activity is believed to be due to the diverse constituents found in chaga, like betulin, inotodiol, melanin, hispolon, hispidin, ergosterol, lupeol, and mycosterols (48,49).

Chaga’s other bio-compounds are being investigated by the scientific community as potential agents to protect the body against a variety of foreign invaders (30–35).

8. Chaga Mushroom Benefits for Skin

Beta-glucans and betulinic acid in chaga may help slow down signs of aging in your skin.

Chaga infusions can help comfort irritated skin and reduce redness and dryness. A case study of 50 people found that after taking chaga for 9 to 12 weeks, individuals experienced improved skin health, as demonstrated by increased skin comfort, smoothness, and moisturization (36).

Melanin also plays an important role in skin health. Melanin, like that found in chaga, is thought to protect human skin against DNA damage by absorbing UV radiation. One in vitro study found that melanin increased the sun protection factor (SPF) of gel sunscreens (37). Another found that melanin functions as a free radical scavenger, which can also help keep your skin looking younger for longer (38).

Learn more about the chaga mushroom benefits for skin health by reading our article, Mushroom Benefits for Skin: 5 Ways Fungi Foster Dermal Health.

Chaga skin benefits
Taking chaga extracts orally is showing promise in research studies on skin health. Chaga powder can also be used topically in homemade face masks to help improve the texture of skin.

9. Chaga Supports Healthy Brain Functioning

Oxidative stress is a major contributor to mild memory problems associated with aging.

A team of researchers investigated if chaga had any protective effects in mice with chemically-induced cognitive decline. They found that mice given chaga for 7 days had significantly improved learning and memory compared to those that did not receive the fungus (39).

Chaga Dosage, Safety, and Side Effects

Chaga Dosage

The appropriate dose of chaga depends on a variety of factors, including your health, age, the quality of the extract, goals etc. The dosage that works for one person may not work for you.

The typical dosage is 250 to 500 mg of an 8:1 extract 2 to 3 times a day (4). One animal study used 6 mg/kg of chaga extract per day (the equivalent of 408 mg for a 150-pound person) (40).

That being said, we highly recommend that you start with small doses of chaga and increase slowly over time to the recommended dose.

Chaga Safety

Chaga mushroom supplements are generally well tolerated with few reported side effects. However, it is important to remember that the studies demonstrating chaga mushroom benefits were performed on cells or animals.

There have been no randomized human clinical studies to evaluate the safety of chaga. However, There is strong historical evidence of use in traditional medicine. Therefore, you should consult a health practitioner prior to taking chaga if you have any medical conditions.

Individuals with bleeding disorders or those on anticoagulants (blood-thinning medications) should exercise caution when considering chaga supplements. The polysaccharides and other substances found in chaga are known to affect blood circulation. This could pose an issue when combined with anticoagulants, depending on the chaga dose.

Chaga may affect blood glucose levels. Therefore, monitor your blood sugar levels when supplementing with it.

Oxalates in Chaga

One safety concern stems from the fact that chaga contains oxalates. Some individuals may develop kidney stones from eating a diet high in oxalates (41).

In one published case, a 72-year-old Japanese woman consumed 4 to 5 teaspoons of chaga mushroom powder per day for 6 months (a dose far higher than any recommended by Real Mushrooms). It is also unclear what source her chaga powder was from, whether it was contaminated, and if it was an extract. She developed oxalate nephropathy and eventually irreversible renal failure (42).

However, following the guidelines for dosage on Real Mushrooms’ chaga extract powder or chaga capsules will help to avoid over-consumption.

Research suggests that chaga contains anywhere from 2-12% of oxalates depending on the source. Oxalate testing curtesy of Nammex has shown chaga to contain around 2-3% oxalate content (20-30mg with a 1 gram serving). Within the classification of oxalates there are two forms: soluble and insoluble. Chaga has both forms. Soluble oxalates are absorbed into the blood and need processing by the kidneys. Insoluble oxalates are bound to minerals and don’t get absorbed or processed by the kidneys (43). Oxalates are higher in a number of common foods such as chocolate, grains, nuts and certain greens (rhubarb, chard, beet tops).

Mushrooms grown with high heavy metal substrates may form calcium oxalates at a higher rate, which is of more concern for kidney stone formers (44). Real Mushrooms chaga is wild harvested and is tested for heavy metals along with other rigorous quality control measures. 

Those with previous kidney stones, those with a strong antibiotic history, low hydration or calcium status should speak with a professional before using chaga.

Chaga powder supplement
Taking pre-measured organic chaga capsules is an easy way to incorporate the health support of this medicinal fungus in proper doses.

SHOP CHAGA!

Chaga Side Effects

There are no known side effects of chaga. Still, we highly recommend consulting a health practitioner before taking chaga mushroom supplements if you have any health concerns.

Not All Chaga Mushroom Supplements Are Created Equal

Chaga is a natural product, which means its properties will vary greatly depending on its growing conditions. As described in the “What is Chaga?” section, I. obliquus is restricted to very cold climates. In its natural environment, it is regularly exposed to freezing temperatures, various pathogenic microbes, and UV irradiation (31).

Where does chaga grow
Where does chaga grow? It develops very slowly on hardwood trees, most commonly birch trees, in Northern climates.

Is Lab-Grown Chaga the Same as Wild Chaga?

The concern for overharvesting of chaga has led researchers to try growing I. obliquus in a laboratory. However, attempts to grown chaga in laboratories have so far been unsuccessful at achieving the diversity and levels of the bioactive compounds found in wild chaga.

Without the birch tree involved in the growing process, betulin and other important compounds will not be present. One study noted that the immuno-stimulating effects of lab-grown chaga only reached about 50% of those of wild chaga (31).

Another evaluation found that wild and cultivated chaga differ greatly in chemical composition. Wild chaga contained a great diversity of sterols, with 45.47% lanosterol 25.26% inotodiol and 10 other sterols comprising the remaining 30.17%. In comparison, the cultured chaga only contained 3 sterols, with ergosterol being the predominant sterol at 82.20% (45).

It is clear that many of the chaga mushroom benefits for health are a result of its years-long struggle for survival in harsh environments where it thrives. Research is ongoing to improve chaga cultivation techniques. Currently in Finland, birch trees are being inoculated with chaga in order to cultivate it directly on the host tree.

When choosing your chaga supplement, it’s important to know where the product is sourced. Because chaga grows so slowly, it can accumulate a high level of toxins from pollutants in the air. It is for this reason that Real Mushrooms only uses wild-harvested organic chaga from Siberia to ensure the highest purity extracts possible. Real Mushrooms Organic Siberian Chaga is extracted using hot water, which pulls out all of the water-soluble compounds like Beta-D-glucans.

How to Take Chaga Mushroom for Health Support

There are many ways to take advantage of the chaga mushroom benefits for health, simply by taking it in supplement form. It’s important to remember that the effects of adaptogens like chaga are cumulative. For the best experience, we recommend taking chaga consistently to help your body resist occasional stress and to support your immune system.

Chaga Powder & Capsules

If you’re always on the go, you probably don’t have time for elaborate recipes. We get it. That’s why Real Mushrooms has produced an Organic Siberian Chaga Extract in capsule format. Just 2 capsules a day provide 1,000 mg of chaga extract with over 8% beta-D-glucans.

For coffee drinkers or for those who prefer a powder, our Organic Siberian Chaga Extract in powder format may be the perfect choice for you. To many, chaga tastes slightly bitter and earthy, making it a complementary flavor profile to your morning coffee or your evening hot chocolate.

Chaga Tea
Making tea directly from pieces of chaga is the most traditional way to consume this fungal medicinal, but this method is not always accessible because chaga is scarce in many parts of the world.

Chaga Tea

Chaga has traditionally been consumed as tea in Finland, Russia, and other countries. Raw chaga chunks can be soaked in hot water, which acts as an extraction agent for all the nutrients from the chitinous interior of chaga.

The most accessible way to make chaga tea is by using a high-quality pure chaga extract like the Real Mushrooms Chaga Extract powder. The hot water extraction method used for our chaga products ensures a higher concentration of the beneficial bioactive compounds than the traditional method. It is also more economical — the amount of chaga powder needed to make the tea is much smaller than using actual chaga chunks.

Chaga Tea Recipe

If you live in a Northern part of the world where chaga grows naturally, you have the opportunity to harvest this fungi to make homemade chaga tea.

For our chaga tea recipe, read our article, How to Make Chaga Tea and 9 Other Chaga Food & Drink Recipes.

Buying a Chaga Supplement: 4 Considerations

Here are the top 4 things to remember when purchasing a supplement to get the most chaga mushroom benefits for your dollar:

  1. Look for certified organic sources because Chaga readily absorbs pollutants from its environment.
  2. Make sure to look for wild-harvested chaga as lab grown chaga lacks many compounds found in the host tree and is not the same thing.
  3. Look for beta-glucan content on the label. Not all polysaccharides are beta-glucans!
  4. As with any supplement, check with a health practitioner before taking chaga extracts.

To begin experiencing the potent chaga mushroom benefits for your health, try one of our organic chaga powders or organic chaga capsules and let us know if you find yourself falling in love with this special medicinal fungi like so many of our other customers!

SHOP CHAGA!

Chaga mushroom benefits
Shop our organic chaga powder or capsules now.

Resources

  1. Géry, A., Dubreule, C., André, V., Rioult, J., Bouchart, V., Heutte, N., Eldin de Pécoulas, P., Krivomaz, T., Garon, D. 2018, ‘Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), a Future Potential Medicinal Fungus in Oncology? A Chemical Study and a Comparison of the Cytotoxicity AGainst Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells (A549) and Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells (BEAS-2B)’, Integrative Cancer Therapies, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 832-43. <https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735418757912>
  2. Khan, A.A., Gani, A., Khanday, F.A., Masoodi, F.A. 2018, ‘Biological and pharmaceutical activities of mushroom ꞵ-glucan discussed as a potential functional food ingredient’, Bioactive Carbohydrates and Dietary Fibre, vol. 16, pp. 1-13. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcdf.2017.12.002>
  3. Revskaya, E., Chu, P., Howell, R.C., Schweitzer, A.D., Bryan, R.A., Harris, M., Gerfen, G., Jiang, Z., Jandl, T., Kim, K., Ting, L.M., Sellers, R.S., Dadachova, E., Casadevall, A. 2012, ‘Compton Scattering by Internal Shields Based on Melanin-Containing Mushrooms Provides Protection of Gastrointestinal Tract from Ionizing Radiation’, Cancer Biotherapy & Radiopharmaceuticals, vol. 27, no. 9, pp. 570-576. <https://doi.org/10.1089/cbr.2012.1318>
  4. Rogers, Robert 2011, The Fungal Pharmacy: The Complete Guide to Medicinal Mushrooms and Lichens of North America, North Atlantic Books, Berkeley, California.
  5. Nomura, M., Takahashi T., Uesugi, A., Tanaka, R., Kobayashi, S. 2008, ‘Inotodiol, a lanostane triterpenoid, from Inonotus obliquus inhibits cell proliferation through caspase-3-dependent apoptosis’, Anticancer Research, vol. 28, no. 5A, pp. 2691-6. <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19035296/>
  6. Zhao, F.Q., Yan, L., Cui, X.H., Lin, S., Wang, C., Zhang, H., Kang, X.Y., Ji, B.S. 2012, ‘Triterpenoids from Inonotus obliquus protect mice against oxidative damage induced by CCI4’, Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica, vol. 47, no. 5, pp. 680-4. <https://europepmc.org/article/med/22812017>
  7. Park, Y.K., Lee, H.B., Jeon, E.J., Jung, H.S., Kang, M.H. 2008, ‘Chaga mushroom extract inhibits oxidative DNA damage in human lymphocytes as assessed by comet assay’, BioFactors, vol. 21, no. 1-4, pp. 109-112. <https://doi.org/10.1002/biof.552210120>
  8. Nie, Y., Epperly, M., Shen, H., Greenberger, J.S. 2007, ‘Intraesophageal Administration of Manganese Superoxide Dismutase Plasmid/liposomes (MnSOD-PL) Pre-irradiation Results in Increased Engraftment of Bone Marrow Progenitors of Esophageal Stem Cells’, Proceedings of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology 49th Annual Meeting, vol. 69, no. 3, pp. S41-2. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2007.07.077>
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Spring is the ultimate time for targeted detoxification. A spring cleanse in 2022 may be more necessary than other years due to the pandemic and its impact on health routines and an increase in stress.

