Chaga tea is the king of teas. It has so many freaking awesome benefits.
First things first, chaga is a mushroom that grows only on birch trees. It’s not soft and mushy though, it’s actually quite hard, almost as hard as wood. The outside is slightly crumbly and black.
The best chaga comes from the northern forests of Canada. Will and I were lucky enough to find some on a birch tree when we were in the French River area recently!
Chaga is usually wild-harvested and then dried and split into chunks. When you buy it make sure the company you choose harvests their Chaga sustainably. They should leave 20% of the mushroom intact on the tree so that it can grow back.
Why Chaga is so awesome
- Chaga is the number one rated healing plant on Earth according to Traditional Chinese Medicine
- It has been used as a remedy for thousands of years by Native Americans and Europeans
- It is so powerful because it harnesses the strength, nutrients and longevity of living trees into a concentrated form, making chaga mushrooms one of the most nutrient-dense and powerful superfoods on Earth
- IT TASTES DELICIOUS: if you’ve ever tapped a maple tree in the late spring to collect sap, it tastes like that. A light, watery, sweet, earthy taste. I really enjoy drinking it and think it’s delicious. It’s caffeine-free too of course, so you can safely enjoy it anytime.
Benefits of Chaga tea
- over 200+ phyto nutrients
- abundant vitamins and minerals
- supports the adrenal glands (which produce your stress hormones – the adrenals are easily exhausted / disregulated these days with stressful lifestyles and over-consumption of caffeine)
- slows the aging process through anti-oxidant and detox action
- supports the immune system and healthy digestion
- supports the flushing of radiation, heavy metals and toxins
- slows or stops the development of pre-cancerous cells
- one of the most potent anti-oxidants in the world
Where to get Chaga tea
I’ve seen Chaga teabags around here and there, but I wouldn’t recommend them. Since it’s ground up and packaged, you can’t see the quality or how much Chaga is actually in there.
The best way is to buy a jar of “Chaga chunks” and just steep it into a tea (instructions below). It’s pretty affordable, I bought a big jar for about $30. The bag below is around $20. You can re-use the chunks multiple times so it lasts ages!
Here is a good source for your Chaga chunks!
How to make Chaga tea
- Simply grab a chunk that fits in your palm, anywhere from the size of a walnut to a clementine (roughly). They are irregularly shaped so I’m generalizing! This size of chunk is enough to make about 2 cups of tea. Use more than one chunk, or a bigger chunk, if you’re making lots.
- Put 2 cups of filtered/purified water into a small pot, and pop the chaga chunk in there.
- Bring it to a rolling boil for a few minutes, then quiet down to a simmer for a while. Total time should be at least 15-20 minutes to extract lots of good chaga-ness.
- Your liquid will turn brown-black, the darker the better. Pour and consume!
- Afterward, keep your chaga chunk (let it dry out on a plate). You can use it 6-8 times over, until it stops giving brown colour when you boil it. At that point just chuck it in the garden or whatever, it’s pooched. Then on to a new chunk!
Have you tried Chaga tea?
What was your experience? Do you like the flavour? Are you digging the multiple health benefits of Chaga?
I discovered a jar of ground/powdered chaga at a hippie (and I use that term with much respect, as I am one) store my family visited a few months ago. I made tea with it and it was ok. THEN, I searched for chaga pieces/chunks and bought a bag of those–WONDERFUL! THENNNNN, my fabulous husband said he thought he’d seen chaga in the woods near our home. We searched and found it! This stuff is tasty! I rinse a few chunks, add them to a Crock pot and fill with filtered water, then allow to heat on low (“warm” setting would be better if I had it on this Crock pot). I let it heat for a few hours (usually overnight), then start drinking like coffee. I haven’t had coffee in ages and I was a coffee addict. My only ****WARNING**** is to PLEASE be careful if you wild harvest it and make SURE what you find IS chaga. If it’s not on a birch tree, I wouldn’t risk it. (Another note is that I hear you can extract the spent chunks in 90 proof (or better) vodka to make a tincture that includes alcohol-soluble health goodies which won’t extract in water. I can’t remember all the facts and figures on this, but it’s worth looking into from a trusted source. I plan to try it the next time I get a round of spent chunks.)
Thanks for the great info Michele! Agreed on hunting wild chaga, it’s so satisfying to find a chunk of this black gold clinging to a birch tree! And yes it tastes way better if you harvest it yourself. If people find a chaga hotspot, we would ask them not to go crazy and tear down as much as they can, as everyone has a right to this stuff and despite being a parasitic fungus it also plays a role in ecosystems!