The word detoxification means to remove a harmful substance. These harmful substances can come from our environment (think diet, chemicals, pollution) or from internal processes in our body (bacterial by-products from poor or incomplete digestion). There are popular detox or cleanses out there that involve celery or juice fasting, and restricting calories. But these trends can sometimes leave some people confused and worse off than before.

A common thread of all these detox programs is they eliminate processed foods. There are some benefits to fasting, but consistent under-eating may decrease the number of minerals, amino acids, and co-factors you actually need for proper detoxification. Fasting as a dietary habit may actually impact thyroid, insulin, and cortisol function as well.

Half the battle of a spring cleanse is eliminating or reducing the processed and high-sodium foods in your diet and replacing them with whole, plant-based foods.

How to do a healthy and effective spring cleanse

Firstly, think of detox as a daily or long-term strategy rather than a miserable two weeks of using laxative teas. However, a short, focused set of strategies can help kickstart healthier habits throughout the year.

The following article will outline 9 focus areas to understand and incorporate into your spring cleanse protocol so that you can achieve functional and healthful detoxification. You will also learn which mushroom extracts you can incorporate to support each of these 9 detox focus areas.

The 9-points of focus for your spring cleanse are divided into two categories as follows:

A) Spring Cleanse Your 6 Detox Organs

B) Spring Cleanse Your Nutrition

Spring Cleanse Your 6 Detox Organs (Emunctories)

The major detoxification organs in your body, also known as your emunctories, are your liver, kidney, colon, lymphatic, and skin. Environmental and internal toxins, along with stress, can decrease the function of your main detox organs. We guide you through the function of each of your emunctories, how you can support them, and what mushroom extracts can be used to enhance their performance.

Spring Cleanse Detox Organs
Clearing the way for the healthy functioning of your 6 detox organs can help keep inflammation at bay, thus decreasing pain and increasing mental clarity and energy.

Liver

The liver functions in distinct phases to detoxify harmful substances from your body.

Phase 1 is all about converting toxins using the family of enzymes known as the P-450 system via three reactions: oxidation. reduction and hydrolysis.

Phase 1 changes the toxins into something more usable for phase 2. This second phase innately creates a lot of free radicals as it’s dealing with harmful, reactive molecules. Therefore, having a diet and lifestyle that encourages ample antioxidants that will neutralize free radicals is what the body needs.

Healthy Mushrooms & Other Foods For Liver Support

Healthy mushrooms are a source of ergothioneine and glutathione, two key antioxidants that can aid with oxidative stress in the body. In fact, healthy mushrooms are the top dietary source of ergothioneine out of any food (1).

Mushrooms also have compounds called beta-glucans that have been studied for their antioxidant properties. Studies on Chaga have also shown it to have substantial antioxidant properties (2).

Foods For the Two Phases of Liver Detox

Some mushrooms that may help support the liver, specifically, are reishi and shiitake. In fact, the triterpenes in reishi have been found to modulate processes related to liver function. There are in-vitro, animal, and human studies that demonstrate the possible hepatoprotective properties of Reishi (2). More research is needed to determine how molecules in mushrooms support the liver.

Other required co-factors for phase 1 of liver detox include: vitamins B, E, and C. Healthy mushrooms contain B vitamins, a small amount of vitamin C, selenium, zinc, vitamin D, and choline, all important nutrients for our body’s detoxification processes.

Phase 2 liver detox is all about conjugation, meaning it takes toxins that have been processed in phase 1 and adds different compounds to make it easier to excrete through your stool (via bile) or urine.

Co-factors required for phase 2 include cruciferous vegetables, citrus foods, resveratrol-rich foods, amino acids, vitamin B12, glutathione, sulfur, and minerals. Healthy mushrooms are a food rich in amino acids and are especially handy if you are vegan or vegetarian. They also contain important minerals like phosphorus, sodium, and calcium.

Why Use Bitter Foods For Liver Detox?

Bitter herbs and foods are important for the adequate release of bile. The liver releases bile and toxins that are stored in bile for elimination via the stool (and other emunctories when needed). Reishi is a bitter-tasting healthy mushroom that can interact with the bitter receptors in your body which support digestive function, vessel function, and possibly detoxification.

Key Takeaways About Liver Support

Your spring cleanse will best support your liver’s detoxification processes if it includes cruciferous vegetables, citrus, resveratrol-rich foods (such as grapes, cranberries, and peanuts). Use a reishi mushroom supplement to support healthy liver function and a chaga supplement to add a powerful antioxidant punch to your diet.

Reishi for Liver Function
Reishi mushrooms can help support healthy liver function, and while they are generally too woody to eat, they can be taken as a powder or capsule supplement.

Kidneys

Kidneys flush water-soluble toxins detoxed from the liver out of the body while keeping important electrolytes and minerals. Kidneys remove extra acid produced by reactions and metabolism in the body, thereby keeping our acid-base balance in check. When the bowels are not moving well, and/or the liver is taxed, toxins spill into the blood to be cleared by the kidneys.

High blood pressure, puffiness or water retention, and low energy could be signs of decreased kidney function.

Habits & Foods For Kidney Support

Although there is no single physiological detox action you can do to support the kidneys, it is important to support a healthy lifestyle with foundational strategies like stress management, water and electrolyte intake, decreasing toxins, and avoiding substances that increase blood pressure and stress on the kidneys, such as excess sodium and caffeine. Healthy mushrooms contain minerals that can support the body’s electrolyte needs, such as potassium and magnesium.

Interconnected with the kidneys are the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are responsible for the release of stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. The adrenal glands are a key indicator of one’s level of vitality and stress management - two important things to consider when thinking about detoxification.

Many of the healthy mushrooms are classified as adaptogens meaning they can help the body develop resilience to stress through their unique compounds. Reishi is particularly good at helping to calm and balance the body.

Key Takeaways About Kidney Support

Your spring cleanse will best support your kidney function if you increase your water and electrolyte intake, reduce sodium and caffeine intake, and manage your stress levels. Consider taking a supplement of reishi, touted as the most versatile functional mushroom, to help balance and calm your body and make it resilient to stresses.

Colon (Gut)

Bowel movements and healthy poops are a top priority when looking to start a detoxification journey. Having a bowel movement at least once and up to 3 times per day is considered healthy.

We need daily elimination to remove the conjugated toxins released into the stool. There are many factors that can impede proper bowel function including spinal misalignments, poor thyroid function, poor nutrients/vitamin or mineral status, stress (holding on), microbiome alterations or dysbiosis, dehydration, and poor diet.

Mushrooms And Other Foods For Gut Support

High fiber diets provide bulk for the stool and can act as a binding agent along the way. Healthy mushrooms have around 1 gram of fiber per 1 cup (approximately 70 grams of raw mushrooms). Also, exercise can improve the function and structure of our gut health.

Spring Cleanse High Fibre Foods
Foods high in fiber and antioxidants are essential for promoting gut health. Increasingly, research is confirming that the gut microbiome has a trickle-down effect on many of the body’s systems, including adaptive immunity and brain health.

Increased gut wall permeability, and food sensitivities or intolerances can increase gut inflammation which may contribute to constipation and a dysfunctional bowel. Oxidative stress and antioxidant depletion may enhance gut wall permeability. Therefore, antioxidants are necessary to support healthy mucosal barrier function. (3,4,5). Healthy mushrooms that are loaded with antioxidants, such as Chaga, may be of interest here for antioxidant supportive effects (2). Chaga also stimulates bile flow, which is important for fat digestion.

Key Takeaways About Gut Support

Your spring cleanse can best support your colon and gut health by including foods high in fiber and antioxidants. Consider adding a Chaga supplement for an antioxidant boost and support for healthy digestion.

Skin

If toxins and elimination wastes aren’t removed through the liver, gut, and kidneys then these will back up into the skin or lymph. Skin is not an efficient “detoxer” — pores get congested, and skin manifestations occur.

Foods and Habits for Skin Support

It is healthy to support the skin on a regular basis via sweating. Sweating is easier in the summer but harder in the winter to achieve. Sweating can excrete certain heavy metals and lipid-soluble waste products. Sweat is also very healing for the skin, as it has inherent antimicrobial properties.

Skin brushing can support both the skin via exfoliation and the lymphatic systems via increased lymph drainage. Sauna, exercise, healthy skin products, hydrotherapy, and massage are all efficient means to support this organ of elimination.

Tremella mushroom and Chaga extract powders can be used internally and topically to support healthy skin. Explore our article on mushrooms and skincare for ways to use various mushroom extracts to benefit your body’s largest organ.

Key Takeaways About Skin Support

To support your skin health during your spring cleanse, sweating and exfoliating are recommended. Now would be a good time to visit a hammam or sauna and to receive a full-body salt scrub. Exercise regularly, stay well hydrated and consider taking a tremella supplement or Chaga supplement to support healthy skin rejuvenation.

Chaga Antioxidants
Chaga is a remarkable fungus with potent antioxidant properties. It can help support a healthy gut microbiome and promote the resilience of skin cells.

Lymphatic System

The lymphatic system is made up of lymph fluid, lymph nodes, vessels, and other key organs like the spleen, thymus, GALT, tonsils, and adenoids. This system becomes important for health maintenance because of the connections it has with many systems of the body: circulatory, immune, and endocrine, for example.

This system is crucial in helping the body defend against infection (by producing and delivering key immune cells, known as lymphocytes) and in transporting and removing waste products from the body’s different organs, tissues and cells.

Foods And Habits For Lymphatic Support

When lymphatic fluid has proper flow, the wastes and toxins can make their way into the blood and to other emunctories. Unlike the heart, the lymphatic system needs help from muscles or some form of movement to propel the lymph fluid through the body. Exercise, lymphatic massage, electrolytes, rebounding, vibration, hydrotherapy, and sweating can help support the lymphatic system.

Adaptogenic mushrooms, such as cordyceps, reishi, or lion’s mane, are a great coffee replacement to sustain healthy energy levels so you can keep moving your body and keep your lymphatic system happy and healthy. Also, one of the mushroom’s main mechanisms of action takes place in the lymphatic tissue in our digestive system. To learn more about this check out our beta-d-glucan article.

The lymphatic system also helps our brains detoxify during deep sleep when toxins and wastes are removed from our central nervous system. This is known as the glymphatic system. Proper melatonin secretion is needed for this to work. Sleep is a time for deep healing, as our sleep-wake cycle hormones and nervous system tone act as conductors for our hormone and immune systems. Reishi has been used traditionally to aid in sleep support.

Key Takeaways About Lymphatic Support

Exercising your muscles will help to keep your lymphatic system flowing well as you undertake your spring cleanse. Rebounding on a mini-trampoline is a good exercise for promoting the circulation of lymphatic fluid, but brisk walking and other forms of activity will do the same. Consider getting a massage that focuses on lymphatic drainage. Also, consider using a reishi supplement to promote restful sleep so that you can properly detoxify your central nervous system.

Spring Cleanse Exercise
Whole-body movement, such as rebounding, is ideal for getting the lymphatic system flowing optimally.

Lungs

Our lungs expel waste products in the form of volatiles and gases daily. Our lungs also ensure the rich oxygenation that our cells and mitochondria require for optimal detoxification.

Mushrooms And Habits for Lung Support

Traditionally, cordyceps mushrooms were used for tonifying the lungs in Chinese medicine. Cordyceps also has some evidence suggesting it may impact athletic performance, depending on someone’s existing lung function (6).

Our lungs are also a key organ for stress management, as breath awareness and breathing exercises provide a direct gateway to our autonomic nervous system — the original biofeedback.

Key Takeaways About Lung Support

To support your lung health during your spring cleanse, consider taking a cordyceps mushroom supplement. Now is also a time to incorporate mindful breathwork into your daily routine if you haven’t already. While it likely goes without saying, eliminating smoking of any kind and minimizing exposure to air pollution are essential for optimal lung health.

Spring Cleanse Your Nutrition

Avoiding or Eliminating Toxemia

A spring cleanse is an opportunity to address health concerns that may be caused by or exacerbated by what you eat. One of the problems that can occur from an improper diet is toxemia.

Toxemia, also known as metabolic endotoxemia, is an immune response that becomes a driver of persistent, smoldering inflammatory processes due to endotoxins, the most common being lipopolysaccharides (LPS).

An increase in LPS (and other endotoxins) results in increases in inflammation. Inflammation is a risk factor for pain, decreased mental clarity, and low energy.

As bacteria in our gut die, they create LPS which is part of the outside wall structure of gram-negative bacteria. These LPS particles create inflammation by getting through tight junctions in your gut (i.e. gut wall permeability — think little holes in your intestinal lining which are very thin in width). Around 65-75% of bacteria in our guts are gram-negative.

Nutrition and lifestyle are two big factors that can lead to toxemia. If you are eating foods that don’t agree with your body then your body doesn’t digest them properly and over time, can lead to toxemia. If digestion and absorption are weak, then toxemia is more likely to occur because of the partially digested foods which then feed the inflammatory bacteria referred to above.

Toxemia can lead to long-term inflammation and dysbiosis which is not conducive to creating optimal health.

Cleanse for Gut Health
If digestion and absorption are weak, then toxemia is more likely to occur because of the partially digested food that then feeds the inflammatory bacteria in your system.

Steps to Avoiding Toxemia

In order to avoid toxemia, eliminate foods from your diet that you can’t digest properly or that cause inflammation in your body.

This is unique to every individual but the major foods to consider removing to see if they have this negative effect on you include dairy, processed sugar, refined foods, and gluten for some.

Enhancing stomach acid production through bitter foods (artichokes, dandelion, bitter greens), activating the parasympathetic nervous system (stress reduction), and using mushroom extracts like Chaga to support gut health are recommended.

Reducing Oxidative Damage and Inflammation

Oxidative damage happens anytime there is an imbalance between the number of free radicals and antioxidants in the body. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that accumulate in the body from major reactions (e.g. liver detox, exercise, sun exposure). When there aren’t enough antioxidants to counteract their numbers, an excess of free radicals can lead to damage of fatty tissue, DNA, and proteins in your body.

Oxidative damage will more commonly occur when the body is taxed from environmental toxins, stress, indigestion, other detrimental effects on the body’s natural state of functioning.

A common symptom of oxidative damage is excessive inflammation. Excessive inflammation can look like: joint pain, heaviness, brain fog, skin issues, low energy, low sex drive, poor sleep, and much more.

Steps to Avoiding Oxidative Damage and Inflammation

Your spring cleanse is an opportune time to address excess inflammation and oxidative damage in the body. The main takeaways are to eat a diet rich in colors, flavonoids, and antioxidants (such as those found in an ergothioneine supplement).

To decrease unnecessary oxidative stress, also focus on regulating your circadian rhythm, staying hydrated, and getting restful sleep. Decreasing oxidative stress requires limiting the number of toxins and chemicals you are exposed to through your food, toiletries, environment, and from overworking the body (chronic stress). Optimize your rest with the tips found in our sleep article, and you will help support the resilience of your internal systems.

Spring Cleanse Mushroom Recipes

Spring Cleanse Mushroom Tea

If you want a simple, earthy, and very effective elixir for supporting your detoxification organs through the spring and into the rest of the year, mushroom tea is good as it gets!

If you choose to give your body a break from stimulants like caffeine during your spring cleanse, this tea will be a useful body-boosting, brain-waking replacement.

Mushroom tea is a good spring cleanse elixir and substitute for caffeinated brews. The easiest way to make it is with mushroom extract powders that will give you the highest concentration of medicinal compounds.

Renown medicinal herbalist, Lee Carroll, has shared with us his recipe for mushroom tea:

For breakfast I drink a blend of Reishi, Chaga, Turkey tail, and Tremella powder in hot water (about 1 tsp of powder extract each). No cream, milk or sugar. I like to drink it strong so I don’t add much water, about 3 ounces. Tremella gives it a smooth edge. I love the taste and love the medicinal conversation we have together as I savor the earthy richness and depth. The Tremella gives my aging brain a noticeable cognitive boost. It’s my Coffee substitute. If you put the words My and Coffee together, you get Myco-ffee!

Spring Cleanse Mushroom Bowl

This robust recipe is an ideal and comprehensive nutritional boost for your spring cleanse. It contains B vitamins, sulfur compounds, amino acids, healthy fats, is fiber-rich, and contains immunomodulating polysaccharides from mushrooms.

Spring Cleanse Mushroom Bowl
Spring Cleanse Mushroom Bowl

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

Sauce Ingredients:

Instructions:

  1. Cook the rice as you normally would, however, add the mushroom powders in with the rice as it cooks in order to steep them. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Optional: Soak rice the day before for 8-10 hours, which helps keep the rice nice and hydrated and removes some of the anti-nutrients.
  2. In a separate frying pan, pour 1 tbsp water and add the shiitake mushrooms. Cook until soft for about 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly. Optional: add 1 tbsp of olive oil or coconut oil plus 1 tsp of rice wine vinegar after the water evaporates.
  3. Shred the ¾ cup carrots and beets - set aside.
  4. Steam the broccoli and cauliflower (I like to drizzle the cauliflower in olive oil after steaming and baking it for 2-3 minutes to make it more crispy).
  5. If you are adding the wild salmon to this recipe, steam it for 10-15 minutes. Steaming the fish prevents oxidation of some of the omega 3’s in it.
  6. Make the sauce by adding all of the sauce ingredients into the blender and blending on high.
  7. Serve up this dish by using the rice as your base. Add the shiitakes, the cooked broccoli, cauliflower, plus fish (optional). Then, add the raw ingredients on top (carrots, beets, and broccoli sprouts).
  8. Drizzle the sauce on top and enjoy!

Best served in big bowls. Plates also work.

Spring Cleanse Gomae with Tremella

As referenced in this guide, eating many green vegetables, including leafy greens, bitter greens, and cruciferous veggies, is ideal for supporting your organs of detoxification during your spring cleanse. This recipe is a delicious way to prepare your greens and packs a punch of B vitamins, healthy fats, antioxidants, and the skin-rejuvenating power of tremella extract.

Spring Cleanse Gomae
Spring Cleanse Gomae recipe

Ingredients:

Instructions:

  1. Steam greens until tender and soft (5-10 minutes depending on greens). Combine the tahini, rice wine vinegar, tamari, water, sesame oil, and tremella powder. Stir until all mixed together.
  2. Combine the greens and sauce in a pan on low to medium heat. Toss the greens, spreading the sauce around. Serve warm with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Click the button below to sock up on the mushroom supplements to support your spring cleanse:

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organic reishi mushroom extract capsules

References

  1. Kalaras, M. D., Richie, J. P., Calcagnotto, A., & Beelman, R. B. (2017). Mushrooms: A rich source of the antioxidants ergothioneine and glutathione. Food Chemistry, 233, 429–433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.04.109
  2. Sharpe, E., Farragher-Gnadt, A. P., Igbanugo, M., Huber, T., Michelotti, J. C., Milenkowic, A., . . . Bou-Abdallah, F. (2021). Comparison of antioxidant activity and extraction techniques for commercially and Laboratory prepared extracts from SIX mushroom species. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 100130. doi:10.1016/j.jafr.2021.100130
  3. Forsyth, C. B., Banan, A., Farhadi, A., Fields, J. Z., Tang, Y., Shaikh, M., Zhang, L. J., Engen, P. A., & Keshavarzian, A. (2007). Regulation of oxidant-induced intestinal permeability by metalloprotease-dependent epidermal growth factor receptor signaling. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, 321(1), 84–97. https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.106.113019
  4. Mankertz, J., & Schulzke, J. D. (2007). Altered permeability in inflammatory bowel disease: pathophysiology and clinical implications. Current opinion in gastroenterology, 23(4), 379–383. https://doi.org/10.1097/MOG.0b013e32816aa392
  5. McGuckin, M. A., Eri, R., Simms, L. A., Florin, T. H., & Radford-Smith, G. (2009). Intestinal barrier dysfunction in inflammatory bowel diseases. Inflammatory bowel diseases, 15(1), 100–113. https://doi.org/10.1002/ibd.20539
  6. Chen, S., Li, Z., Krochmal, R., Abrazado, M., Kim, W., & Cooper, C. B. (2010). Effect of Cs-4 (Cordyceps sinensis) on exercise performance in healthy older subjects: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 16(5), 585–590. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2009.0226

Valentine’s Day - a time when love is in the air. A time to celebrate affection, romance, and friendship. A time for all things sexy, sweet, and mushrooms.

Wait, mushrooms?!

That’s right, mushrooms! Mushrooms in the form of Chaga Powder and Turkey Tail Powder can indeed be sexy! Especially when they’re rolled into decadent Chocolate Truffles. Besides, what makes a better treat or gift than something that tastes sinful but is loaded with superfood ingredients to keep you healthy?

More about Chaga and Turkey Tail

If you’re still scratching your heads trying to figure out how mushrooms are sexy, let’s break it down.

Nobody wants to have gut issues or the sniffles, especially on their special, romantic, fun night.

That’s where these mushrooms shine, particularly when you consume a small amount of them daily. Chaga swoops in for some digestive support and gut health, and Turkey Tail rolls in with that important immune health. The bottom line is these allies help you feel your very best. And when you’re feeling your very best, you feel your most sexy, right? You feel your most confident and thriving. And that’s what we’re striving to help you feel!

The great news is, these easy, paleo, vegan, no-bake truffles have both of these mushroom allies.

And just like you want the real deal, authenticity in your partner and friends, you’re looking for the same in your mushrooms. That’s where Real Mushrooms has your back with their 100% organic mushroom extracts with no added grain, starch, or fillers - so you know you’re getting all the beneficial compounds, like beta-glucans.

They truly are your friends with benefits.

chocolate mushroom truffles

Other Ingredients Needed

Besides the Chaga and Turkey Tail mushroom extract powders, the other ingredients you’ll need are:

How To Make these Sexy Valentine’s Day Chocolate Mushroom Truffles

The good news is these no-bake, paleo, and vegan chocolate mushrooms truffles come together effortlessly and easily.

Let’s break down the recipe:

  1. Heat the coconut milk.
  2. Add maca, Chaga, Turkey Tail, and cayenne.
  3. Stir in your favorite chocolate and pinch of salt until melted.
  4. Refrigerate for one hour.
  5. Scoop the firm truffle batter into balls and roll in a mix of cacao powder, hemp hearts, and pinch of salt.
  6. Enjoy!

That’s it! The majority of the time the batter is in the refrigerator firming up, so you can attend to other fun Valentine’s Day festivities.

How Long Do They Last? How Do You Store Them?

These chocolate mushroom truffles will last up to four days in the refrigerator. They’re best stored in an airtight glass container. Alternatively, you can freeze them for longer shelf life.

Sexy Mushroom Truffles

Yields: 10-12 large truffles
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (an hour of which is refrigeration)

Ingredients:

mushroom truffles

Directions:

  1. Heat the coconut milk until it’s simmering.
  2. Remove from heat, and whisk in the maca, Chaga, Turkey Tail, and cayenne.
  3. Stir in the chocolate and maple syrup, and add a pinch of salt.
  4. Once the chocolate has melted, refrigerate for 1 hour, until the ganache is slightly firm.
  5. Place the dark cocoa powder, hemp hearts, and a pinch of salt in a shallow dish with a tight-fitting lid. Stir to combine.
  6. Scoop one tablespoon of the ganache into truffle balls (I used a small cookie scoop), dropping each one into the cocoa mixture. Working a few at a time, shake gently to coat the truffles.
  7. Repeat with the remaining ganache. Refrigerate for up to four days.

Enjoy your Valentine’s Day Chocolate Mushroom Truffles in Good Health

When chocolate meets gut and immune health, it’s always time to celebrate, making these the perfect treat to honor you and all your loved ones. And not just on Valentine’s Day, but every day!

We can’t think of a tastier way to celebrate love, health, and community.

So head to the kitchen, make use of those health-boosting mushroom powders, and here’s to a day and season filled with all things love, health, friends, and family.

Easily give your other recipes a power boost:

There are so many different culinary combinations you can create with mushrooms! For this recipe, you don’t have to use Chaga or Turkey Tail - you can easily substitute with your own favorite mushroom extracts. Each has their own unique profiles and benefits. To learn more, you can read our article which highlights the top 7 benefits of the main medicinal mushrooms. These different mushroom extracts can easily be added to whatever you’re cooking up in the kitchen.

Join the mushroom recipe challenge! Get creative in the kitchen with different ways to get more mushrooms in your diet. Invent your own recipe and share via insta @realmushrooms for a chance to be featured.

 

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How to relive your childhood: step one - grab a glass of milk. Step two - grab the Oreos. Step three - dunk and enjoy!

How to relive your childhood with a health twist:

Step one - grab the Real Mushrooms Chaga.
Step two - make these homemade, unprocessed paleo Oreo cookies.
Step three - enjoy in good immune, brain, digestive and skin health!

No matter if you were the kid who licked all the icing off first, dunked them whole in a glass of milk, or dipped them in peanut butter, the chocolatey, crunchy satisfaction of Oreo cookies is hard to beat. So we took all that satisfaction and put a Real Mushrooms health twist on it by using real food ingredients and adding Chaga Mushroom. Because we want you to be able to enjoy your Oreos and maintain good digestive (and skin!) health too!

Chaga Mushroom Benefits for Health

So how do Oreos and health fit in the same sentence? First, we swap all the processed ingredients for healthy, whole-food ones. Next we add a big antioxidant punch. A punch that comes in the form of Chaga Mushroom.

Chaga is rich in antioxidants and not only supports your immune function, but it also aids your digestion and helps revitalize your skin (thanks to high amounts of melanin).

And as always, just like we don’t advocate for baking with a lot of overly processed foods with a bunch of unnecessary ingredients, we also would never offer processed mushroom extracts with a bunch of unnecessary starch and fillers.

We only offer 100% organic mushroom extracts, because we want you enjoying and experiencing the full health benefits of medicinal mushrooms.

paleo oreo cookiesThe other healthy ingredients - paleo Oreo cookie swaps & tips

Tools you’ll need

Paleo Oreo Cookies Recipe

Servings: 6 cookie sandwiches
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30-32 minutes

Ingredients for homemade paleo Oreo cookies

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, mix your almond flour, protein powder (if using), cacao powder, Chaga, and salt.*
  4. Add the almond butter and softened coconut oil. If needed, add a bit of water to help the batter stick together - but it shouldn’t be too sticky. If you accidentally add too much and the batter is sticky, just stick in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to make it easier to work with.
  5. Before rolling out your dough, taste it and adjust the sweetness level to your preference. If you want it sweeter, add your favorite sweetener.
  6. Roll dough between two sheets of wax paper until about 1/4” in thickness.
  7. Use a cookie cutter (or mason jar lid, or rim of a glass) to cut about 12 circles. (Number of circles will vary depending on the size of your cookie cutter.)
  8. Bake on a lined cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes.
  9. Let the cookies cool before you touch them or apply the icing.
  10. Once the cookies have cooled, place a large spoonful of softened coconut butter on half of the baked cookies. Smoosh the other half of the cookies on top and enjoy!!
  11. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Or alternatively, freeze them if you want to keep them longer.

*Notes
- If you don’t want to use protein powder, you can replace the protein powder with almond flour and add 2-4 TB of your favorite granulated sweetener. Taste and adjust to your sweetness preference.
- If you are using unsweetened protein powder, add 2-4 TB of your favorite granulated sweetener. Taste and adjust to your sweetness preference.

Enjoy these homemade paleo Oreo cookies in good health

It’s all too easy to get caught up in the seriousness of life. In the strict habits. In the “go, go, go” mentality. Too many things on the never-ending to-do list.

And with all that busyness, comes a whole lot of stress on your immune, brain, and digestive health.

So sometimes we all could use a reminder of our childhood, a reminder to invite a little more play, a little more silliness, and a little more freedom into our routine. It’s ok to not take life so seriously all the time. It’s ok to take breaks.

And it’s more than ok to enjoy some of these paleo Oreo cookies. In fact, we highly recommend it.

paleo oreo cookiesEasily give your other recipes a power boost

If you don’t want to use Chaga, you can easily try out another mushroom powder extract. There are wonderful options, each with their own unique profiles and benefits. To learn more, you can read our article which highlights the top 7 benefits of the main medicinal mushrooms. These different mushroom extracts can easily be added to whatever you’re cooking up in the kitchen.

Join the mushroom recipe challenge! Get creative in the kitchen with different ways to get more mushrooms in your diet. Invent your own recipe and share via insta @realmushrooms.

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We’ve compiled 9 of our crowd-favorite vegetarian winter recipes for simple but comforting meals to help you stay satisfied and healthy through the season. These meals, drinks, and snacks are packed with beneficial superfood ingredients, including our organic mushroom extracts to help support cognition, energy, and immune system function.

Each year during the change of seasons our immune systems can take a dip, so too can our mood and energy levels. These medicinal mushroom enhanced recipes can help keep you on top of your game.

Vegetarian Winter Drink Recipes

Mushroom Golden Milk 2 Ways

The golden milk trend is here to stay and we couldn’t be happier. From the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric to it’s earthy yet sweet flavor, this rhizome continues to be a fan favorite. We’ve created two versions: one for the morning and the other for evenings.

Which do you prefer?

 

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Pumpkin Spice Latte and Smoothie

We have two amazing spiced pumpkin pie latte recipes: a traditional hot latte and a cold smoothie adaptation!

Of course, our Pumpkin Spice Latte, withholds the artificial ingredients, flavors, preservatives, starches, and fillers and adds an extra dose of immune-boosting Turkey Tail mushroom extract.

This second recipe is prepared as a cold smoothie but it’s delicious warmed up for an elixir style beverage! If you don’t have the pre-made cold brew, you can make your own by adding any traditional “pumpkin spice” blend to your coffee.

 

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Anti-inflammatory Chaga Chai Latte

In certain traditions, a chai spice recipe is passed down between generations within a family. Families will have their own particular take on the blend of spices, and it’s often kept as a “family secret.” We created a special Chaga Chai Latte and we’d like to pass it on from our family to yours!

 

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Vegetarian Winter Snacks & Treats Recipes:

Pumpkin Pie Spice Protein Bars

Once you open your pumpkin puree can for the aforementioned Pumpkin Spice Latte, you can use the extra puree to make these simple Pumpkin Pie Spice Protein Bars. These bars are made with just a touch of sweetener to elevate the spices, so you don’t have to worry about a sugar crash! The mushroom of choice for this recipe is Lion’s Mane, though we’ve enjoyed others such as Reishi and Chaga.

 

Vegetarian Winter Recipe

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Keto Baked Donut Holes

These cinnamon “sugar” warm bites of love are a perfect winter weekend treat. As always, we’ve incorporated a Real Mushrooms extract powder into the recipe: Lion’s Mane. Known to support having healthy neurons and brain cell communication, Lion’s Mane is commonly referred to as the “focus and brain” mushroom.3 Bake a double batch and keep extras in the fridge for an easy weekday morning snack! Get the full recipe here or watch the video below:

 

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Peppermint Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake

It’s a classic winter combo, peppermint chocolate, with a fun twist.  The bold flavors of chocolate, peppermint, and our 5 Defenders Powder mix wonderfully with the sweet potato. Perfect as a special holiday dessert or even as a random act of self-love! This Peppermint Chocolate Sweet Potato cake is a guilt-free delight.

 

Chocolate sweet potato cake with medicinal mushrooms

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Vegetarian Winter Meal Recipes:

Keto Stuffed Mushrooms

As it gets darker earlier in the day, it’s nice to have something warm but simple for dinner. This oven-baked mushroom dinner is ready in under 45 min - including cooking time! It’s as simple as:

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Paleo Butternut Squash Soup with Mushroom Extract

Some things are classics for a reason and we think a good butternut squash soup is no exception. Fall harvests bring bounties of squash varieties that are great for soup season. Butternut squash is one of those soup staples you’ll want in your recipe lexicon! Now is also the time to double-down on protecting our immune systems from colds and flus. This soup is a warm and comforting way to get the health benefits of mushrooms by not only adding medicinal mushroom extracts but by using a base of mushroom broth. After you watch the video below, you can find the full recipe details here.

 

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Paleo Mole with Chaga

The complex, full flavor of this Chaga enhanced mole recipe is worth every ingredient on the list. A good sauce can be a flavor game-changer and this easy, 20-minute mole delivers just that! It pairs Real Mushrooms Chaga Powder with a touch of cacao for depth and warmth from the chili and cumin powder. It’s great when used on all types of proteins, vegetables, and of course, mushrooms!

 

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By the way, if you’re wondering if heat affects the efficacy of your mushrooms in these recipes (it doesn’t) check out our in-depth guide to dual-extraction. As always, we are not only fully transparent in our supply chain and ensure the highest possible quality, but we are also very passionate about sharing and educating every chance we get. We aim to supply the very best in an easy-to-use way because we believe in your worth and value, your time and money.

We hope these functional mushroom-infused recipes can give you a boost this fall and winter. Our organic, fruiting body mushroom extracts can be used not only in the recipes above but in a variety of ways! Follow us on Instagram @realmushrooms to see how other Real Mushrooms fans are using their extracts!

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Real Mushrooms Reishi Packaging Photo

References

  1. Shen, Y., Jia, L. N., Honma, N., Hosono, T., Ariga, T., & Seki, T. (2012). Beneficial effects of cinnamon on the metabolic syndrome, inflammation, and pain, and mechanisms underlying these effects - a review. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine, 2(1), 27–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2225-4110(16)30067-0
  2. Anh, N. H., Kim, S. J., Long, N. P., Min, J. E., Yoon, Y. C., Lee, E. G., Kim, M., Kim, T. J., Yang, Y. Y., Son, E. Y., Yoon, S. J., Diem, N. C., Kim, H. M., & Kwon, S. W. (2020). Ginger on Human Health: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of 109 Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients, 12(1), 157. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12010157
  3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12675022/
  1. Chaga is not a mushroom
  2. Chaga is primarily wood fiber and contains Birch compounds
  3. Chaga has been used since the 16th century
  4. Chaga's outer crust contains melanin
  5. Chaga was a Finnish coffee substitute in WW2
  6. Chaga Harvesting is Sustainable
  7. We rarely see the Chaga “Mushroom”
  8. Lab grown Chaga is not Chaga
  9. Chaga can be used to start fires
  10. Bonus: Hot Cacao Fungi Elixir

With plenty of articles out there touting the magic of chaga, we decided to focus on many of the unknown aspects or myths about it. What is Chaga? It is a very unique parasitic fungus, which is much different from the other mushrooms you know and love.

In the late 1990′s Chaga was virtually unknown as a dietary supplement, with the exception of Russia and a few countries in Southeast Asia. Now, in today’s world, many circles highly regard Chaga as a potent superfood.

So let’s jump right in and reveal 9 things you didn’t know about Chaga.

If you'd prefer to get your Chaga facts from the mouth of Real Mushrooms' Chief Funguy, Skye Chilton, take a look at the video below:

1. Chaga is not a mushroom

So, what exactly is Chaga, you ask?

Chaga is the common name for a perennial canker or sterile conk that commonly forms on a birch tree (Betula papyrifera, paper birch) after it has been infected and colonized by the mycelia of the pathogenic fungus Inonotus obliquus. The part of this fungus that one harvests is the outward manifestation of the fungal disease.

Common names for chaga include clinker polypore, cinder conk or birch canker polypore (not to be confused with birch polypore - Fomitopsis betulina). In British Columbia, Inonotus obliquus is classified as a tree disease.

How Chaga Grows:

Chaga Facts
The spores have penetrated the birch tree, germinated, and have begun to consume the heartwood.
Chaga
The fungus will then push toward the exterior of the tree consuming the wood as it goes.
what is chaga
The fungus will break through the bark and begin to form the canker of mycelium and wood lignins we call "Chaga."
What is Chaga?
Over many years, the Chaga grows much bigger and darker. It largely contains wood fiber & lignin which house many of the nutrients found in the host tree.

What we call ‘Chaga’ is the dense black mass that can be seen on the exterior of trees (almost exclusively on birch) infected with the fungus Inonotus obliquus. It's not a mushroom (fruiting body) but a dense sterile mass of decayed bits of birch tissue with mycelia incorporated.

When chopped from the tree the interior has a rusty yellow-brown color, somewhat granular in appearance, and is often mottled with whitish or cream-colored veins. Chaga can be referred to as a sclerotium, which is a dense mass of mycelium, but this is technically incorrect as Chaga is not pure mycelium.

One research paper estimated Chaga to be only around 10% mycelium based on microscopic observation. A more accurate term for Chaga is conk or canker or just plain old Chaga.

The exterior canker that is harvested should not be confused with the actual fertile fruiting body, which normally forms under the partially detached bark on dead standing or fallen trees. This fruiting body is a greyish, flat thin layered mass, up to 3-4 meters long and 40-50 cm wide, with downward cascading pores, which are the spore-producing layer of polypore fungi.

fruiting body
The bark has peeled away revealing the porous fruiting body. ©Terhi Joki, KÄÄPÄ Biotech, Finland.

2. Chaga is primarily wood fiber and contains Birch compounds

Chaga is a slow-growing fungus that primarily grows on birch trees. It is common to find Chaga in the boreal forest regions of the Northern Hemisphere like in Russia, Korea, Eastern and Northern Europe, Northern areas of the United States and Alaska, Canada, and Northern China.

Typically, one finds well-developed Chaga sclerotia on trees over 40 years of age, but the infection starts earlier. The period from initial infection to tree death varies with the number of infection sites and tree resistance but is typically around 20 years. After about 3-5 years of growth, the Chaga can be harvested.

The harvested dark black conk consists primarily of wood lignans from the host tree and mycelium of the invasive fungus. Due to this, when Chaga grows on birch, it will also contain birch compounds like betulin and betulinic acid4.

After harvesting, Chaga can regrow to harvestable size again in three to ten years, and this can be repeated until the tree dies. Chopping off the Chaga does not kill the organism and the mycelium is still inside the tree slowly consuming it. Chaga is not technically a perennial by definition; it may live for years as it consumes its food source, but once that source is exhausted, it will then die for lack of nutrients.

3. Chaga has been used since the 16th century!

Russians have known about Chaga’s health benefits for a long time; the word ‘Chaga‘ is a derivative from ‘чага‘, which is the old Russian word for mushroom. A healing plant of renowned value throughout the world, Chaga is thought to be a potent immune-stimulating medicinal mushroom.

In fact, the first verifiable mentions of Chaga were from the early 16th century. Chaga is documented in folk and botanical medicine throughout Eastern Europe. Traditionally Chaga was used as a common remedy for stomach ailments.1

Chaga became popular in the West after it was mentioned in the book, Cancer Ward, by Nobel Prize-winning Russian author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. In the book, he notes that poorer people saved money on tea by brewing Chaga.

As early as 1955, a Chaga extract known as Befungin (Russian translation) has been sold in Russia to treat stomach and intestinal ailments.

Real Mushrooms Chaga
Smaller chunks of chaga cut from a larger piece.

4. Chaga's outer crust contains melanin.

Chaga also contains melanin, concentrated in the black outer crust, which is a complex compound that gives the skin, hair and the iris (colored part of the eye) their color. Our skin naturally darkens in response to sun exposure which stimulates melanocytes to produce melanin. Considered a potent source of melanin, Chaga may help protect the skin and hair from sun damage. Melanins have a role in DNA repair, mitochondria health, cell metabolism, and protection from light and radiation. In particular, melanins from mushrooms exhibit a high anti-inflammatory effect based on their antioxidant and gene-protecting properties. Melanins can decrease oxidation of fatty acids and damage of membranes creating lots of potential for skin health.8,9

chaga tea
Tea made from boiling Chaga

5. Chaga was a Finnish coffee substitute in WW2

Often, Chaga is compared to coffee with its robust flavor and dark color. It’s earthy, slightly bitter, and has a small hint of forest sweetness. Luckily, if you are sensitive to caffeine Chaga is a great alternative to coffee as it’s caffeine-free so it won’t keep you awake and it’s just as tasty!

In Finland, during WW2 there was a coffee shortage and substitutes started popping up, many based on roasted rye3. It was then that Chaga emerged as an ideal coffee substitute known as Tikka Te.

Chaga Coffee (which is really more like a tea) is a great and simple way to consume Chaga. You can buy the wild chunks from a reputable source to brew your own magical concoction.

But if you’re just looking for a quick and easy way to add Chaga to your diet, we’ve made it simpler for you to consume with our amazing Chaga capsules. We use a hot water extraction made from our pure source of wild-harvested Chaga from Siberia. Take two of these capsules daily over a three month period to feel the full health benefits.

Tikka Te
A Chaga Tea product from Finland during WWII

6. Chaga Harvesting is Sustainable!

Many argue that wild harvesting of Chaga is not sustainable and we need to be wary of overconsumption of this fungi.

In 2004, David Pilz, Forestry Mycologist at Oregon State University, went to Russia to report on whether Chaga harvesting in Russia was sustainable or not.5 This is the most detailed report of Chaga harvesting currently available. The report determined that the “biological Chaga resource is immense, and unlikely to be over-harvested to the detriment of the species Inonotus obliquus any time in the near future.” According to the report, Chaga is excessively abundant, even with over-harvesting estimates.

The report states that Chaga infects upwards of 20% of all birch trees in Russia. This is in stark contrast to some claims on the internet that Chaga is extremely rare and only found on 1 in every 10,000-20,000 birch trees.

Similar to Russia, Scandinavia has vast boreal forests. Luke, The Natural Resources Institute Finland, estimates that Chaga infects 6-30% of all birch in Sweden and Finland.4

Given similar estimates between Russia, Finland, and Sweden, it would be safe to assume that Canada also has vast amounts of Chaga in its boreal forest regions.

The Pilz report did make an important note about proximity to chaga. While the resource is vastly abundant, how far harvesters need to travel in order to find chaga will have a direct impact on the selling price. Popular harvesting areas may get over-harvested and lead people to believe that this fungus is threatened.

The Future of Chaga

In the future, there may be a tipping point at which the cost of harvesting becomes too expensive for supplements but given the vast amounts of Chaga available, this turning point would be well before there was any threat to the species itself.

An important note is that harvesting Chaga does not kill the organism itself. The mycelium is still inside the tree slowly consuming it. Near or after the tree’s death, the mycelium will begin to produce the mushroom (fruiting body) so that spores can be released and the organism can reproduce. Chaga harvesting does not impact the organism's ability to reproduce.
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7. We rarely see the Chaga “Mushroom”

Since the harvested part of the Chaga is actually a woody canker and not a mushroom in the traditional sense, it begs the question: Does Chaga have a fruiting body?

Yes, it does but we rarely see it.

The actual mushroom (fruiting body) forms under the bark on dead standing or fallen trees. After the tree dies, the bark slowly separates from the tree, revealing the sporocarp (fruiting body). This fruiting body is a greyish, flat thin layered porous mass with downward cascading pores. When the conditions are correct, the pore layer will begin to release spores which will get blown around in the wind and eventually end up on a weakened birch tree and the infection process will start over. Insects also like to eat the mushroom which helps to transport the spores to new areas.

Terhi Joki, KÄÄPÄ Biotech, Finland
The porous fruiting body will disperse spores to continue propagating this fungus. ©Terhi Joki, KÄÄPÄ Biotech, Finland.

8. Lab grown Chaga is not Chaga!

Cultivated Chaga can and will have a different composition and therapeutic properties, depending on the conditions under which it grows (different types of substrate, environmental conditions, etc.)

This is because a lab can only cultivate the mycelium and not cultivate the canker or sclerotium itself.

Wild Chaga takes three to five years before it can be harvested and many of the special compounds in Chaga, like betulin and betulinic acid, come from the birch tree. If no birch tree is involved, like a lab-grown process, then none of these important birch compounds will be present. No black outer layer, no melanin. Not to mention that lab-grown Chaga is myceliated grain so there will be a large concentration of grain in the final product as opposed to the actual Chaga canker.

Luckily, our Siberian Chaga is wild-harvested and tested by 3rd party laboratories for the active compounds like beta-D-glucans that are quintessential nutrients for the immune system. This wild Chaga has been maturing for upwards of 20 years in the cold and wild boreal forests. Siberian Chaga contains many polysaccharides, triterpenoids, and melanin which is a pigment we need throughout the human body.

We care deeply about sourcing the highest quality mushrooms that contain the most medicinal compounds to support your health over long term use. It is recommended that adults take two capsules of our organic Chaga daily.

9. Chaga can be used to start fires

The bushcraft and survivalist communities use Chaga as a fire starter. Once dried, the inner brown section of chaga can take a spark and it is very slow burning making it ideal as starting coal for your fire. Fire pistons, which compresses air to create heat to ignite your starting coal, can also make use of Chaga.

In Summary

You’ve just learned that:

  1. Chaga is not a mushroom
  2. Chaga is primarily broken down woody tissue
  3. Uses of Chaga date back to the 16th century
  4. Chaga contains Melanin
  5. In World War 2 Chaga was a coffee replacement
  6. Chaga harvesting is sustainable
  7. We rarely see the Chaga “mushroom”
  8. Lab-grown chaga is not actually chaga
  9. Chaga can make fires

At Real Mushrooms, we pride ourselves on our product quality, as we know products on the market today aren’t always what they seem. We offer transparency with our sourcing, processing, and ingredients. We always use 100% mushroom extracts made with no grain or filler, created with ethics and purity, to assist in bringing optimum health to your life.

Learn more about the process

If you’d like to understand the extraction methods for mushrooms click here. This article explores whether dual extraction is necessary.

How did you enjoy the article? Did you learn anything new? Please tell us your special experiences with Chaga in the comments below!

As a BONUS and to make it as easy and enjoyable as possible to get Chaga into your daily diet, here is a delicious recipe we recommend.

It's one of our team's favorites!

Hot Cacao Fungi Elixir

Recipe:chaga latte

Directions: Bring all of these ingredients to a simmer on the stovetop, serve, and enjoy! Add a few cacao nibs at the end for an added crunch. This will give you a super boost of nutrients and energy!

 

For more recipes like this, be sure to visit our mushroom recipe section of the blog.

There are so many ways to incorporate this superfood into your daily regime. Add our Chaga powder to your smoothies, oatmeal, as an added nutrient to your morning coffee or tea, or even into your raw desserts.

 

SHOP MUSHROOMS!

Mushroom extract powders

References:

  1. <https://www.chaofbc.ca/chaga-mushroom-or-fungus-also-known-as-king-of-the-herbs/>
  2. “What Are Chaga Mushrooms and Are They Healthy?” Healthline, Sept 2020 <https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chaga-mushroom#side-effects>
  3. “To the Bomb and Back: Finnish War Children Tell Their World War II Stories” edited by Sue Saffle. <https://books.google.ca/books?id=g8-dBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA302&dq=coffee+shortage+finland+%22world+war+II%22&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=coffee%20shortage%20finland%20%22world%20war%20II%22&f=false>
  4. PAKURIKÄÄPÄ (Inonotus obliquus), LUKE, Sept 2020 <http://www.metla.fi/metinfo/metsienterveys/lajit_kansi/inobli-n.htm>
  5. Pilz, David. 2004. Chaga and other fungal resources: assessment of sustainable commercial harvesting in Khabarovsk and Primorsky Krais, Russia. Report prepared for Winrock International, Morrilton, Arkansas and the FOREST Project, Khabarovsk, Russia. April 30, 2004. <http://www.fsl.orst.edu/mycology/PilzPage_files/Pilz2004ChagaReport.pdf>
  6. Cancer Ward, Wikipedia, Sept 2020 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_Ward>
  7. Chemical characterization and biological activity of Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), a medicinal “mushroom” <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874115000045>
  8. Shashkina, M. Y., Shashkin, P. N., & Sergeev, A. V. (2006). Chemical and medicobiological properties of chaga. Pharmaceutical Chemistry Journal, 40(10), 560-568.
  9. V. P. Kurchenko, T. A. Kukulyanskaya, and D. A. Novikov, Advances in Medicinal Mycology (Proc. 2nd All-Russia Congr. On Med. Mycol.) [in Russian], Moscow (2004), Vol. 3, Ch. 5, pp. 156 – 158.

 

All the comforting taste of a Chai Latte, with health-boosting Chaga mushroom extract, in an easy 5-minute, dairy-free recipe.

Sweet, spicy, nourishing comfort. What’s not to love in a Chai Latte?

We decided to take that love even further and bring you a healthy Chai Latte recipe that is easy, gut-friendly, dairy-free, and boosted with Chaga Mushroom to take the anti-inflammatory and digestive benefits to the next level.

What you end up with is a medicinal, anti-inflammatory Chaga Chai Latte that nourishes your gut, while at the same time nourishing your pleasure senses.

Let’s dive into the details.

Health Benefits of Chaga Mushroom

This simple Chaga Chai Latte recipe is not only pleasurable to drink, but while you’re sipping away, it’s providing your gut with some key nutrients it needs to optimize its health. In fact, the unique components of Chaga actually help to improve the number of your beneficial gut bugs, while limiting the number of pathogenic ones.

Besides acting as a prebiotic food source for your gut microbiome, the immense load of antioxidants in Chaga can further benefit your gut health. This is due to the fact that antioxidants can help to reduce inflammation, and inflammation in the gut is the root of various digestive complaints.

Anti-inflammatory - check.
Gut health - check.
Pleasurable to drink - check.
Easy to make - check.

Did we miss anything? Oh yes. This recipe is made with no weird preservatives, additives, or heavy doses of refined sugar that are often found in coffee shop Chai Lattes.

And that’s a healthy trend we like. So in that same boat, our Real Mushrooms Chaga (as with all our products) is made with absolutely no preservatives, additives, starches, or fillers that are often founded in powdered mushroom extracts.

All that to say, this healthy Chaga Chai Latte ticks all the boxes, making it a nourishing, comforting drink to weave into your everyday routine.

healthy chai latteOther Ingredients & Recipe Notes

Tools needed

Servings: 2
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients for the Chaga Chai Latte

Directions for the Chaga Chai Latte

  1. Heat up your almond milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to slightly simmer.
  2. Turn off the heat and place two black tea bags into the heated almond milk. After 3-5 minutes, remove the teabags.*
  3. Add the Chaga, cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, and your favorite sweetener. Stir until combined over medium-high heat.
  4. Taste and adjust for the sweetness level.
  5. Enjoy hot or iced!**
  6. Top with coconut whip cream if desired.

*If you’re trying to avoid caffeine, you can use decaf black tea or just leave the tea out altogether and skip step 2.
** For the iced version, let the brewed chai completely cool and pour over a glass of ice.

healthy chaga chai latteEnjoy this Anti-inflammatory Healthy Chai Latte Recipe in good health

Never underestimate the power of the simple pleasure found in sipping a nourishing beverage, especially when the beverage is loaded with health-boosting ingredients.

But, the only caveat is, you have to actually slow down enough to appreciate the nourishment.

Yes, this is an incredibly easy recipe that comes together in 5 minutes, but that just leaves more time for you to hit the pause button and enjoy drinking it.

Smell the sweet and spicy aroma, breathe, and take some time out of the hustle and bustle of your schedule - just for yourself, to be with your thoughts, your breath, and your beverage.

P.S. It’s especially enjoyable sipping out in nature.

Easily give your other recipes a power boost

If you don’t want to use Chaga, you can easily try out one of our other functional mushroom extracts. There are wonderful options, each with their own unique profiles and benefits. To learn more, you can read our article which highlights the top 7 benefits of the main medicinal mushrooms. These different mushroom extracts can easily be added to whatever you’re cooking up in the kitchen.

Join the mushroom recipe challenge! Get creative in the kitchen with different ways to get more mushrooms in your diet. Invent your own recipe and share via insta @realmushrooms. We will feature the winner’s recipe on the blog & give you a coupon for any Real Mushroom product of your choice!

SHOP MUSHROOMS!

A recipe for an easy paleo mole sauce that tastes like it’s been simmering all day, done in 20 minutes, and boosted with health benefits from Chaga Mushroom extract.

A good sauce can be a game-changer to flavor up food, and a good dose of Chaga Mushroom extract can be a game-changer to boost up your health. So we thought, why not pair the two together!

Thus we bring you not just any mole sauce, but an easy-to-make, paleo, Chaga mole sauce that's not only delicious but anti-inflammatory and gut-nourishing too.

So what’s mole sauce anyway?

If you’ve enjoyed a lot of traditional Mexican cuisine and tasted a rich sauce that smells a bit like chocolate and tastes a bit spicy, smoky, nutty, and earthy-sweet - that’s the mole sauce! There are different types of mole sauce (not all contain chocolate), each with their own individual flavor profiles and ingredients, but they usually all contain a fruit, chili pepper, nuts or seeds, and particular spices.

So we combined all the traditional elements and added a dose of Real Mushrooms Chaga to boost the nutrition even more.

Why Add the Chaga Extract?

One of the benefits of Real Mushrooms 100% organic mushroom extract powders is the ease and versatility of consuming them. They can easily be added to baked treats, cooked dishes, beverages, and yes, sauces!

The other benefit of Real Mushrooms extracts is that you’re also getting a high dose of nutrition and health benefits, with no added starch or fillers (that are often found in mushroom products).

For example, in this mole sauce, you’re getting a dose of digestive, skin, immune, brain, and liver support from the 100% Chaga extract. Due to its high concentration of antioxidants, Chaga helps make this sauce a tasty and medicinal go-to that you can enjoy over your veggies, protein, and so much more.

chaga mole sauce

Bonus: Chaga pairs very well with chocolate. And it’s not only the taste that pairs well, the chocolate actually helps your body absorb the Chaga more efficiently due to the fact that cacao is a vasodilator ( it widens your blood vessels). Win, win!

How do you use mole sauce?

The options are endless for how you can use the sauce. The fun part is being creative in your kitchen, but we’ll include some ideas to get you started.

Put it over:

Customize your sauce!

Feel free to experiment and come up with the perfect sauce that’s to your liking. For example, if very spicy foods aren’t your thing, feel free to omit the jalapeño altogether. And if you want a bit of a sweet sauce, feel free to add some honey or your favorite sweetener to the mix.

How to save your mole sauce, can it be frozen?

You can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Tools You’ll Need

Servings: about 2 ½ cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients for Paleo Chaga Molechaga mole recipe

Directions for Paleo Chaga Mole

  1. Heat the avocado oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add your onion, garlic, and jalapeño (if using) and sauté until they’re tender. Should take about 5-7 minutes.
  2. Then add your chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, cloves, coriander, and cassava flour and mix until everything is combined.
  3. Add your broth.
  4. Add your nut butter, tomato paste, cacao powder, Chaga, and salt. Stir until combined on medium-high heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir until it’s thickens a bit.
  5. Blend the mixture until it’s smooth. You can use an immersion blender or put the mixture into a blender. Be very cautious when blending, making sure the sauce has cooled to a lukewarm temperature.
  6. Carefully taste. Add your sweetener if you’d like it a bit sweet.
  7. Serve and enjoy!

Enjoy this Chaga Mole Sauce recipe in good health

Traditionally, mole sauce is quite the labor-intensive recipe to make, but we threw in some shortcuts to make it a bit more manageable for those that don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen.

We also threw in some Chaga Mushroom extract to help bring in some anti-inflammatory, brain, immune, gut, and liver support.

As to how you enjoy it, that’s up to you! We love to encourage our readers to get creative in the kitchen. It’s a fun way to connect with your food, to connect with your senses, and to connect with yourself.

So have fun with it and we’d love to see your creativity!

Easily give your other recipes a power boost

If you don’t want to use Chaga, you can easily try out another functional mushroom extract. There are wonderful options, each with their own unique profiles and benefits. To learn more, you can read our article which highlights the top 7 benefits of the main medicinal mushrooms. These different mushroom extracts can easily be added to whatever you’re cooking up in the kitchen.

Join the mushroom recipe challenge! Get creative in the kitchen with different ways to get more mushrooms in your diet. Invent your own recipe and share via insta @realmushrooms. We will feature the winner’s recipe on the blog & give you a coupon for any Real Mushroom product of your choice!

SHOP MUSHROOMS!

Our version of this internet trending recipe comes with a skin-rejuvenating, antioxidant-boosting, immune system regulating, and happy-digesting twist! This Dalgona Mushroom Coffee recipe uses one of our favorite mushroom powder extracts: Chaga.

Maybe you’ve seen Dalgona Coffee sweeping the web (I mean, who hasn’t?!). Maybe you’ve been wanting to try it but don’t want the jolt of jitteriness, acidity, and digestive consequences that can follow coffee consumption. Maybe you’ve been searching for a healthier version to try. Or maybe you’ve been enjoying this treat as a daily quarantine staple to replace your love of fancy coffee store beverages.

Whatever coffee boat you’re in, Real Mushrooms’ Dalgona Mushroom Coffee (vegan and paleo) will be sure to please. You get all of the delicious factors with the added health benefits of the functional mushroom known as Chaga, while lessening the wiry coffee sensation.

A deep dive into the world of Chaga

Let’s talk Chaga. Specifically, let’s talk about Chaga’s ability to help offset some of the possible downsides of drinking coffee:  indigestion, gut irritation, and increased stress and anxiety.

Chaga has the unique ability to nurture and help grow beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome. It does this because it’s loaded with prebiotics and polysaccharides. When those beneficial bacteria are nourished, they can do what they do best - help you and your digestion in top-notch condition. And not only that, when your digestion is running more smoothly, your skin tends to look smoother too. As an added bonus, Chaga, like the other mushroom extracts in our lineup, helps to support the immune system.

Chaga grown on birch trees
Chaga generally grows on birch trees in colder climates and can take 3-5 years to reach the ideal harvesting size.

Chaga for Skin Health

So, not only can Chaga rejuvenate your digestion, but also your skin. And you know what else is great for skin health? Antioxidants and melanin! Antioxidants can help protect your skin by limiting that skin-damaging free radical production and Chaga is rich in them. Melanin, which is concentrated in the outer black layer of Chaga, is beneficial for skin health too. Gut health, skin health - check, check! Now onto the big whopper of stress.

Chaga Mushroom Powder
Add Chaga to your Dalgona Coffee to boost your gut and skin health!

Chaga for Stress

Drinking coffee, for some, can make stress management more difficult —so let’s talk about the word adaptogen. Now the world of adaptogens is as trendy as Dalgona Coffee - and Chaga is indeed an adaptogen.

If you get quality-grown medicinal mushrooms with no added fillers like starch, mycelium, or grain of any kind - we’re talking 100% organic mushroom extract, then this adaptogenic fungi can indeed be a wonderful and beneficial addition to your diet. While certainly not being a cure-all, they can live up to the hype. And as such, taking on its adaptogenic role in the Dalgona Mushroom Coffee, Chaga can naturally support your adrenals. Happy adrenals = happy life, or rather the ability to live a thriving life where you can naturally adapt to life’s stressors.

Here at Real Mushrooms, we only offer 100% wildcrafted Siberian Chaga that contains all its non-water soluble components, so you experience that maximum adaptogenic potency.

Depending on your genetic factors and lifestyle, you may have no problem metabolizing the caffeine in coffee. That’s great! But, for the rest of us, the addition of Chaga to our coffee might be an idea worth your time. And even if you do great with coffee, then Chaga in your daily morning beverage would still be worth it for all of the health benefits mentioned above. And what better way to try it out then to enjoy the latest Internet sensation: Dalgona Coffee.

Dalgona Mushroom Coffee Recipe

Tools you’ll need

Recipe Substitutions

Servings: 1
Prep Time: 5-7 minutes
Cook Time: 0

Dalgona Chaga Mushroom Coffee
Chaga powder, instant coffee, sugar, hot water, and milk are all you need to create your delicious drink!

Ingredients

Instructions

Enjoy mushroom coffee in good health

Let’s face it, life can feel like a roller coaster, with unpredictable turns making your stomach drop and giving you whiplash. The solution? Whipped Chaga Coffee, of course! Ok, all jokes aside. Truthfully, life won’t slow down, but how you approach it can. There’s so much to digest in the world, apart from what you put into your mouth. Emotions. Thoughts. Uncontrollable circumstances.

But you have the amazing power of free will. You can choose how to show up to life’s ride, you can choose what thoughts you want to believe, and you can choose what foods you put into your body. And, we as a mission-focused company fully believe that you deserve the best - we believe in providing you real, powerful ingredients like organic functional mushrooms that can help support you on that roller coaster ride; to make it a little less bumpy; to help you adapt to those unpredictable turns a bit better; and to help offset the ride's stressful impact as adaptogens like Chaga can do.

So, take a moment to just be - still. Sip your Dalgona Mushroom Coffee, choose how you want to show up in the world, choose beneficial thoughts, and choose beneficial foods.

Whipped Chaga Coffee
Try any of our mushroom extracts in a Dalgona Coffee creation of your own!

Easily give your other recipes a power boost

The Internet is flooding with those dreamy pictures of Dalgona Coffee and we at Real Mushrooms would love to see your unique spin on it! If you don’t want to use Chaga, perhaps try out another functional mushroom. There are wonderful options, each with their own unique profiles and benefits. To learn more, you can read our article which highlights the top 7 benefits of the main medicinal mushrooms. Bottom line, just have fun, get creative, and show off your work!

Join the mushroom recipe challenge! Get creative in the kitchen with different ways to get more mushrooms in your diet. Invent your own recipe and share via insta @realmushrooms. We will feature the winner’s recipe on the blog & give you a coupon for any Real Mushroom product of your choice!

SHOP MUSHROOMS!

Real Mushrooms product line
Click above to explore our lineup of mushroom extracts.

DIY mushroom coffee is an easy way to improve your health while enjoying a beloved beverage. Medicinal mushrooms have a variety of nutritional benefits,. These benefits include supporting the immune and nervous systems, increasing energy, helping maintain even blood sugar levels, and supporting brain health and cognition*. However, the health benefits of mushrooms can be diminished if there are unnecessary fillers present in the supplement like what we see with myceliated grain.

Selecting Your Mushroom Extract Powder

Many supplement companies sell medicinal mushroom products made from myceliated grain, a precursor to the mushroom (fruiting body). The mycelium (the “roots” of the mushroom) is grown on a grain substrate. The result is a product that is high in grain starch and lacking many of the compounds these fungi are famous for. Supplements made from myceliated grain contain between 35-60% starch instead of beneficial fungal matter.

Several studies conclude that absent the fruiting body, what is commonly and simply known as the ‘mushroom’, the medicinal compounds in a mycelium-based supplement may be severely diminished. This is because the highest concentrations of health-supporting beta-glucans are found in the fruiting body as opposed to the mycelium. The starch serves as nothing more than a filler and dilutes the amounts of beneficial compounds you get in your mushroom extract. You can learn more about how myceliated grain is grown and why it's not ideal for supplements.

By contrast, the organic mushroom extracts at Real Mushrooms are made from certified organic mushrooms (fruiting bodies), offering 100% mushroom with no grain fillers. Using Real Mushrooms powder means getting a mushroom extract with some of the highest concentrations of active medicinal compounds on the market. This means you get real health benefits by adding Real Mushrooms power to your cup of DIY mushroom coffee.

Mushroom coffee artPhoto credit: @smailer

5 Reasons to Make Your Own Mushroom Coffee

Ultimately, adding Real Mushrooms’ extracts to your freshly brewed coffee will be better in flavor and nutritional quality than adding pre-made dietary mushroom packets to an instant coffee mix. With full control over your beverage, you can adjust the quantity of extract and know exactly what you are getting. You can then guarantee you are getting a supplement that is NOT diluted with fillers. Finally, buying in bulk tends to be more cost-effective and friendlier to the environment.

There are 5 distinct advantages to DIY mushroom coffee:

  1. You can choose your own high-quality mushroom extracts, such as those at Real Mushrooms to maximize the medicinal compounds in your coffee.
  2. Skip the freeze-dried instant coffee and use fresh and local roasted coffee beans to enhance the flavor and experience.
  3. Trust all of the ingredients you are consuming and where they are sourced.
  4. Customize your coffee to enjoy the specific nutritional benefits and flavor profile you are after.
  5. Save money and go green: reduce the excess waste from premade, single-use mixed packets of mushroom coffee.

Here are 11 DIY mushroom coffee recipes that offer an easy way to incorporate the benefits of medicinal mushrooms into your daily diet.

1. Simple Mushroom Coffee

If you’re new to the mushroom coffee craze, start off simple. Since each mushroom provides different nutritional health benefits, add the extract powder with the medicinal properties you are seeking. For better flavor and fewer toxins, try using organic coffee beans or grounds, such as those found at Purity Coffee or your favorite organic blend.

Directions: Stir the powder into your coffee until it is dissolved. Serve immediately.

Simple Mushroom Coffee2. Mushroom Cacao Latte

This creamy mushroom-boosted latte features a blend of mushroom extracts that offer a host of benefits including supporting a healthy immune system as well as spices with anti-inflammatory properties. It also includes cacao, which is known to be rich in antioxidants and trace minerals.

Directions: Blend all ingredients until frothy. Serve immediately.

(Original recipe post: www.realmushrooms.com/mushroom-cacao-latte/)

mushroom cacao latte3. Tahini Adaptogen Latte

The Tahini Adaptogen Latte has Chaga, a powerful antioxidant that grows on birch trees. This mushroom is used to support immune function. Adaptogens, like many mushrooms, are still being studied; however, they have been used in herbal medicine and are even believed to help stabilize physiological processes and promote homeostasis in the body.

Directions: Mix ingredients in a high-speed blender and serve immediately.

(Original recipe post: https://www.realmushrooms.com/tahini-adaptogen-latte/)

Tahini Adaptogen Latte with Mushroom ExtractPhoto credit: Jordan Bruce

4. Flu Season Mocha

Get your immune system back in gear with this mocha latte featuring Chaga mushrooms, a potent antioxidant, offering a nourishing treat that can help get you stronger to stave off those seasonal colds and flu.

Directions: Brew coffee with your preferred method of choice. Add 1/2 of the coffee and all the other ingredients to a coffee mug and blend using an immersion blender or milk frother. Add the rest of the coffee and froth the top of the drink.

(Original recipe post: https://www.realmushrooms.com/flu-season-mocha/)

Flu season mocha with medicinal mushrooms5. Spiced Mushroom Cold Brew Coffee

Boost your metabolism and support brain function with this cold brew beverage that features Chaga, Lion’s mane and Cordyceps.

Directions: Add everything to a blender and blend until desired consistency.

(Original recipe post: www.realmushrooms.com/spiced-mushroom-cold-brew-coffee/)

SHOP MUSHROOMS!

6. Cocoa Butter Mushroom Coffee

Rich and silky, cacao butter mushroom coffee contains Lion’s mane mushroom extract, which has shown to help ease the effects of anxiety, depression, and cognitive function.

Directions: Add everything to a blender and blend for roughly 10-20 seconds. Serve immediately.

(Original recipe post: www.realmushrooms.com/omg-cacao-butter-mushroom-coffee/)

7. Iced Mushroom Coffee

Upgrade your regular iced coffee by adding 5 Defenders mushroom extract powder for immune strength.

Directions: To make the simple syrup, combine sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool completely and stir in vanilla extract; set aside. Mix mushroom extract powder into coffee, pour coffee over ice with half-and-half and simple syrup, to taste.

(Source: damndelicious.net)

Iced Mushroom Coffee8. Dalgona Mushroom Coffee

Put a mushroom twist on a coffee trend that is taking the internet by storm. Dalgona coffee, or whipped coffee, is a creamy treat that’s easy to customize. Add Reishi mushroom extract which can help support the immune system, improve sleep, and reduce stress and fatigue.

Directions: Combine the instant coffee, sugar, and hot water in a medium bowl. Whip, by hand or with a mixer. Continue mixing until the mixture turns from foamy to frothy to creamy. Add the Reishi powder and stir until mixed. Spoon the fluffy blend over milk in a glass filled with ice. (You could also spoon it over warm milk for a hot drink.) Combine and serve.

(Source: nytimes.com)

dalgona coffee with medicinal mushrooms9. Affogato Mushroom Coffee

This simple Italian dessert coffee is perfect on warm, summer days. Get an extra boost by adding Lion’s mane to enhance cognition.

Directions: Dissolve Lion's mane into freshly brewed espresso. Place gelato in an old-fashioned glass and pour espresso over top. Serve immediately.

(Source: allrecipes.com)

affogato coffee with medicinal mushrooms10. Chocolate Ghee Mushroom Coffee

Creamy and delicious, this coffee includes Reishi mushroom powder, which helps support longevity and helps to reduce physical and emotional stress. It also has chocolate ghee, a clarified butter infused with cacao, which is a twist on the typical "bulletproof" coffee formula.

Directions: Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend on high for 1 - 2 minutes. The longer you blend, the creamier it becomes and has a great froth to it. Pour & enjoy!

Tip: adding the hemp seeds directly to the blender skips the step of having to make your own milk. They blend super smooth and you don’t have to strain hemp milk, plus added plant protein!

(Source: caitlincuriosity.com)

11. Chaga and Lion’s Mane Iced Mushroom Mocha

Pack a nutritional punch with this mocha featuring Chaga which can boosts digestion and help to clear skin as well as Lion’s mane which supports healthy brain function.

Directions: Mix the Chaga and Lion’s mane with a very small amount of boiled water (just enough to dissolve them), cool it with some ice, or let it sit and cool. Add all ingredients into a blender and blend on high for a minute. If you don’t have a blender try mixing it up in one of those protein drink shakers. Add the ice into your cup and pour in the blended mixture. Feeling decadent? Add some vanilla (plant-based) ice cream.

(Source: rawdealfoods.com.au)

The nutritional benefits of medicinal mushrooms are diverse and plentiful. It’s important to make sure you’re using organic mushroom extracts that are made from the 100% mushrooms with no grain fillers. Try out these DIY mushroom coffee recipes with Real Mushrooms to enjoy different health benefits every day.

SHOP MUSHROOMS!
Real Mushrooms Organic Mushroom Extract Powders

A Nutrient-Dense, Vegan & Paleo Meal with the Benefits of Medicinal Mushrooms!

You have an epic vacation lined up. You’re working hours around the clock to get a project done. You have a household full of kids running around getting into all kinds of mischief. Or you’re just living and loving life. Whatever phase you’re currently in, nobody has the time or wants to get knocked down by the flu, cold, or any type of pathogen. This vegan & paleo Acai bowl recipe with immune-supporting medicinal mushrooms will see that you don’t.

The good news is, your body is incredibly intelligent and knows how to fight off those infections and pathogens and heal itself.

You just have to give it the proper ingredients it needs to do so. Ingredients that manifest through your approach to life - your lifestyle, habits, and nutrition. These play a critical role in letting your immune system do its flu & cold busting job efficiently.

Real Mushrooms’ Immune-Boosting Mushroom Acai Bowl is vegan, paleo, and nutrient-loaded with probiotic-rich yogurt, vitamin-rich fruit, chlorophyll powdered greens, and two amazing stand-out superhero mushrooms: Chaga and Turkey Tail.

The immune-boosting ingredients used in this Acai bowl recipe:

Overall, functional mushrooms are great for your gut health. With their rich content of fibers like chitin, hemicellulose, and beta-glucans, these mushrooms act as prebiotics. Prebiotics are foods that nurture the growth of your beneficial bacteria and help fight off pathogens within the GI tract, allowing your immune system to thrive.

Chaga is especially rich in these gut-friendly prebiotic melano-glucan complexes, amping up the healthy bacterial profile in your gut microbiota. In fact, traditionally Chaga was boiled down as tea to help treat stomach ailments and other gastrointestinal disorders, which you can read more about in our 7 mushroom benefits for health article.

Acai Bowl Recipe ingredientsChaga

Housing around 80% of your entire immune system and absorbing about 90% of all of your nutrients through your intestinal wall, your digestive system, and the health of your microbiome play a critical role when it comes to immunity. A strong digestive system and a healthy, balanced microbiome lead to a strong immune system. That’s where ingredients like the probiotic-rich yogurt and the digestive-enzyme-rich papaya help out. But, what people might not always jump to for digestive health is the amazing “mushroom that’s not a mushroom” - Chaga!

Chaga is an all-star player when it comes to both immunity and digestion. Its main health benefit is the boost it gives to your digestion. It also has the wonderful side effect of clearing your skin; healthy skin is a reflection of healthy digestion!

Acai Bowl Recipe Mushroom ingredientTurkey Tail

And then there’s the “the mushroom of multiple colors” - Turkey Tail! Turkey Tail swings in to boost your immunity by stimulating cytokine production and increasing your natural killer cells. It’s an incredibly powerful ally to have on your immune support team.

An immunity "support team" of ingredients

The other "immune support team" players in this acai bowl recipe are the healthy fats, vitamin-rich fruit, and chlorophyll-loaded greens. All-powerful raw materials your immune system needs in order to thrive. Everything in the bowl works synergistically paving the way to good digestion; good digestion leads to proper absorption of all the beneficial foods you eat; and proper absorption then leads to keeping your immunity strong and healthy.

Just remember the powerful combination is: nutrient-loaded raw materials, good digestion, and a healthy gut microbiome. All work together synergistically to make for a healthy immune system.

Lastly, a quick note to remember - these “raw materials” are most efficiently utilized when they’re incorporated into a healthy, low-stress lifestyle. And if your food is in fact going to be used for preventative and therapeutic purposes, then quality and sourcing matter immensely. This is definitely true when it comes to mushrooms - like the Chaga and Turkey Tail. At Real Mushrooms, we’re passionate about delivering the highest medicinal mushroom quality and potency and will only deliver you 100% pure and organic extracts, backed by scientific verification. So you know you are getting the very best.

Ok, spoons up, let’s dive into the details of the bowl!

Servings: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0

Tools you’ll need:

Acai bowl recipe substitutions:

Smoothie and smoothie bowls are wonderful in that you can easily substitute ingredients out. For example, you can substitute the coconut yogurt for your favorite yogurt or half a small avocado. Alternatively, you can use your favorite protein powder, collagen, or leave it out altogether. Also, if you’d like to make the bowl sweeter, you can swap the frozen cucumber for 1/2 a frozen banana.

Ingredients:

Toppings (optional):

Acai Bowl Recipe Instructions:

  1. In a blender, throw in your coconut milk, coconut yogurt, vanilla extract, frozen papaya, frozen cucumber, frozen acai packet, and spinach.
  2. Blend it up.
  3. Add your vanilla protein, turkey tail, chaga, and a pinch of salt.
  4. Blend it up.
  5. Pour into a bowl and add your toppings!

Acai Bowl Calories & NutritionTips for a top-performing immune system:

Your immune system does so much more than just keep you from getting the cold and flu. It also keeps all of the toxins, pathogens, and bacteria you naturally consume from passing through your one-cell thick stomach lining and entering your bloodstream. In other words, it stops all of the toxic, disease-producing junk on the outside of you from entering your insides. If your immune system isn’t in tip-top shape, those pathogens can make it through your gut barrier and contribute to inflammation, disease, pain, depression, anxiety, and an inability to fully thrive and enjoy life!

We at Real Mushrooms want you to fully thrive.

And it’s not about having this immune-boosting Acai bowl recipe just one time. Certainly, this acai bowl recipe won’t stop you from ever getting sick. Rather, it’s more about adopting a preventative lifestyle that has a solid foundation in basic, self-care practices that allow your natural defense system to shine. Self-care practices like creating space for laughter, quality sleep, deep relationships, gratitude, meditation, movement, time outside in the sun, hydration, and quality food are vital to a well-lived, healthy life.

If you don’t make time for such self-care practices, chronic stress will inevitably take over, slowly weakening your immune system in the process. However, approaching life from a non-stressed, parasympathetic state is truly easier said than done, it’s also very achievable through intention, practice, and habits.

Try setting this intention when you wake up every single morning:

“I let go of what I cannot control and choose to love and support my body in ways I can control.”

Then move and eat in ways that align with it!

SHOP MUSHROOMS!

Real Mushrooms product line
Click here to explore our lineup of mushroom extracts.

Easily give your other recipes a power boost:

Here at Real Mushrooms, we absolutely love seeing what you create in your kitchen! And if you’re looking for a different benefit from our line of functional mushroom extracts, you can easily swap the Chaga and Turkey Tail for another mushroom of your choosing. Have fun, get creative, and show off your work!

We would love to see all your different Real Mushrooms creations! Join the mushroom recipe challenge! Get creative in the kitchen with different ways to get more mushrooms in your diet. Invent your own recipe and share via Instagram @realmushrooms. We will feature the winner’s recipe on the blog & give you a coupon for a Real Mushrooms product of your choice!

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